navy arms double fowler for turkey

[aloyalistdawg]

Hey Guys
I am lucky enough to have a navy arms double 12 muzzle loader. My Rabit load is 1 1/2 onces of #2 lead with a 3/16 over powder wad, and a plastic cup (cushion cut off), with an over shot wad... pushed by 100 grns of ff. This is ignited by a maginum cap. This is just nothing short of awesome on Bunnies.
:thumbsup:
I also bought some steel shot wads, and #4 steel shot. I wanted to try out steel shot. It works well on the range (clays and paper) , so I hope it will work on ducks as well. :thumbsup:
Ok so here is the killer...I also want to use it on Turkey, yes it has 2 improved cylinder chokes, however this the only real muzzle loading shot gun I have...( I have a Bess, and a few rifles as well) Any Opinions guys? suggested loads?
My best regards a Loyalistdawg :hatsoff:

 

[Rebel]

I used my Navy Arms double barrel on a turkey and my friend that bought it from me used it to get his only turkey to date. 80 grs of Pyrodex RS, an over powder wad, steel shot shotcup cut down to hold 1 1/4 oz of #5 lead shot, and an overshot card wad. Kills 'em dead out to just over 20 yds.

 

[ffffg]

steel shot at bp velocities will have very little success (with any pennetration) on waterfoul.. and as you get further away it will be worse.. simply put, a bad idea.. youl have to use bismuth..yes its expensive... i think since its such a small percent in waterfouling that bp shooters should be able to use lead.. wounded ducks and geese is a bigger problem than the lead. .. duck loads arnt bad with bismuth, geese loads with bismuth is a real problem with any kill consistency unless real close, in my opinion.. dave..

 

[aloyalistdawg]

Hi Guys
Yes I have thought of Bismouth. That is a great ider. What about "Heavy shot" rom remington? That is heavier than lead....
My best regards a loyalist Dawg

 

[BrownBear]

Sad to say I parted with my NA double 12 long ago when we were finally forced to switch to steel shot up here.

Prior to that, I shot truck loads of snowshoe hare, ptarmigan, ducks and a few emporer geese with mine (yeah, they were till legal back then).

Admittedly I was hunting the snowshoe hare over dogs, but my favorite load was an ounce of #5's, though something like you were shooting would have been welcome for longer ranges.

Based on my pattern tests, you might try switching to Winchesters red AA wads to see if you can tighten the pattern. They're really stiff and dramatically tightened my patterns. I didn't bother cutting off the cushion, so maybe that was a difference, too.

Reducing your shot charge to just fill the cup might result in tighter patterns too, and though you would be shooting less than your current 1 1/2 ounces, the extra velocity along with a tighter pattern might be enough to really stretch your range.

In addition you might also try different powder charges along with the smaller shot for turkeys. In my experience there was such a thing as too much velocity, and in fact I got my best patterns and good killing power between 1050 and 1100 fps (chronographed). Patterns were still good at lower velocities, but killing power dropped noticeably. Patterns usually went to pieces at higher velocities.

You might find that #6 or #4 shot pattern better than #5's. No way to know till you try them all, but most guns seem to have preferences for one shot size over another. Mine hated #4's, did okay with #5's and loved #6's, for example.

Steel shot cups weren't available in those days, but they might be worth a try with lead since they are probably even stiffer that the WAA12 Red.

I used #2 lead the few times I hunted geese, and they were stone killers on the emporers inside 30 yards, as far as I tried them. Following Elmer Keith's recommendations, I would have given a go with #3's if they had been available.

If bismuth had been around back then, I'd still own that shotgun today. I've used it a lot in cartridge guns ranging from 20 gauge through 10 gauge, and I'm impressed with the stuff.

I'm currently dickering with a friend to swap for his NA 12, and I'm looking foward to trying bismuth on ducks with it.

 

[aloyalistdawg]

Thanks Brown Bear
This seems like some good advice, and iders.. Awesome actually. I certainly will find some Bismouth it's not like I will be shooting a hundred rounds a day...
My best regards a Loyalist Dawg