new fusil

[Gemoke]

I`m going to order a new fusil de chasse, can`t deside on a 54 or 62 cal.Will use it for smooth bore matches and hunting. tell me what your shooting and why you choose that cal.
cut finger

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Both of my smoothbores are .62 cal. I've always though I'd like to have one of a smaller caliber thought just for something different. It would be easier to pick up roundball at the local stores without ordering it from the mail and I think a .54 cal would probably get the job done on most large game. However for shooting shot I like being able to load a bit more in there and for that reason, the .62 wins for me over the .54 cal. Of course you could split the difference and go .58. The French gun in Shumway's RCA vol. 1 is a about a .65 cal but I believe Okwaho and TG have done a bit more research and find most fusils were .58. They'd be good ones to chime in here as well.

 

[The Baron]

My Type "C" is a .62 The reason I went with .62 is for the versatility. This is my first flintlock and I wanted it mainly for turkey hunting (with shot) and maybe some other small game, plus the option to hunt deer and (who knows) maybe even attend a rendezvous. After an exhausting decision making process, I went with .62 and have been very happy with my decision thus far.

 

[rich pierce]

That big .62 ball causes some recoil and uses a lot of lead. To my way of thinking, the smaller caliber is better with round ball, the larger with shot.

 

[Grenadier1758]

You haven't said what you are hunting. I would suggest that a 0.54 caliber or 28 gauge would do just fine for most game with a round ball. The shot charge for squirrels and some small birds would work pretty well. you would also be able to compete reasonably well on the clay targets at matches. For shot I would use a wonder wad over the powder and a split wonder wad over the shot.

I also think that that the smaller bore would be easier to hold and you would be less likely to develop flinching problems.

I do have a 0.62 caliber smooth bore that I use and like a lot.

 

[Gametracker]

Does anyone hunt turkey with the .54? How practical is it?

 

[Java Man]

Gemoke,

I have one coming from Anthony Palyszeski in about a month. Was also considering a smaller size than .62, just to be different. Anthony said its hard to beat a .62 for versatility. Have also noticed all the different smoothbores for sale on Track's site, and what really stands out to me, is the finished weight. The .62's seem to hang around 7#, and the smaller bores more like 8#+. Seems like the lighter weight should swing much better on flying and running critters. :imo:

From a recent thread here on ball sizes though a smoothie, some suggest a much smaller ball and thick patch can shoot pretty good. So, I plan to try some .570's and thick patches in mine just to see. That would tame recoil a bit, save on lead, and put deer down just as fast as a .600. But if the .600's shoot better, that's what I'll use.

Java Man

 

[SCATTERSHOT]

I don't have one (yet) but I have about decided on the .62. The bigger hole makes for a lighter barrel, for one thing, and the .62 (20Gauge) would be better with shot. I shoot my 20gauge percussion shotgun with .570(58 cal.) balls with good results, using denim from old blue jeans for patching.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

There is a noticeable weight penalty between the 28 bore and the 20 bore when the barrels are of the same dimensions. I've got a 20 bore fowler with a 42" barrel that weighs a few ounces over seven pounds and it handles any reasonable shot load well and throws good patterns. I use a .600 ball over 80 grains of ffg and recoil is in no way uncomfortable.
If turkey hunting is a part of the plan, I would definitely go with the larger bore. In fact, my next fowler or fusil will be a 12 or 16 bore. Then I'll use my 20 bore for small game and birds and the bigger bore for the rest.

 

I have tried .570s in one of my two 20 gauge smoothies with poor accuracy results, but I have not experimented with patching enough--I think a .595 or .600 ball is better for accuracy in mine at least. One of my barrels is slightly undersized and the other is slightly oversized from the nominal .620 bore. One factor in going to .595 rather than .600 was that undersized bore, plus, TOW (for example) charges about as much for 25 .600 balls as they do for 50 .595 balls! The TOW oct-rd 20 gauge barrel they sell for fowlers and fusils takes a .600 ball according to their literature (and my TOW barrel mikes about .625 if I remember right). So far I have only tried modest loads (+/- 75 grs ffg and fffg). Still working on patch/ball combos.

