Turkey Shotgun

[wtilenw]

I'm interested in hunting Turkeys this spring with a muzzleloading shotgun and don't own one , nor have I ever been around or shot one. I would really like a flintlock. Is it hard to learn to tune one to shoot good patterns? Do you have to use a "Cylinder Bore" to load one. Most Turkey guns, nowadays are Full Choke or tighter. How do You get past that obstacle? I would appreciate any input on the subject. I have hunted turkeys successfully here in Idaho for the last 8 or 9 years and would like to try with a muzzleloading shotgun if I can get the loads and patterns right. What is your expected range for a good clean kill? Thanks!
Idaho PRB :hmm:

 

[The Baron]

I made the switch last year to black powder for turkey hunting. I found an old, original percussion fowler in approx. 11 ga. (.75 cal). Of course, this gun was a straight cylinder bore. I tinkered with loads and found 80 gr. FFg and about 1 1/8 oz. #6 shot in a plastic shot cup worked best. This gave me a "comfortable" max. range of about 20 yards. This seemed like quite a handicap at first, but it was mostly mental. I thought of the turkeys I had shot already, and many were within 20 yards anyway. I filled both my tags last year - one tom and one jake. Both were shot at 17 yards. I actually shot the first bird without a shot cup, but discovered afterward that my patterns were much better with the shot cup added.

I have read that the turkey guns with screw in chokes need to have the choke removed to load. But, I have no first hand experience.

Regarding flintlocks, I have no experience with them (yet!) so I'm no help there.

"Smoking" turkeys is a lot of fun - I have really enjoyed making the switch. Good luck!! But, beware... blackpowder seems to be highly addictive!

 

[No Deer]

I don't have a lot of experience actually killing a turkey, have only shot one. I used a Pedersoli, Mortimer, 12 ga. flintlock and the turkey was about 20 yds. away. It flew off, but found it crashed in a heap about 30 yards away. I have been using my 20 ga. the last couple of years but so far have not scored. You just have to work up your load. It takes some time and patience, but the result is worth it, it gives a great feeling of pride when you can boast at work that you got your turkey the old fashioned way.

NoDeer

 

[Bob J]

Have taken two large gobblers with ML, one with CVA 12 ga. double (13 yd shot) and one with Pedersoli 10 ga. double (18 yard shot). I too would like to find a 12 or 10 ga. flintlock double. As far as patterning, plastic cups will generally improve the pattern, however, with the 10 ga. I was using 110 gr Goex 2f, two overpowder cards, 1 1/2 oz. #5s and overshot card. Another possibility to explore is to have a competent gunsmith "jug-choke" the barrels. Recommend checking out Bob Spencer's Blackpowder Notebook web site and see the section on shotguns and V.M. Starr - muzzleloader shotgun guru.

 

[Rat]

I hunt Turk with a Brown Bess carbine. No choke.

Being an 11 guage, you can paper wrap a plastic shot cup, (post-it-note) and have a self-contained shot-charge. (12 gauge cup with a paper wrap is a perfect fit in an 11 gauge)

I use 620 (weighed) grains of shot...a "duplex" load of 2/3d's to 3/4 #4, and then some smaller shot.

I get a good 30 yard range...NO CHOKE!

RAT

 

[wtilenw]

Hmmmmmmm....... VERY interesting. I think I am getting the symptoms of coming down with the Blackpowder Shotgun Flu.
Thanks!
Idaho PRB :hmm:

 

[No Deer]

There is no known cure for this flu, only treatment for the symtoms.
NoDeer

 

[The Baron]

There is no known cure for this flu, only treatment for the symtoms.
NoDeer

I sure wich I'd known that before I called up a turkey for a friend and watched him bag it with his 'Bess. Now I seem to have an ever growing need for expensive "prescription" medication. :crackup:

 

I use an English fowler in flint 20 gage and have gotten two good toms with her . bother where alittle over 20 yards.
as to the choke dont worry to much about that there are ways to get the cards through , i have a 12 gage i hunt grouse with that is full/ full and dont have a problem loading .
however i think that if you do some shooting and work up the proper load you will find that a CB muzzle loader can come up with some very tight patterns

 

[KyFlintlock]

I also shoot a Pedersoli Mortimer 12ga flinter for turkey. I have taken 3 with it so far. It has been great fun, but I have had several birds get away, but I guess that is why they call it hunting right?

20 yards is about the effective range with my current load. I hope to work on it some this winter and get at least 25.

Good luck and keep us posted in the spring!
Wess