Patterned the fowler for a bit today

[Skychief]

Looks great Daryl!!! Congratulations. I think you're well on the way to a full-blown case of "smoothy madness".

 

[Britsmoothy]

It's a slippery slope smoothy madness is

 

[Treestalker]

I have been using #4-#6 mixed shot for the last ten years, from turkeys to squirrels and everything above and below with great success, I don't recall ever loosing anything I shot at with it. Why this mix(?), well a guy gave me a two liter bottle full of it and I'm pretty sure it will out last me, HAH!
Robby

My brother passed away years ago ad left his only (prodigal) son a Navy arms double 12 ga which he promptly sold without offering it to me. BUT, I inherited all his smoothbore fixin's including an alcohol bottle full of #5 shot and a big jug of mixed shot from 7 1/2 to 4 which I used in my humble Traditions 12 ga single to nail everything from doves to squirrels. Sold the 12 due to financial troubles back in the day. The mixed shot works well, and used it up, but I still have most of my #5 shot. I'm preparing an old musket barrel to build a long barreled trade gun or fowler in 24 guage (percussion) and hope to take up the smoothbore once again. I will have to find some 24 ga wads for it and need a source. I also want to try Skychief's legendary load in the 40" barreled trade gun. I will probably shoot small game with it, squirrel, opossum, 'coon, and whatever runs across the back yard to the creek whenever game is required by the Lady of the house.

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

My brother passed away years ago ad left his only (prodigal) son a Navy arms double 12 ga which he promptly sold without offering it to me. BUT, I inherited all his smoothbore fixin's including an alcohol bottle full of #5 shot and a big jug of mixed shot from 7 1/2 to 4 which I used in my humble Traditions 12 ga single to nail everything from doves to squirrels. Sold the 12 due to financial troubles back in the day. The mixed shot works well, and used it up, but I still have most of my #5 shot. I'm preparing an old musket barrel to build a long barreled trade gun or fowler in 24 guage (percussion) and hope to take up the smoothbore once again. I will have to find some 24 ga wads for it and need a source. I also want to try Skychief's legendary load in the 40" barreled trade gun. I will probably shoot small game with it, squirrel, opossum, 'coon, and whatever runs across the back yard to the creek whenever game is required by the Lady of the house.

@Treestalker - if you need sources for 24 guage wads, try Ballistic Products or TOW for starters.
https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Overshot-Cards-500bag/productinfo/OS/24/ or
https://www.ballisticproducts.com/Cards-Filler-Wads/departments/856/
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search.aspx?search=wads 24 ga

 

[Vol423]

I’ve always gotten my supplies from Circle Fly in Airville, PA

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

I’ve always gotten my supplies from Circle Fly in Airville, PA

Circle Fly has excellent muzzleloading smoothbore products; however, some of us live thousands of miles from their PA stores, so they have online distributors listed on their website. Here is where to find those sellers:
https://circlefly.com/buy

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Some of you boys are using too much powder for good patterns. 80 grains isn't needed in a 20-bore and will blow your pattern.
You can still have usable cylinder-bore patterns at 40 yards if you load them right.
2 to 2 1/2 drams is plenty and will push 1-1 1/4 ounces well enough.

I'm with Brit Smoothie regarding cushion wads. Old Col. Hawker recommended wads no more than 1/3 the diameter of the bore.
(And it works)


All best,
R.

 

[tenngun]

Less powder more shot.

 

[Carbon 6]

That is a nice looking fowler, I like the slim forward stock and barrel profile. Looks like it would point like a dream.

May I ask who the maker is ?

 

[Treestalker]

Thanks Billy and Vol, I'll check out the wad supply. Daryl, that is what I hope my late Virginia/ trade gun looks like when I get the barrel back from Mr. Hoyt, and get it built.

 

[Eterry]

My brother passed away years ago ad left his only (prodigal) son a Navy arms double 12 ga which he promptly sold without offering it to me. BUT, I inherited all his smoothbore fixin's including an alcohol bottle full of #5 shot and a big jug of mixed shot from 7 1/2 to 4 which I used in my humble Traditions 12 ga single to nail everything from doves to squirrels. Sold the 12 due to financial troubles back in the day. The mixed shot works well, and used it up, but I still have most of my #5 shot. I'm preparing an old musket barrel to build a long barreled trade gun or fowler in 24 guage (percussion) and hope to take up the smoothbore once again. I will have to find some 24 ga wads for it and need a source. I also want to try Skychief's legendary load in the 40" barreled trade gun. I will probably shoot small game with it, squirrel, opossum, 'coon, and whatever runs across the back yard to the creek whenever game is required by the Lady of the house.

Ive been getting my shotgun wads from Mike at Flintlocks Inc. A nice family run business that's very customer service oriented.
317-933-3441.
Btw, they will send you a small trial package of wards to see if they work in your smoothie.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

That is a nice looking fowler, I like the slim forward stock and barrel profile. Looks like it would point like a dream.

May I ask who the maker is ?

The builder was Larry Cordray. Thanks for the kind words.

 

[Treestalker]

Thank you, Eterry!

 

[jlatz]

Noted was the mention of Mike's Wads. I have used those for a long time with much success. I have picked up their wads at their NMLRA booth at Friendship, Ind. It is a well run operation.