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What components to gather for 20 gauge Fowler

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Joined
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So I am waiting on a Kibler fowler to be available like many of you. I was looking around for a smoothbore and so the choice became much easier for me with the recent announcement.

My question for the smoothbore shooters is what do I need to gather in anticipation? This is what I have on the list.

Nitro wads (above the powder)
lead shot
overshot wads (cardboard?)

Already have powder and flint. Going to buy a 62 caliber round ball Mould as well.

Any advice? Was looking at purchasing from ballisticproducts.com. Am I missing anything? Really looking forward to playing with a smoothbore.

Thanks in advance!

SeaRun1
 
You might want to hold off on the round ball mold until you decide what size ball works best for you. In my own .62 fowler I use a .60 ball. Some guys like a .590.
Ball puller, patch puller, breech scraper, jag, probably an adaptor to match the threads on those accoutrements with the ramrod and range rod. A range rod is not really necessary but makes things a little easier at the firing range and when cleaning.
You also might want a pan brush, but I find it is not necessary since my finger, or a leaf, works well enough.
A vent pick can be made very simply by straightening out a paper clip. I've also made them by taking a short piece of 1/4 inch dowel and driving a tiny nail into the end of it. Cut off the head of the nail and file it into a dull point. Or, just take a stiff piece of thin wire and bend one end into a loop that will serve as a handle.
Of course you will need a powder measure. You will need an adjustable measure at least in the beginning in order to determine what amount of powder works best for you. Once you have settled on that, it is quite easy to make powder measures for that specific load out of antler, bone, river cane, wood, whatever.
I use a loading block to hold several patched round balls ready to load. Some people don't use them. Whatever. These are also very easy to make yourself.
My loading block hangs from a throng around my neck, but I keep all the other little accoutrements in a small leather bag that I sewed up myself. Also, a similar little bag for holding round balls. These two little bags, along with a small pair of pliers that I have ground down one handle end to make a screwdriver that doubles as a flintknapper (or you could just go with a real screwdriver), some lubed patch material, and a small folding knife all go into my shot pouch. (please don't call it a "possibles bag")
Before you go to the expense of buying a shot pouch you could use an army surplus medical kit bag, a gas mask bag, a bag you might find in a thrift store, or you can sew up a bag to your own design, as I have done.
I don't use a short starter, but many people do. They are also very easy to make yourself.
For me, making as much of my own equipment as possible is part of the fun of muzzleloading.
 
Smoothbores are very forgiving of the load. They can shoot very well with a wide variety of loads and methods.
A 2x1 inch brown paper folded in half makes a good wad, tow works well, and Spanish moss, lichen wasp nest also works well.
A .590-.600 ball in a patch works well or a .610 ball with a wad on top and bottom works good.
If you want to shoot a military style cartridge a .570-575 works real well.
Some boys get near rifle accuracy to fifty yards, it’s easy to get deer accuracy to that range
Beware the man with one gun, is an old saying for blood shooters. That one gunned man may know it very well and learn to hit what ever at what ever range in what ever conditions.
A smoothie can be that gun. Effective at least to fifty yards, and can shoot fast, cartridges, slow and accurate, tight load, easy loading hunter, and shot.
You will have endless possibilities with your new gun.
 
A few packages of balls (TOTW) so you find out what it likes and how it likes loaded, tow (to be used for loading), jag, patch worm to wrap some tow around for cleaning, shot bag... the more I use nitro cards the less I like them, so I'll say overshot cards and cushion wads. And mink oil if you don't have it, along with various patches to determine an accurate ball load.

There are so many combinations...
 
If you're going for turkeys, look at TSS Shot. Incredible patterns. I went from 14 hits in the head neck to 50 hits at 30 yards.

Plenty to research.

HH
 
Thanks for the help guys. I am interested mostly in shooting shot of various sizes and types with a big round ball second. i will get a few sizes of round balls first as was mentioned before getting a mold. Would prefer to cast the balls myself as those bit round balls aren’t cheap to buy! Still guess it makes sense to get a variety and narrow it down before getting a mold.

Appreciate the advice.

SR1
 
So I am waiting on a Kibler fowler to be available like many of you. I was looking around for a smoothbore and so the choice became much easier for me with the recent announcement.

My question for the smoothbore shooters is what do I need to gather in anticipation? This is what I have on the list.

Nitro wads (above the powder)
lead shot
overshot wads (cardboard?)

Already have powder and flint. Going to buy a 62 caliber round ball Mould as well.

