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Best gauge

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Having hunted small game most of my life, I’ve used the same unmentionable Stevens 16 SxS and with 71/2 shot never had a problem.
I switched to hunting with BP about 15-12 years ago, my single shot .58 with #4 shot has gotten me some pretty delicious dinners.
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Shur is purty!
 
I've owned two smoothbores and am fairly familiar with them in general. My first was a 12 ga percussion double that was a lot of fun, but I eventually sold it. Then years ago I bought a 20 ga flintlock and love it. The barrel is 38" which fits my purposes as a "ball" gun (primarily) and secondly as a shotgun. The load I use is very accurate and great deer load. My limited work with shot - cylinder bore - is good up to about 25 yards max. The fact is I'm no longer a hunter and so it doesn't get much exercise now. It has a rear sight which helped me with ball and shot.

It's not an upland "bird" gun though I have killed running deer with it. Alas, it now only kills targets.
 
I like an use 12 ga on everything. Ive got 2 an a 3rd will be built by next yr. Ive got a punch an make my own wads an cards. Got a 690 an 700 moulds for ball
 
Thank you, have hunted grouse over 25 years. Really enjoy them, but flintlock birds, just have not practiced enough with the muzzleloader. That ignition lag is a real game changer. I guess to get good with my fowler I would need to spend a whole summer shooting 20 or 25 clays a week. Just not that committed at this point in my life to hunt grouse with a muzzleloader, have gotten into deer hunting more (crossbow and flintlock). I used to use open choked 20 inch semiautos and 24 inch double barrel shotguns on grouse. With birdshot in my fowler I just could not get over a 50% hit ratio on clays. I know it was me and not the fowler. Just could not get the mechanics down, I have been an avid upland hunter for 40 years.
If you follow thru like your suppose to you will hit your target period ignition lag or not
 
Oh boy, best gauge…i’m no help as I only have a 20ga Fowler…guess i need to get a 24ga , 28ga and any others to find out. I’ll get back to you in 20 years!!!
 
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