help please with 50 cal smooth bore turkey load

adkmountainken · Apr 13, 2024

i picked up and antique ( fully functioning ) 50 caliber smooth rifle recently and really want to kill a turkey with it. i have been hunting turkeys for the last 5 years exclusively with flintlock fowlers in 75 cal so i am at ground zero in working up a pattern for a .50 I am thinking about starting at 60 grains FF, wonder wad, 1.25 ounces of #5's and either another wonder wad or nitro card. i need to get some veg wads in near future. anyone care to share their pet 50 cal load?

Britsmoothy · Apr 13, 2024

Forget the wads and just use thin cards, not the thick nitro cards, just over shot card's.

adkmountainken · Apr 13, 2024

Britsmoothy said:
Forget the wads and just use thin cards, not the thick nitro cards, just over shot card's.

i will try it. for the first few years i was only using hornets nest and did kill a few turkeys using just that as buffer.

Trigger · Apr 13, 2024

As a buffer?.. notice much adding that...

There is Skychief load sticky around..
I have not seen many pictures of patterns just reviews and a video. it's not a choked pattern but it's better for a few more hits usually.

Nice gun. I'd want to see if I could get a woodcock with flint.

Trigger · Apr 13, 2024

Lol I posted this before

Print it out.. the shots show up nice on that white printer paper.

Shoot it.

brazosland · Apr 21, 2024

The answer for your gun is called a round ball.

RiverRat · Apr 21, 2024

Britsmoothy said:
Forget the wads and just use thin cards, not the thick nitro cards, just over shot card's.

I totally agree with this method. Those thick nitro cards shoot right through your pattern and leave a big hole in it.

adkmountainken · Apr 21, 2024

brazosland said:
The answer for your gun is called a round ball.

not for turkey thats the wrong answer in NY

JJohnson2023 · Apr 21, 2024

Trigger said:
Lol I posted this before

Print it out.. the shots show up nice on that white printer paper.

Shoot it.

Thank you for this! That'll come in handy

ADK Bigfoot · Aug 7, 2024

Ken:

Is this a lefty? 50 smooth bore?

ADK Bigfoot

Rob M. · Aug 7, 2024

60 gr. of powder , 2 F or 3F , and 1oz and 1/4 of #4 shot .... Shot it a couple times at least and see what kind of pattern she throws . I use hornets nest for wadding ....if not be available many times used , green leaves , green grass or card board cards I made with 5/8" punch ..... Knocks em dead .....best of luck

tenngun · Aug 8, 2024

brazosland said:
The answer for your gun is called a round ball.

That may not be turkey legal
Check game laws. Many states require a 20 bore for turkey
If rifle is ok a ball would do to twenty yards for head shot, fifty if your willing to sacrifice a bit of breast

Pete453 · Aug 12, 2024

I shot these with my 50 smoothbore. 40 & 50grs 3f, a lubed felt wad like in my revolvers, 3 thin OS cards, a brown paper shotcup, 60gr measure of 4 shot, thin OS card. 25 steps. I didn't think it was too bad for taking a s.w.a.g. at it.

Smokey Plainsman · Aug 14, 2024

50 is a mite small for "bustin' gobblers" as it were.

Make sure to build up a humane load before injuring or wounding one of those feathered friends.

Newly O’Brian · Aug 14, 2024

I hadn't thought of using a 50 cal smooth bore on turkeys, but read your regulations and learn how to call really good.
One advantage is the shot column(shot string) really doesn't matter much on a stationary target.
Protect the shot from damage on ignition, use small HARD lead shot, keep your distance expectation with in reason.

Eric Krewson · Aug 14, 2024

I don't think a .50 is too small, it all depends on what you put in it. .410s with #9 TSS shot are all the rage with the modern guys now, I bet you could come up with some devastating loads for your .50 out to 30 and possibly 40 yards. I bet a .50 with a jug choke would shoot a very tight pattern.

bigted · Aug 15, 2024

Following along

WALT53 · Aug 19, 2024

adkmountainken said:
i picked up and antique ( fully functioning ) 50 caliber smooth rifle recently and really want to kill a turkey with it. i have been hunting turkeys for the last 5 years exclusively with flintlock fowlers in 75 cal so i am at ground zero in working up a pattern for a .50 I am thinking about starting at 60 grains FF, wonder wad, 1.25 ounces of #5's and either another wonder wad or nitro card. i need to get some veg wads in near future. anyone care to share their pet 50 cal load?

My 54 likes 50 grns 3f and 60/70 grns of shot and either o/s cards or wasp nest.You should really go and try a bunch of loads and see what the gun likes ,them smoothbores are like the wife very fussy.

nhmoose · Aug 19, 2024

Buy something bigger in NH as 20 gauge is min caliber

help please with 50 cal smooth bore turkey load

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