Need advise on .62 smoothebore

[jimbo15563]

I'm having a custom underhammer rifle built (see my thread in the builder's bench section - Jimbo's Underhammer).

I have ordered a custom .54 rifled barrel from Ed Rayl. It's a tapered octagon to round starting at 1.200" to fit seamlessly with the octagon receiver and ending up round at .875". I will use this barrel primarily for deer hunting and target shooting.

I'm thinking about ordering a second barrel in the same configuration (so that it fits the long forend) in a .62 smoothbore.

I would use this barrel for hunting PA spring gobbler, if possible.

I would assume that this would be ths shotgun equivalent a of cylinder choke. What I would like to know is whether a load can be developed which would be effective on turkey with this type of pattern. This would also give me the option of shooting big roundballs.

I realize that I could have this barrel (with apologies to the traditionalists) tapped for choke inserts, but It's my understanding that this would eliminate the roundball option.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Jimbo

 

Jimbo, while a choked barrel certainly holds a better pattern than bore choke, a 20 straight bore is very effective on turkeys. I know at least 5 people who took turkeys this year in Michigan with 20 gauge trade guns. It takes some work to figure out the best load for every gun, but I use my 20 for absolutely everything; birds, small game, big game, and while I didn't take a turkey this year, I still took mine into the field. It patterns nicely.

Don't mess with the barrel and loose the chance to shoot PRB's. Just work out your pattern amd have fun with it!

 

[Rebel]

I took my gobbler this spring with a cylinder bore double barrel .12 ga with one shot. I have also taken a lot of ducks, jackrabbits, and a few Canada Geese with it. Not a thing wrong with a cylinder bore. In fact i have a better shot to kill ratio with it than my Mossberg pump with screw in chokes. I also use it on doves, crows, and quail.

 

[No Deer]

The 20 ga. cylinder bore is more than adequate, if you are patient and get close enuf. Mine took 2 turkeys this spring, both were within 20 yards. I think you would regret putting in screw in chokes, it will limit the use of the gun too much. You can have way too much fun with it like it is to do something like that. :m2c:

 

[Rat]

Judging from the patterns I get with with my Brown Bess, I really don't see the need for a choke.

Remember that for Turk you are not taking any swinging shots, so you can poke a lot of shot down the barrel, and not worry about short and long shot collums, shot stringing etc.

You can vary your patterns more with loading techniques, than you can with a choke anyhow. A choke wont' do anything for a poor load, and a good load don't need no choke!

:nono:

Rat

 

[Black Hand]

The development of your load will make all the difference. I have taken deer, squirrel, and grouse with mine. Very nearly got an elk with it too (no clear shot as there was second elk behind the first). I have paper shot cartridges which I have seen put 10 or so #6's in an area the size of a turkey head. The cylinder bore is very adequate for nearly all the shooting you will do.
Black Hand

 

[roundball]

I realize that I could have this barrel (with apologies to the traditionalists) tapped for choke inserts, but It's my understanding that this would eliminate the roundball option.
Jimbo

(...Actually screw in chokes wouldn't screw up round ball shooting...you'd just need to use a choke that was open enough for the round ball.
Also, some people find that they have to remove a screw-in choke to push the cushion wads in every time, then reinstall the screw in choke and load...)

But, if you don't like the idea of a cylinder bore, and aren't crazy about the idea of screw in chokes...an alternative could be to have it "Jug Choked"...which was (and is) a practice done on smoothbores if the barrel wall is thick enough.

A "Jug Choke" produces the effects of adding choke constriction to the bore, without actually physically constricting the bore at all...

 

[cptleo1]

I also have a 20ga smoothie project in the works.

I too do not have a warm fuzzy about the open choke.

If I do anything, it will be to "jug" the barrel.

I was surprised to find out you could actually achieve

Full choke patterns from "jug" choking.

I am presently trying to research "jug choking".

If anybody has any first hand info on the subject, I
(& probably others),would like to hear it.

Thanks
:grey:
Leo

 

[Hoyt]

I just got through with a 20 smooth bore and I had all the same doubts about 20ga. and cylinder bore barrel for gobblers. I had jug choke on my mind.
Finally just told myself I had made a conscious decision to go with 20 instead of 16 or 12ga. so I would just work with it just as they did in the old days. After all that was my reason for flintlocks, etc. anyway. I find it hard to not do as I've always done with modern guns. Like as in conicals instead of roundballs..etc.
However..they did jug choke back in those days....
But to tell the truth when I started doing the load development I was really surprised and am fully confident it will do the job without a problem out to at least 35yds...and I think I can get another five yds. with a little more work.
Caywood will jug choke a barrel for about $90 and there's a guy works with Muzzle Blast Mag. that does it, but I lost his name and number to my computer.

 

[Maestro]

Jimbo,

Remember why you want the flintlock guns in the first place - you want a traditional gun - use it the traditional way. When I first started shooting a flintlock I was thinking about using a blackpowder substitute (for the supposed "less fouling" reason) but I remembered why I wanted a traditional gun in the first place.

I can't remember where I found this little rhyme but it's handy to remember...

"Less powder, more lead, shoots far, kills dead.
More powder, less lead, kicks hard, wide spread."

I use 80 gr. (volume) fff Swiss powder & 100 gr. (volume) of #6 shot for a turkey load in my 20 ga. fowler and it patterns nicely on paper - although I haven't gotten my first flintlock gobbler yet. I wouldn't try a shot beyond 20 yds. on a turkey, though... but that's me... :results:

 

[musketman]

You can control your pattern without a choke by adding more shot than powder, this will make the shot cloud more dense on target...

 

[rayb]

You can control your pattern without a choke by adding more shot than powder, this will make the shot cloud more dense on target...

musketman is right for the unchoked guns.

however if you decide to use a choke, you may find the opposite to be true. It was true in 2 choked guns i have, one jug choked and one squeeze chocked. More powder, a little less shot for choked guns worked for me....

of course

:results:

rayb