Any advice? Was looking at purchasing from ballisticproducts.com. Am I missing anything? Really looking forward to playing with a smoothbore.

Thanks in advance!

SeaRun1
Wait on the mold, my trade gun likes .600 balls and a .022 patch, on the other hand, my buddies trade gun like .595 balls and a .014 patch, he can shoot .600's and a .010 patch but he has to beat them in with a mallet.
 
Some good suggestions on here ....I'd just agree with the feller ....get ya a boag of .595 and .600 and see what ya like before ya get a mold. Try the small ball with patch and larger naked . Shoot her at 25 yds. then see where shes hitting at 50 . For patching I just use T shirt material , free or cheap but pillow ticking is tighter but better accuracy, wash it first . Cut yer strip of fabric into long strips 3-4" wide , cut the patch at the Muzzle ... Get ya good sharp knife . Make sure you got a ball pulling tip and was puller . Extended ones are tops! Vent pick ... Screw driver flint knapper combo tool , powder measure , natch .... a hole punch 5/8" if you wanna start makin your own cards and wads .... and lots of powder ! I prefer 2F in my 20s but you can use 3 F too.... Prime with same powder you charge with ....if you have any ignition pro Lem's slow or delay , just holler ....we'll address that ...lock should spark like crazy each shot . In this pic ....thats just sparks , there's no powder in there ...should do that each time if flint is good or even decent
 

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Some good suggestions on here ....I'd just agree with the feller ....get ya a boag of .595 and .600 and see what ya like before ya get a mold. Try the small ball with patch and larger naked . Shoot her at 25 yds. then see where shes hitting at 50 . For patching I just use T shirt material , free or cheap but pillow ticking is tighter but better accuracy, wash it first . Cut yer strip of fabric into long strips 3-4" wide , cut the patch at the Muzzle ... Get ya good sharp knife . Make sure you got a ball pulling tip and was puller . Extended ones are tops! Vent pick ... Screw driver flint knapper combo tool , powder measure , natch .... a hole punch 5/8" if you wanna start makin your own cards and wads .... and lots of powder ! I prefer 2F in my 20s but you can use 3 F too.... Prime with same powder you charge with ....if you have any ignition pro Lem's slow or delay , just holler ....we'll address that ...lock should spark like crazy each shot . In this pic ....thats just sparks , there's no powder in there ...should do that each time if flint is good or even decent
Wow, that is a sparkin mosheen Rob. Did you heat treat that frizzen yourself? If so, please tell us how you got it to light up like that.
 
Wow, that is a sparkin mosheen Rob. Did you heat treat that frizzen yourself? If so, please tell us how you got it to light up like that.
Well ...I'll tell ya but dont know if you should duplicate it or not ! LOL ....short version , I'd tried a few different ways but... It just wasnt sparking for sh!+ so I got mad and heated the face of the frizzen cherry red then , face pointing down , touched the face into water , just the face ....frizzen ain't broke yet ! Knock on wood !
 
Well ...I'll tell ya but dont know if you should duplicate it or not ! LOL ....short version , I'd tried a few different ways but... It just wasnt sparking for sh!+ so I got mad and heated the face of the frizzen cherry red then , face pointing down , touched the face into water , just the face ....frizzen ain't broke yet ! Knock on wood !
Thanks for the how to. It’s worth a try . Right?
 
Thanks for the how to. It’s worth a try . Right?
Rob m hit it with his treatment. My advise whenever anyone wants to harden their frizzen is to be double sure there are replacements available. personally I have a replacement in my drawer before i commence the operation.
 
Thanks for the how to. It’s worth a try . Right?
Sure bud , give it a try .It'll certainly be hard enough ! LOL ... I hope you have a replacement in case it breaks . Just quench the face , dont just stick the whole thing into the water real fast ...
 
Sure bud , give it a try .It'll certainly be hard enough ! LOL ... I hope you have a replacement in case it breaks . Just quench the face , dont just stick the whole thing into the water real fast ...
You know Rob, if I can get a lightening storm of sparks like that lock of yours, it’s a possibility you may tempt me to change out my good luck flint too. Thanks friend
 
You know Rob, if I can get a lightening storm of sparks like that lock of yours, it’s a possibility you may tempt me to change out my good luck flint too. Thanks friend
I wish ya the best . I hope it works for ya or I'm gonna feel bad for tellin ya . Let me know how it goes bud .
 
Seems I can’t get nothin done without an interruption from the neighbors. I was setting up to heat treat some steel for the frizzen experiment, then she showed up with fawn. I hate the felling of someone lookin over my shoulder when I’m about to screw up.
 

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