Good Turkey Hunting Gun?

[Carolina_Skinner]

Hey Guys,

So, what's a good turkey hunting blackpowder shotgun? It's not legal here in NC to hunt 'em with a PRB, so you have to have a shotgun instead. So, what's a good one? I'm looking for a good one to make/assemble. Or buy, if it ends up being less than a kit. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Carolina Skinner

 

[Dave Marsh]

My turkey gun is a jug choked custom NE fowler in 20 gauge. Mine is a flinter. You need to specify gauge, percussion or flint and whether you want a double or single barrel.

Dave

 

[cynthialee]

When it comes to turkey my opinion is bigger is better.
Last time I tried to shoot a turkey I used a .56 smoothbore with a sizable amount of powder and shot. Downed the turkey, went to put my piece in a safe place before I went to tend to my bird and don't you know that turkey got up and flew away.

Turkey are tough, they can take a whooping and get up and run away.

12 gauge, proper size shot and when you shoot them...walk up on them and break their necks to make sure!

 

[Patocazador]

I use a 12 ga. SxS with 3" plastic cups to hold almost 2 oz. of #5 shot. It works.

 

[Spikebuck]

It's not legal here in NC to hunt 'em with a PRB, so you have to have a shotgun instead.

Did your regs recently change or is it just not legal to use a rifle? If I recall, and you can search for posts on this topic by Roundball, NC mandated a smoothbore, but there was NO regulation on shot size. Net, Roundball posted about using one bore-sized piece of "shot." :wink:

 

[will5a1]

I have seen a few CVA Trappers, with extra chokes, sell for very reasonable prices - if I am remembering correctly they were all in 12 ga, and the asking price was $200 or less for nice condition guns.

 

[jackley]

I have taken turkey with a 10ga. original English flint fowler, an original 12ga. SXS by E Allen & Sons percussion , an original JC Grubb 16ga. SXS percussion, a TOTW fusil De Chase 20ga. flinter, and this year I'm going with a 24ga. North West trade gun in flint. So as far as the perfect turkey gun goes I would go with the gun that fits my persona, my likes or my pocketbook best. They are all very good turkey guns if you take the time to pattern them.

Jerry

 

[majg1234]

couple of years ago got one with a 20ga,load was nearer 12ga territory though :grin:

 

[Britsmoothy]

The way most turkey is hunted in the states a heavy barrelled gun smoothed of rifling and 1oz+ of shot.
I had an Enfield copy in .58 smooth rifle. It was good with ball and shot.
With shot it took rabbits to 30yds easy.
Then there was the zouarve 58smothbore I had, that was the same.
Heavy but your only sitting there.
Cheap to buy over here too.

B.

 

[Wes/Tex]

That is interesting and love seeing your pics. We never see the smooth bore versions of either of these over here, which reall is too bad.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Going back a few years now!




Smoothbore 2 band. By Parker Hale.

B.

 

[Carolina_Skinner]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all the advice! Keep it coming!
Spikebuck, the regs have not changed, I just re-looked up the regs and it says you cannot "Use any type of handgun or rifle to hunt wild turkey." So, sadly still can't use my GPR, as it's rifled. If it was smooth, I'd agree with your point!
Brit, love the pics! Very nice looking BP!

Carolina Skinner

 

[Maestro]

This has been my turkey & goose gun. Club Butt (Massachusetts, c. 1720) Fowler built by L. E. Williams - .75 caliber (11 gauge); 48" barrel, jug-choked "full" (by Coyote Joe); Rifle Shoppe #554 doglock; walnut stock; plain brass thimbles, primitive sheet brass nailed-on butt plate, hand forged iron trigger guard. The patterns it throws out to 30 yards are amazingly tight. The biggest challenge with this gun is that a gobbler had better be coming from the "right" direction 'cause it ain't too stealthy to try and change directions with a 48" barrel! :wink:

My son with it a few years back near the Blue Mountain in PA...

 

[Carolina_Skinner]

This has been my turkey & goose gun. Club Butt (Massachusetts, c. 1720) Fowler built by L. E. Williams - .75 caliber (11 gauge); 48" barrel, jug-choked "full" (by Coyote Joe); Rifle Shoppe #554 doglock; walnut stock; plain brass thimbles, primitive sheet brass nailed-on butt plate, hand forged iron trigger guard. The patterns it throws out to 30 yards are amazingly tight. The biggest challenge with this gun is that a gobbler had better be coming from the "right" direction 'cause it ain't too stealthy to try and change directions with a 48" barrel! :wink:

My son with it a few years back near the Blue Mountain in PA...

Hahaha very true! Though that seems true with most BP longrifles! Beautiful gun. And 11 Gauge you say? That's interesting! Your son looks like quite the hunter!

 

[Carolina_Skinner]

Anyone have any experience with Sitting Fox Muzzleloaders? It looks like they have a few nice, affordable fowler kits.

 

[Maestro]

And 11 Gauge you say? That's interesting!

Well, I guess it all depends on what conversion chart you're looking at.

Gauge was determined by how many "balls per pound". The Wikipedia Gauge Chart says that 11 gauge is .751 caliber - another, much older chart - the gauge used by George Schalk, of Pottsville, PA, 1824-1892 says that 11 gauge is .760 caliber. Now, Schalk was considered one of America's best rifle smiths and a maker of many famous rifles. He was also known to be "a most careful man".

:hatsoff:

 

[The Baron]

I've used my .62 Caywood Type "C" for about 12 years. I think I've killed 20-ish birds with it, all using 1 1/8oz. #6 lead and 80gr. 3F. I've never lost a bird... but I've also shot the vast majority of birds at less than 15 yards (I think I killed one at 22-ish yards one opening day when I misjudged the range by a few yards, but most have been at 10-12 yards). Whatever gun you select, do some testing and patterning of your loads on turkey targets to determine your maximum 100% certain effective range... then stick to it.

 

[Carolina_Skinner]

Thanks for all of the advice! I really love the look of fowlers, and I think I may purchase a 20 GA fowler kit from either TVM or Sitting Fox Muzzleloaders. Thanks again for all the advice!