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Blackpowder woodcock and snipe

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Flintfan69

40 Cal.
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
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Finally got around to uploading a picture from one morning of hunting last fall. The single barrel, 19 gauge, percussion was made by William Nunn out of Herford circa 1850. All accouterments are vintage 19th century.

Used a load of 2 1/2 drams FFg, and 1 oz. volume of #7 bismuth (have to use non-toxic for snipe in our area now).

The gun is an absolute pleasure to hunt with. Only weights 4 1/2 lbs. Right now I'm in the process of making a new ebony ramrod to replace the original that was damaged when I bought the gun.


r0y0xt.jpg
 
That's the way to do it. Both snipe and woodcock are difficult "targets", but very different flight patterns and found in cover or lack thereof.

I've mostly hunted ruffed grouse and woodcock in nearly the same cover...woodcock like slightly wetter environs. The only snipe I've shot were around stock ponds and the shooting can get "fast and furious".

Is the 4-1/2# shotgun steady on the swing...normally a heavier shotgun swings smoother w/ better follow through? Evidently it does the job.

Nice sharp photo and It'll probably be a day to remember?....Fred
 
Forest...Very Nice photo!
Isn't it great to hang out where those bird live.
Wish that gun could talk.
Can you post a full length picture of your 19 ga.?
 
Thank you for the kind words everyone. I'll try to take some more pictures of the gun when I get my hands on it again. Right now it is up at the cabin, and I won't be up there until next weekend.

Fred: I am from the snap shooting school when it comes to woodcock and snipe shooting. With woodcock you really have no choice other than snap shooting, but with snipe there are two lines of thought. The first one is to let them rise, and wait a second or two until they level out and then take your shot. This can work well, if you have a tight shooting choke gun and get get enough pellets on a very small target out to 25-40 yards.

With an open shooting muzzleloader, I have found it very effective to keep my shots within 25 yards. Which to anyone who is familiar with snipe know, they can out distance that range in probably less then 1 1/2 seconds from flush, since they usually flush at 5-10 yards to being with. With practice, one can get quite good at snap shooting at a rising bird, with very little swing through. I definitely wouldn't want to be pass shooting at any wildfowl with a gun that light though.
 
Game taken with original shotgun and equipment: Coolness Prevails :thumbsup:
 
Very Nice! Do you buy your bismuth local or on-line? I can't find it here localy.
Again nice picture and fantastic setup there. Congrats on the birds, I chased woodcock when I was a boy down in Louisiana during Christmas break. I have'nt lived down there in 30 years but can still remember the whistling sound those wings made.
Merry Christmas
 
Zane121 said:
Very Nice! Do you buy your bismuth local or on-line? I can't find it here localy.
Again nice picture and fantastic setup there. Congrats on the birds, I chased woodcock when I was a boy down in Louisiana during Christmas break. I have'nt lived down there in 30 years but can still remember the whistling sound those wings made.
Merry Christmas

Thanks Zane. I buy my bismuth from www.precisionreloading.com

It's not cheap, but it is the only non-toxic I will use in vintage guns (as opposed to the tungsten and/or steel based shots).
 
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