A friend built me a poorboy flintlock 50cal. last winter and am having fun with it, so much that now I would like to add a smoothbore. I have seen adds for both fowler and trade guns in 20g. and "think" that is what I will start with. I would hope to use the smoothbore at woods walks, rendezvous and at re-enactments. Time about 1760-70 place Michigan. My age 60. I like shooting and the wife has enjoyed the rendezvous we have gone to and wants to get envolved with the crafts of the day. What is the differnce between a 20g. fowler and a trade gun and what should I get?
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Fowler vs Trade Gun? help
- Thread starter Ed Oamar
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dukewellington
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I would go with a fowler everytime.
A trade gun is simply a smoothbore that was made and intended to be traded, most often to the Indians, for furs. Yes, they often "traded" for alliance or treaty agreements too. The fowlers were made more individually, generally for use by white hunters, sportsmen or settlers. Often there is no difference between those types of guns. Of course, guns "traded hands" often in the times you mentioned. One gun you should take a look at is the Early English Trade Gun by North Star West. It is a trade gun but it has fowler characteristic, at least to my eyes, and it fits your favorite time period.
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Fowlers generally had more grace and finese than the trade gun.....
Ed, the time period you are interested in would give you a choice of French Fusil, English Trade Gun, or either a French or English style fowler.
The Brits took over Michigan in 1763.
After having a Northwest English trade gun, a French Partrisan fusil,and a Brown Bess, I would now go with a fowler for a 1760-1770 Michigan impression. Some of the other posts refer to the fowler as more graceful and I agree. Being past the age for a military( except militia)or trapper impression a graceful fowler woulgd add to a senior gentleman impression.
If you are around Lansing,check with Don Tilton President of the Lansing Muzzleloading Gun Club about fowler sources and resources.
Greg Kershul
Captain (retired)
Spirits of the North Michilmackinac Militia
The Brits took over Michigan in 1763.
After having a Northwest English trade gun, a French Partrisan fusil,and a Brown Bess, I would now go with a fowler for a 1760-1770 Michigan impression. Some of the other posts refer to the fowler as more graceful and I agree. Being past the age for a military( except militia)or trapper impression a graceful fowler woulgd add to a senior gentleman impression.
If you are around Lansing,check with Don Tilton President of the Lansing Muzzleloading Gun Club about fowler sources and resources.
Greg Kershul
Captain (retired)
Spirits of the North Michilmackinac Militia
hanshi
Cannon
Fowlers (to me) have the same graceful aesthetics of longrifles. Trade guns remind me more of muskets or military guns. There are quite a few excellent fowler builders and any of them will give you a superior gun. I am not that familiar with the trade gun situation but from all I've heard, North Star West is THE source for HC NWTGs. Both are light weight and are made to your specifications. Cost for both is similar.
Just study the best contemporary examples of French and English trade guns of the period and English or New England fowlers and see what appeals to you the most. Depending on your station in life (your re-enacting persona) you may want to choose among a military fusil, a trade gun or a fowler as most appropriate compared to the other options.
Here's a beautiful fowler example on Photo section of this forum.. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/236472/tp/1/ and more photos of the same here.. http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2009/07/english-fowling-piece-by-james-rogers.html Just put a bib on before looking...there's goin' to be a lot of droolin'! This is Capt. Jas. first build, YIKES. :bow:
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Mike Brooks has some nice ones also...
http://www.fowlingguns.com/index.html
http://www.fowlingguns.com/index.html
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I'd say the main difference is that the trade guns were built cheap to sell cheap. They were built to a fixed pattern, every one was pretty much like every other. Fowlers were more of a gentleman's sporting gun, some very plain and some quite ornate but each piece was one-of-a-kind. Historically, very few trade guns were as large as 20 gauge, 24 & 28 gauges were most common. Fowlers, on the other hand, were built in all the gauges familiar to shotgunners today, 10, 12, 14 & 16 gauges were quite common.
