Getting 'Bess Ready for Turkey Season

[shaman]

I will shortly be getting my Pedersoli Brown Bess ready for its first turkey season. I thought I would start a discussion on the best way to go about it.
I've got #6 chilled lead, and enough 3F to get me through until Friendship in June. Here are my options as I see them

1) Skychief Method-- I've got all the fixings.
2) Shot Cup Method -- Ditto on the fixings
3) The Corn Muffin Mix Method-- Traditional Muzzle Loader - Muffin Mix Turkey Loads
4) The Candle Load Method -- I've not found much info on this, but basically, you imbed your shot in paraffin. It's something I heard about way-way back.

This is turkey hunting so reloads can take most of the morning. I figure I'll get only one shot at a given gobbler. Most of my shots in the past 20-some seasons are within 16 yards.

How do y'all go about it?

 

[BillinOregon]

Looking forward to the responses. The candle method is the only one that looks questionable because of the possibility that the shot will remain in a clump, almost like a slug.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Tip 2oz in on top of 90-100 gns, report back.

 

[user 43911]

Load at muzzle, powder- 1/2"fiber wad (edge lubed or front lubed)- open ended heavy paper cup-1 1/4 oz shot, over shot card.


As noted above, candle method mostly used to make cheap slugs.

 

[shaman]

How useful is the shot cup? I know in regular shotgunning, folks use a wad, usually with a cup or petals.

What I'm thinking is that if I take all the Sky Chief components out, I've only got to pre-measure the powder and the lead and keep them in separate vials. 20 vials would give me 10 shots, and I could load them in a magnum slip
case ammo carrier. The wads and such can go in altoids tins or their ilk.

Right now, I'm measuring powder out of a brass measure and shot out of a recycled relish container into a Lee Shot Measure. I was getting nice patterns with 1 OZ Skychief-based Squirrel loads before the Chemo intervened.

 

[Rifleman1776]

powder, fiber wad, 1/8" card wad, shot, thin card wad.

 

[tenngun]

Folded paper, thick brown rubbed soft. Seventy grains 2 or even 1.5, 2 Oz shot, crumbled paper, dead turkey out to thirty yards.

 

[gonpce]

80 grn 3f corn meal 1 1/2 Oz shot 1/2 fiber wad. Works good in my 12 ga pedersoli double

 

[pacanis]

80 grn 3f corn meal 1 1/2 Oz shot 1/2 fiber wad. Works good in my 12 ga pedersoli double

How much corn meal? Same measure as powder?
Is the felt wad lubed?

 

[Greyrider]

When I used my brown Bess carbine on a turkey 2 years ago I used 100 grams 2f, shot card fiber wad, paper shot cup I made, shot card on that, the shot I used was xr long beard 12 ga. shot I cut out with the clear cristals in it. Was on a guided hunt a wanted something I new would reach out there.

 

[Newaygo77]

Following this thread for wisdom as spring approaches.

 

[Lynnhawk]

I will shortly be getting my Pedersoli Brown Bess ready for its first turkey season. I thought I would start a discussion on the best way to go about it.
I've got #6 chilled lead, and enough 3F to get me through until Friendship in June. Here are my options as I see them

1) Skychief Method-- I've got all the fixings.
2) Shot Cup Method -- Ditto on the fixings
3) The Corn Muffin Mix Method-- Traditional Muzzle Loader - Muffin Mix Turkey Loads
4) The Candle Load Method -- I've not found much info on this, but basically, you imbed your shot in paraffin. It's something I heard about way-way back.

This is turkey hunting so reloads can take most of the morning. I figure I'll get only one shot at a given gobbler. Most of my shots in the past 20-some seasons are within 16 yards.

How do y'all go about it?

80-90 grns pyrodex select…1.5-2.0 shot cup of copper coated #4 or # 6 and punched out cardboard for over shot card ….good out to 30yds in my TK2000…

 

[user 43911]

What's a TK2000 ?

 

[user 43911]

Something to remember when suggesting a load, it's an 11 gauge cylinder bore flintlock.

To the OP,
If most shots in the past 20 seasons have been around 16 yards load development will be easier, make it the best and start the day with it.
As you noted, reloading is not a big concern (time wise) and should not bog you down, take a bag with shot, measure, powder some cards and wads, enjoy the days out.

 

[user 43911]

When I used my brown Bess carbine on a turkey 2 years ago I used 100 grams 2f, shot card fiber wad, paper shot cup I made, shot card on that, the shot I used was xr long beard 12 ga. shot I cut out with the clear cristals in it. Was on a guided hunt a wanted something I new would reach out there.

That's one stiff load (1,532 grains of 2f) , no wonder the turkey was toast, concussion alone.

 

[Lynnhawk]

What's a TK2000 ?

That’s a very good inline percussion 12gauge shotgun made by Knight…great shotgun…have shot several Toms with the load I had specified earlier ….Thanks for asking …should have explained better in my reply to you….

 

[Britsmoothy]

That’s a very good inline percussion 12gauge shotgun made by Knight…great shotgun…have shot several Toms with the load I had specified earlier ….Thanks for asking …should have explained better in my reply to you….

This is a traditional muzzloader site.
If you read the rules you will notice that we don't cover in lines except for revolvers, percussion revolvers. Pre 1860 stuff.

 

[Lynnhawk]

This is a traditional muzzloader site.
If you read the rules you will notice that we don't cover in lines except for revolvers, percussion revolvers. Pre 1860 stuff.

Ok Sorry I didn’t realize that ….thank you..!!

 

[Carl.allen934]

How much corn meal? Same measure as powder?
Is the felt wad lubed?

Corn meal stinks when you shoot it

 

[Carl.allen934]

Tip 2oz in on top of 90-100 gns, report back.

Less powder more shot is a good rule don't want to blow through your shot and have a big hole in the middle of your pattern.