 

[JeffS]

I tried .570's in my caywood trade gun. .570 ball, and two .017 patches. the patches were still really loose, and my groups from a bench were not very good even at 25yds. I think probably thicker patching would have helped, but I didnt have a combination with me that worked good. Like you, I do like the idea of using a more common ball if it will shoot well. I will try it again, but was discouraged so far.

I got very good groups at 25 and 50 yards, with .595 ball, and .010 patch lubed with bore butter, but .595 is a pretty odd size. I just happend to find 100 on consignment, and they worked awesome, but I have no good way to get more. I think TOW has them, but way too expensive for me to justify. Might have to get a mold for .595 I guess, but I would rather figure out a good way to shoot a more common ball. .60 and .61's are too big, cant patch them, and I get bad groups shooting them naked. (plus the neighbors get nervous)

Good luck, Jeff

 

I like .600 balls with a rather thin patch. Hike off to Joanns fabric store with a micrometer. They have some really thin, tough fabrics that make really good patches. Its a lot cheaper to fool with patch thickness than buying a lot of moulds.

 

[musketman]

I don't have one, but if I did it would be the .62 caliber, just as added insurence in case there's a really large bear eyeing you up as it's lunch...

 

[TANSTAAFL]

That big .62 ball causes some recoil and uses a lot of lead. To my way of thinking, the smaller caliber is better with round ball, the larger with shot.

Wheel weights (which are great for a smooth bore) here are $15.00 for a five gallon bucket of them at local tire shops, a .620 Lee mold can be had for less than $20.00.

 

[Tommy Bruce]

I've owned 3 smoothbores of .62 cal and I've not had an issue with the recoil in any of them using a patched round ball or rolled in a cartridge. I did get a bit of recoil using shot and wadding (I'm pretty sure it was due to the compression from the tight wadding) but nothing horrible. My standard load with a roundball has usually been a .595 ball with linen patching and between 70-80 grains of 3f powder.

 

[B.Habermehl]

I bought a .590 dia rb mold from Jeff Tanner and have had excellent results. I am casting r.balls for a friend out of wheel weights. They are working well for him. I don't find clipping off the sprues any problem as you have to allow the mold to cool every 20 balls or so. So this is when I clip sprues, this seems to allow just the right cooling off period as well. BJH

 

[tg]

I have had or have smoothies in .54, .58 .62 and .72 and prefer the .58 as a good compromose bore, if one is going after large birds often the bigger bore may be better, if useing ball only the .54 may be a better choice, this is one of those "it's gonna be you that decides what you like best" kind of things...historicaly most thing from .52-.69 can be found in old Fusils.

 

[Gemoke]

thanks guys for all the info, I will be ordering my new fusil on thursday from Anthony Palyseski. I`v spent quite abit of time talking to him, I was leaning toward a 54 but after all the info from you guys I think I`ll go with the 62 cal. will use the gun for some target shooting alittle bird hunting, but really want to hunt deer with it. by the way do any of you guys have a rear sight on your fusil. will post pictures in 8 or 10 months when Anthony finished with it. thanks for all the help.

cut finger

 

[arcticap]

My Spanish .28 guage has 2 little "rabbit ears" at the very most rear of the barrel in front of the tang. These are essentially nothing more than about 2/3 inch long "bumps" that seem to have been filed into a very slightly raised section of metal to create a valley, I'm guessing about 1/8 - 1/6 inch high. They are not perfectly sighted in but do provide a reference point for aiming with the front bead. I'm not sure if these sights are legal under NMLRA rules for all or any smoothbore ball shooting competition though.

 

[Java Man]

I think they need to be below the plane of the barrel for the NMLRA Trade Gun Matches.

My gun from Anthony will not have a rear sight. can always add one later if necessary.

Java Man