i know nothing, so i have to ask

[armymedic.2]

if a musket is smoothbored, and can fire shot, why would a fowler be more favorable. There are some mighty fine looking muskets out there, and i was wondering why not many people talk about using them for taking birds. I imagine this happened quite a bit with country boys using their issued arm to fill the pot. do they point so poory that it isn't feasble to use them on flying or running (rabbit) game? or are they just as good and im just not seeing it.

 

[rice1817]

I believe the biggest difference is in the handling qualities of a Fusil de Chasse or an English Fowler as opposed to a military smoothbore musket. The musket had to be sturdily constructed for its secondary (some would say primary) use as a bayonet platform. Thick in the wrist, 10 pounds or so to give added impetus to the thrust. It could also be reversed and gripped as a baseball bat and swung as a club. Just a little too clunky to make for an enjoyable day in the field. Lots of military muskets were indeed cut down in both the barrel and the forestock to lighten the load.

 

[Le Grand]

Army, Let me give you a general answer then others can jump on this for the things that I've missed. A musket is a smoothbore, yes. But a fowler is usually lighter and easier to move fast, having advantages for taking flying targets. The fowlers usually had faster locks as well. The muskets were reliable, yes, built for combat, big and sturdy so they could be used with the bayonet. Fowlers were made for the hunter or the gentleman of the day. Their styling reflects this. While both the muskets and the fowlers were smoothbores, they were quite different and filled different roles. Several hunters today use the muskets and I know of a few hunters who sure like the Brown Bess and its .75 caliber bore. Le Grand

 

The simple explanation is in the definition of the two. A musket is a military smoothbore, much more heavy, and generally clunky somewhat,(designed to make it soldier proof) where as a fowler is a civilian smoothebore designed specifically for hunting, though many were used as military weapons by the militia's, especially when military muskets weren't available. Remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.(No comments about bad eyesight :rotf: )

Bill

A penny saved is merely government oversight!

 

Wow, three answers in under 8 minutes all the same! Took me that long to compose mine.

Bill

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

A penny saved is merely a tax that "They" haven't levied yet. :surrender: :rotf: . Everybody else is right, so I'll shut-up now, Dave

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Mack truck and Corvette comparison, AKA night & day.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Great question :thumbsup: !

Thank YOU for your service and keep questions like that coming ...

 

[Wes/Tex]

From purely a mechanical point of view, a musket's lock is larger and the arc through which the hammer moves is longer. I've never thought much about it but a couple of pheasant hunters I've met used it to blame their misses on. My personal view is something else but it's true technically. They also threw in the harder impact of flint against frizzen as[url] well...again[/url], true but hardly enough to make a clean miss. I just felt the extra weight might make for a slower swing.

 

[The Baron]

I've carried a Bess and a fowler in the woods and there is no comparison - a Bess is a beast after a few hours but a fowler if very enjoyable to carry. As far as the turkeys are concerned, they are both lethal so I'll go for the nicer carrying fowler. :v A fowler sits a lot lighter on the knee too, while you wait for that big Tom to strut into range.

 

[Will Bison]

I shoot the Fusil de Chasse and the Bess and the Fusil just has a better balance for flying birds.

IF I can find Quail I can take a limit with no problem using the Fusil.

I've tried both on clay birds and the fusil always out shoots the Bess.

I think it's a matter of balance and lock time.

 

[Many Klatch]

My Bess throws a fine column of shot and if I can get it on target it will break it. However, the slower lock time is a real problem when shooting skeet. I do better at skeet with my 20 ga smoothbores.

But in answer to your question. If I could only own one gun, and I needed to feed a family back in the day. Give me my Bess carbine. I wouldn't be wing shooting, I'd be taking three or four birds at a time on the ground or in a tree. And with a round ball or buckshot the Bess will win hands down. With a sling, the Bess is comfortable enough carrying all day.

Wing shooting was something the gentry did.

Many Klatch

 

[armymedic.2]

cool, thanks for the answers, definitely something to think about. i don't beleive i am going to do reinactments, but i never thought i would do flint or make my own bows either. funny how that works. i am looking for a practical hunter as well as PC just in case :hmm:

 

[CrackStock]

It is like comparing a combat outfitted Remington 870 to a custom trap shotgun.

They are special tools made for different purposes and offer different advantages.

The thing to do is outline your purpose for your gun and pick accordingly.

CS