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NMHawken · Nov 10, 2024

So my Kibler fowler kit is on order, it is a 20ga, so now I need to start gathering in the supplies I will need to shoot it. I have been using square patches in my percusion Hawken, will I need round patches for the fowler? I have several yards of pocket drill cloth, and if I need round patches, I will purchase the appropriate punch. Local gun store is going out of business, he had 3 packages of 2ea English flints, but they seem awful small. I am planning on trying some of the .575ish round balls I cast, can't use them in my 58 as they are too big, so before I unload the mold, thought I would try them in the fowler. Any recommendation on another diameter that has proven worthwhile? Plan on buying card wads and fiber wads, I'm guessing 20ga are appropriate? Right now I only have #2 shot, a 25lb bag I acquired from Lord knows where, plan on some #6 shot for upland game, rabbits, and squirrels. Looking for any other ideas on stuff I will need? Shot dispenser, other wadding material, et al?

Dave

Clark Badgett · Nov 10, 2024

Square or round patches make no difference. However I would suggest you use a combo that just removes the slop. If you use .020 patches (as an example) get a ball that is .040 smaller than bore size. There is no rifling to fill or engrave the ball in a fowler, no no real need for anything more than a light thump press fit.

ETA: if you use .020” patching, that .575 ball should be just fine. If your bore is the usual .615” that is the average of 20 bore barrels.

Des52 · Nov 10, 2024

What Clark said, you should be fine with the .575s with the right patch. I shoot .715s and 735s in my Bess carbine and the .735s shoot a little better than the .715s, but not enough to make a difference when hunting. A patched ball should be just snug enough to load easily. I use a thicker patch on the smaller ball to get the same result as with the bigger ball.

NMHawken · Monday at 4:23 PM

I've been having good luck with a .495 ball and a .020 patch in my Green Mountain TC Hawken, so hopefully the same patch works with the fowler. Currently have 1.5 Swiss, FFg Old Eynsford, FFg Swiss, and some FFFg Goex.

tenngun · Monday at 4:52 PM

I use a .575 to make a paper cartridge for my .62 TFC

TDM · Monday at 6:55 PM

As said, shape of the patch doesn’t matter. Also try unpatched balls with some under and over Tow. The cards and wads will work great for the #6 shot.

NMHawken · Tuesday at 11:30 PM

Getting more excited every day!

Grenadier1758 · Wednesday at 12:22 PM

When using tow for a wad, the ball can be closer to bore diameter.

Tow can be the waste fibers from processing flax to make linen thread or can be the fibers from jute or hemp twine or coarse fibers from ither natural twines or rope.

NMHawken · Wednesday at 1:04 PM

I've seen folks use a wide variety of items as wadding, even green tree leaves. While I may explore the historic accuracy side, I am mostly interested in a combination that will give me hunting accuracy. I will be trying tow, card wads, fiber wads, at this point not looking at the introduction of plastic to the barrel. The shooting of round ball will primarily be for club shoots, the big experiments will be with shot for hunting game. I got word my kit is shipping today, and I am stoked!

RiverRat · Wednesday at 8:35 PM

I am currently working on my Kibler 20g Fowler. I have a 28g smooth rifle and a 10g New England Fowler. I am by no means an expert on anything, but I have several boxes of hornady .570 rbs that I will be using in the 20g with the appropriate patching material. I just shoot paper and clangers so I won’t be putting any animals in any danger of a poor shot. Enjoy the wait for your Fowler, time will pass quickly.

akroguy · Wednesday at 8:58 PM

NMHawken said:
I've seen folks use a wide variety of items as wadding, even green tree leaves. While I may explore the historic accuracy side, I am mostly interested in a combination that will give me hunting accuracy. I will be trying tow, card wads, fiber wads, at this point not looking at the introduction of plastic to the barrel. The shooting of round ball will primarily be for club shoots, the big experiments will be with shot for hunting game. I got word my kit is shipping today, and I am stoked!

You'll be amazed when you open that Kibler crate. The fit and finish of the parts on that kit will blow your mind. I have a Colonial and a Woodsrunner. They are simply amazing. What part of NM are ya in?

NMHawken · Wednesday at 9:00 PM

I'm in the Southeast of NM, Alamogordo.

akroguy · Wednesday at 9:07 PM

I was down there a couple months ago. Need to order some more Habanero Limon pistachios from Pistachio land! Man those are good. I'm in Los Lunas.

NMHawken · Wednesday at 9:09 PM

Glad we didn't get all the snow!

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