As an aside, in my interest to try things like the settlers did, I also want to take a long beard with a PRB, but we can’t use ”˜rifles’ for turkey in NC.PJC said:
Contacted the NC-WRC and asked them to verify that since there were no regs about the size or number of pellets used in a shotgun, did that mean that a slug would be legal out of a shotgun...and in the same vein, a single ball out of a smoothbore muzzleloader.
The answer was yes, no smoothbore related restrictions other than nothing larger than a 10ga can be used. I used Email to contact them so I could print off / laminate their reply and have it in my hunting vest in case I'm checked by a GW.
So I’ll be trying a PRB in the TVM .54cal(28ga) smoothbore Early Virginia this spring”¦hunting my same private / posted land, same type of 20-40yd shot in thick woods. Shooting on the horizontal at 18-20 inches above the ground I won't miss a turkey's body at that range, and given all the above there won't be any danger to anyone else.
I've studied the diagrams on shot placement because the vitals on a turkey are not where you'd normally think they are...they're a lot higher up. Just going to use the same load I use for deer hunting because that's how the sights are set.
( 90grns Goex 3F, .022” Oxyoke precut / prelubed patch, .520” ball )
If I'm lucky enough to fill the first tag with a PRB, then I'll switch to a shot load in the 28ga and try to get the other tag filled...probably the #6s shown in the middle 25yd tuna can test photo:
( 60grns Goex 3F, 1/2" Circle Fly lubed cushion wad, OS card, 100grns #6s, OS card )
