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Centermark Fusil de Chasse 20 ga.

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BigDogg

45 Cal.
Joined
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I am possibly buying a Centermark 20 ga Fusil de chasse for a REALLY good price. I am new to smoothbores, however. Do they shoot roundballs well? And do they use patches like a rifle? Any information you guys could give me would be most appreciated. It looks like a beautiful gun! :hatsoff:

P.S. The price is $750 by the way (includes a lot of extras) is this a deal?
 
If the gun is in good condition than $750 is a very good price. Roundball can be shot out of a smoothbore with very good results depending on how far you want to shoot. To be period correct you would not patch a smoothbore but use wadding instead.If being PC or HC is not that important than patch away. You can also use shot or buck and ball in a smoothbore which can be fun.
 
Yes. They do best with patched balls. But only out to 50, maybe 60 yards. At least in my hands. Can't say about the price as condition is everything and some started off better than others. ANY used m/l will depend on how well the prior owner(s) treated it for shooting and storage. It's probably worth $200 to $1,200 or somewhere in that range, depending.
 
I had one, but it did not fit me properly. I had decent luck with a .595" PRB with .018" ticking patch in front of 75 gr. 3F.

Make sure it fits you. Really make sure... If it does, then you're in luck. Remember, if you are going to hunt with it, you will probably be wearing more clothes that you are wearing now.

BTW, the one I had shot shot very well too.

James
 
Thank you gentlemen, for all the advice! The guy who is selling it is the president of my gun club, so I'm betting its been well taken care of. And it comes highly recommended from the Booshway of our BP league, who knows the gun. I'm getting excited to have a small game/all around long gun. I plan on keeping my roundball shooting to 50 yards or less. I've actually never shot a deer past 30 yards anyway. The closest I've ever shot one is 7 yards. But I love small game hunting, and this just may be my primitive ticket! :v
 
Dogg....I've got a Centermark. Watch out for that big hump in the comb of the stock. It can really bite your cheekbone when the gun recoils. See if you can shoot it first to try it out before you buy. cheers Paul
 
Thanks for the heads up Paul. I'll keep that in mind. I'll definitely make sure it fits me first. I didn't think of that hump, but it makes sense.
 
I have had one for years and its a great gun. If it fits you and is in good shape you are getting a great deal. I think you will be surprised at how well it does with a patched ball. They do well with just wasp nest wadding to. Deadly out to 50 or 60 yards.
 
The bump is usally a problem due to haveing to get down on the stock rto get a good sight picture I worked my stock down while building the gun which can be an option for a used gun (re-shaping the comb to fit the shooter) heavy powder loads can also cause a thump on the cheek, if in good shape the price is a very good deal and if a high level of PC/HC is not an issue then the Centermark gun is OK, few French Fusils not custom made are very PC/HC, if the gun does not veat you up yopu will likley find it a very nice shooting gun for shot or PRB, and balls with wadding can be pretty accurate out to 50 yds as well at least good enough for Deer hunting if not target work/serious competition, many do not go back to rifles after using a well fitted smoothbore, you will likley need to use a smaller ball patch combo ratio than for typical rifle work due to the lack of the grooves for the patch to fit in, good luck and enjoy the journey.
 
Thanks for the advice Caddo and TG. I really shouldn't be thinking of buying this right now, but it seems too good to pass up. I've seen the photos of the gun. Plus it comes with a shot pouch + contents, 4 powder horns, 3 lbs of powder, and 150/.600 round ball. And I'd really like to hunt solely with flintlocks from now on. I didn't really enjoy small game season last year too much, because I didn't have a flint gun to use. Same with turkey season.
 
BigDogg said:
I didn't really enjoy small game season last year too much, because I didn't have a flint gun to use. Same with turkey season.
Now, there's a man with an attitude I can apreciate. You are going to go far. :haha:

Spence
 
Thanks Spence. :v My hunting buddies are starting to think I'm a lunatic, for carrying a flintlock during the regular rifle season. And now its carried over to small game, waterfowl, and turkey. I love this sickness!!
 
My buddies have thought me a lunatic for a long time. Shooting these flintlocks will just confirm it for them :grin:
Dan
 
They also change their tune when they see you killing game- particularly if its game they MISSED with their modern guns! Have fun.

20 years ago, I was deer hunting with my cousin- who was a police Detective in Chicago. He used a pump shotgun and slugs, while I carried my .50 cal. Rifle. He gave me grief ;every day about using a flint lock, but admitted that he had never shot one. At the end of one day, we had to unload my gun( at time, you could not transport any muzzleloader with a charge in the barrel: thankfully, that law has been changed here in Illinois, so that as long as its unprimed, or has no percussion cap on the nipple, its considered unloaded for transportation.)at the end of the day. We were at the NE corner of a small pond, and across the pond, about 100 yds, was a slab of concrete from some sidewalk. I aimed at the middle of that slab, and hit as centered as you could see. He was impressed. SO, I loaded the gun up again, and showed him how to hold it, and how to shoot it, and he aimed and fired, and his ball hit within a couple of inches of my own. HE was Much more impressed, and surprised that it did not recoil very much. That was the last bad mouthing I heard from him about hunting with my flintlock.

I have hunted with both friends, and strangers with my BP shotgun, and gotten strange looks from the modern gun hunters, until I cleanly took the birds they missed out of the air, DRT! The much loader muzzle blast of any BP shotgun or rifle scares the heck out of them the first time they hear you shoot, and they usually think something must have blown up to produce that huge cloud of smoke, and all that flame that came out of your muzzle, but after you assure them its Normal, and they see the next shot, they calm down. THEN, they get interested in how you load it, and "DOES IT RECOIL??? a lot???", and a thousand other questions. If the hunters don't reload their own shotgun shells, or any other cartridges, they are fascinated by the process of RELOADING! When you tell them its just like loading a cartridge casing, only the barrel is the casing, and you only have one shot at a time, they begin to see that this is NO GREAT LEAP BACK IN TIME from what they are shooting. If you can get them to shoot your gun a couple of times, you will usually have them "Hooked". :blah: :rotf: :rotf: :surrender: :hatsoff:
 
I agree Paul! My friends who have shot my flintlock are amazed the first time. Then they invariably ask me to load it up again, and again. There is just something about these guns! And I will always gladly let anyone who asks me, shoot my flinter. It's happened a number of times at the range. :v
 
I'm kidding myself when I say I'm "thinking" of buying this Fusil! This thing is ALREADY BOUGHT!! :haha:
 
BigDogg said:
I'm kidding myself when I say I'm "thinking" of buying this Fusil! This thing is ALREADY BOUGHT!! :haha:
I know that feeling buddy :wink: Be sure to share some pics when it arrives.
Dan
 
oneeye said:
BigDogg said:
I'm kidding myself when I say I'm "thinking" of buying this Fusil! This thing is ALREADY BOUGHT!! :haha:
I know that feeling buddy :wink: Be sure to share some pics when it arrives.
Dan
I will definitely do that. I'm supposed to go "look at it" Monday or Tuesday when the guy selling it gets back.
:thumbsup:
 
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