New Brooks Fowling Piece

[Stumpkiller]

I tried again and put my shots right where the others had been at 30 yards. So I went bunny hunting. Nuttin moving. No grouse, either. But I did stop and set a rock on some ice in a creek gully and tried a fast snap-shot. Bang on.

I played around some more and blasted some flat rocks. D'oh. Lightbulb moment. That's when I realized I'd never shot a swamped smoothbore before. I've been aiming rather than just flowing with it. Focus on the target ignore the barrel (let the subconscious, periperial vision and muscle reflex take it).

My Bess and New Englander and all my breechloaders are all tapered! So I went back to my shooting alley. At 30 yards I pulled up fast and shot as soon as I had the gun up - less than a second on point.

BIG difference. I feel MUCH better about the potential use with round balls, though she is to be primarily an upland gun. Good to have versatility. Here's three in a row at 30 yards, bare ball(!) w/65 gr FFg.

And again - these are 0.648" balls with no patching. Just a over-powder card below and an over-shot card above.

Found this poor fellow who didn't make it to get very old. Probably wounded in gun season, poor bugger.

 

[Dave Marsh]

Wow, she is a beauty. I'd sure be proud to have that one. It is hard to tell from the pictures but what is the barrel and lock finish. Lock looks blued but not sure about the barrel.

 

[Stumpkiller]

That's a question for Mike. I am assuming it's a browned and carded finish that is an artificial aged look. It's got the look of a blued finish that has been worn off and turned to gray. I really like that in iron furniture.

 

[Dave Marsh]

I like that look as well. Just catches your eye. Well hopefully Mike will read this and respond. Thanks you lucky devil......

 

[Stumpkiller]

Not to be nosey, but who's barrel did he use. I'm lookin to build a lighter weight fowler myself. Both of mine weighed in at over 8#s. Thanks, Buzzard

Colerain Griffin 42" swamped - 3.02 lb. barrel. I wanted the lightest possible upland fowler and that was Mike's recommendation. I was open to 20, 16 or 12 gauge.


Thanks to all for the complements. I let Mike make most of the decisions and just came up with the dimensions. Turned out to be a good plan.

 

[robtattoo]

That's just beautiful Stumpy :bow:
By far & away one of the most elegant, utilitarian hunting guns I've ever seen!

 

[Mike Brooks]

I like that look as well. Just catches your eye. Well hopefully Mike will read this and respond. Thanks you lucky devil......

It's as Stumpy says, rusted and carded back.

 

[Snow on the Roof]

Stump, she is drop dead gorgeous...a 16 must be perfect bore size for a fowler.

Snow

 

[Stumpkiller]

I had a Bess carbine of this bore (1957 Light Infantry Carbine) and really liked the size, but that gun weighed over three pounds more than this one of the same barrel length! WORLD of difference in how it carries and shoulders. A light 16 load is just the berries for bunnies in bushes. I'm at 65 gr FFg and 1-1/4 oz shot (to make up for the cylinder bore) in my playing so far.

I was zero for 60 or so on grouse with the Bess. We'll see how I do with "Wisp"; as I am calling her.

Here's a 1/2 size grouse at 30 yards - I'm hoping to tighten up that cloud.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Look at the grouse, look at the grouse! Nyuck Nyuck Nyuck. (Curley Fine, 3 Stooges)
Get some felt wads from circle fly or mike's wads. No more problemo. :thumbsup:

 

[sepiatone]

Absolutely beautiful!

 

[Stumpkiller]

Felt, yea say?


Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

 

[Mike Brooks]

Felt, yea say?


Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

Yep, I think it is 3/8" thick, good stuff. :thumbsup:

 

[Stumpkiller]

I take back the "Whoops" and say: "A woise goy, eh?" There ain't no 16 bore felt to be had, nohow. Lots of 12 - which I suppose would do.

There's also about 50 pounds of wool on the hoof out in the barn and THE ADMIRAL has leaf bags full of washed roving in the cellar. I may try a small wad of wool in front of half a regular fiber wad just as a what-if. It will look more authentic in my nice fowler bag, as well. :hatsoff:

 

[rickystl]

Stumpy: Great looking gun :thumbsup: Congrats!! Rick.

 

[Mike Brooks]

If I can get felt for my 18 bore there has to be felt cut for a 16......let me poke about....

 

[Maestro]

A little "oversized" felt might work well. I might have some 14 ga. felts left over from when I had an early French musket. (I bought them from Dixon's. He might have 16g. too.) I'll check tonight/tomorrow a.m. Let me know if you want them Stump, and I'll send them off to you.

 

[Mike Brooks]

If I can get felt for my 18 bore there has to be felt cut for a 16......let me poke about....

Flintlocks Inc.
6929 Beech Tree Rd.
Nineveh, IN. 46164
317 933 3441
They have no web site.

 

[hoochiepapa]

What more can be said?? :thumbsup:

 

Nice wood! :thumbsup: