Reasonable 12 guage turkey gun recommendations

[dheisner]

I've kind of been looking at buying 12 guage modern smokeless for turkey hunting, but hanging out with you guys has me thinking about getting a BP 12 guage. What is your favorite reasonably priced 12 guage black powder weapon? I am interested in both single barrel and double barrel. I would also be interested in hearing about models with changeable chokes.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

:master:

 

[No Deer]

Well, I have a Pedersoli 12 ga. Mortimer, flintlock, single barrel. It works well, has taken the only turkey it has shot at. When I got it a few years ago it cost roughly $600. Don't know what it is selling for today. It is cylinder bore and chrome lined barrel. To me Pedersoli makes a good production gun, you could do a lot worse.
NoDeer

 

[musketman]

Whatever you choose, watch the amount of brass hardware, especially for turkeys more so than any other game...

The keen eye of the turkey will spot the flash of the brass long before you can take aim...

I would use the single shot Brown Bess with the brass covered...

 

[Hoyt]

Reasonable blk. pwdr. side locks and flintlocks shotguns are hard to come by now days. I don't know of any company that makes them but pedersoli and they aren't cheap. CVA and T/C used to make them but not anymore.
I bought a T/C Blackmountain mag. 12ga. side lock the yr. before last and they are now discontinued.. You may find one in a shop that hadn't sold yet..bout $450.00 or you may find a T/C New Enlander or CVA Trapper sidelock somewhere on line.

Peronally I think someone could make some serious money if they could turn out flintlock and sidelock shotguns for spring gobbler hunting. There's a lot of people going in that direction now and a big hole in the market.
So many turkeys these days and the big 3-1/2"mags. get boring after a while. I'm building a .20ga. flintlock now just for spring gobblers.
The inline shotguns have a bigger payload than the 3-1/2mags..no big challenge using one of them.

 

[jim gray]

What are you shooting now as far as a BP gun?

I think the most economical option would be to check with Green Mountain or Getz to see if you can get a smoothbore drop-in barrel from them, if there isn't one available from the manufacturer.

 

[Bob J]

Pedersoli makes 10, 12 and 20 ga. doubles and are in the $750 - 800.00 range. Stopped in the "Southern Sportsman" in Live Oak, Fla Monday and they had new CVA "Trapper" sngl barrel 12 gauges with modified chokes for under $200.00. Saw a used unfired CVA double 12 ga. in a gun shop for $350.00 awhile back. Hunting turkeys with traditional muzzleloading shotguns is way more fun than hunting with modern ones! :imo:

 

[The Baron]

Don't be afraid of a cylinder bore gun if you find one you like. If you are interested in making the move to BP, then that makes me assume you are interested in the challenge. I made the switch last year. After a long search, a friend found an antique single barrel fowler in about 11ga. I was skeptical, but with use of shot cups and some time at the range testing recipes, I got a solid 20-25 yard turkey load. I had to hunt a little longer, but the extra time in the woods was well worth it. When I reflected on the birds I killed with my "modern" gun, many of them were under 20 yards. I killed both my birds last year with the ol' antique (affectionately named The Tube) at under 20 paces. It was a very satisfying endeavor.

Recently, I was lucky enough to find a T/C New Englander 12ga. It's an open choke gun (I've heard there are some New Enganders with screw-ins). I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but I expect it is a great choice if you can find one.

Very best of luck to you in yous move to BP turkey hunting. I know you'll really enjoy the switch!

 

[dheisner]

Right now I deer hunt with a .58 cal Mississippi rifle. I haven't deer hunted with a modern gun in probably 10 years or so except on a few really rainy days when I didn't want to get my Mississippi rifle soaked. I doubt I can get a smooth bore barrel from Green Mountain, but it is certainly worth asking the question.

I looked at the Knight TK2000 yesterday at Mark's Outdoors in B'ham. It is a really nice looking gun with a decent trigger pull. My only complaint is that it is too light. I read a review of it and the guy said it kicked like a mule. I don't mind a recoil, but this guy sold his because of the kick and the way the firing mechanism (bolt?) cuts into your hand. I did notice that when I was looking at it. They sell for $400 at Marks, but had them in the Cabella's catalog for $340. Anybody out there try one? What did you think?

As for why I hunt BP. I grew up in Illinois where you have to hunt with a shotgun with a rifled slug or a muzzleloader. I have an 870 20 guage that I have killed may a deer with, but it just isn't as much fun as the ole Mississippi rifle! The last time I target practiced with it, I hit a gallon milk jug 5 out of 5 times at 90 yards. I figure I can't do any better with a modern firearm and in all 5 shots, the deer would have been a gonner. I took a doe this year off hand at just over 50 yards. I could not have asked for better shot placement. I think my Mississippi rifle is actually more accurate than my 870. I could be wrong, but I know at close range the 870 shoots about 10 inches high. That muzzle loader is right on the money.

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I am learning a ton from all of you!

 

Caywood guns makes their guns with an interchangeable system as well. You can order a straight bore, rifled barrel, and their special "turkey barrel" all on the same gun...Danny is a great guy and willing to talk turkey with anyone.

www.caywoodguns.com

just be sure to tell him that you heard about him from Buckskinner...lol...

Stumblin

 

I am thinking of BP shotgunning myself and I found all of the posts here interesting. The price of a Pedersoli is way out of my league but I noticed that in the Dixie catalog they have kits for $465v - which is just about okay. Has anyone built one of these Pedersoli kits and has any recommendations as a kit as an alternative to the price of a new one?

 

[robinghewitt]

Danny is a great guy and willing to talk turkey with anyone

Probably best not to ask him about meeting an Englishman half way up a mountain at Eureka Springs, I think he pushed some deer my way later that day which was kind.

Missed 'em both ::

 

[dheisner]

Thanks for all the feedback. I went and lusted over the Knight TK2000 and the TC Encore shotguns. Any opinions on those two models?

 

[Rat]

If you go over to the dark side and get an inline Bat-gun we will whoop you with a knotted plow-line. A cartridge gun would be a better choice. If you are going to use a modern gun, why bother loading it from the muzzle? Have you noticed that the inlines have the look and feel of a cheap BB gun?

I find my Brown Bess carbine to be a perfect Turkey gun. I "antiqued" my brass a long time ago by wiping it with dirty patches when cleaning. Gives it a rich, dark "patina".

Someone asked about the Pedersoli kit-guns...Bess was/is a Pedersoli kit gun and I am 100% satisfied. I'm getting a 30 yard Turkey-killing reach with mine.

As pointed out by others, you don't need no stinking choke.

Did you ever figure out why bullets were sticking in your Mississippi?

I believe it would be easy to get a replacement barrel for the Mississippi and have it smoothbored...but when it was all said and done I don't think you would save that much money. More fun just to find a whole gun in smooth flavor.

Rat

 

[musketman]

Thanks for all the feedback. I went and lusted over the Knight TK2000 and the TC Encore shotguns. Any opinions on those two models?

If I was forced to choose betwix the T/C and the Knight, I would choose the T/C, I like their aftermarket customer relationship...

 

[Protrucker]

Check out the Auction Arms website. There's almost always T/C New Englanders on there for between $100-$200. They're great guns....I've taken many turkeys with one. I even got a double one time.(didn't even see the second one till I got up to the first one)

 

[Hoyt]

Thanks for all the feedback. I went and lusted over the Knight TK2000 and the TC Encore shotguns. Any opinions on those two models?

The only difference I see between the Tk2000 and a modern single shot is the TK2000 is more modern..it's back bored, has screw in chokes and can be loaded more powerful than a modern 3-1/2"mag...the real difference is the load has to be poured and stuffed down the barrel.
The Encore is about the same.
Either of those guns in my opinion have much to do with traditional type muzzleloader hunting or added challenge.
That's why I skipped over them and went with a side lock with screw in chokes..soon as I got it I knew I made a mistake and really wanted a real traditional smooth bore like what would have been used in the old days. So I moved on to a .20ga. Old Virgina style long gun.
My point in all of this is you may be spending time and money on something that will not satisfy yourself.

 

[bart_anastasi]

bpnewbie
For what it is worth

I recently was looking in one of our local shops here in New York for much the same reason.

I found in a local shop not far from here they had TWO CVA brand new 1999 I think 12 Ga. Turkey Federation Specials cap lock BP ML

 

[dheisner]

Hey Rat,

I haven't figured out why the balls are sticking in the Mississippi yet. I intended to experiment with it this weekend at my parents, but I took my three kids with me and had my hands full with them. Not to mention it was colder than a brass monkey's boheiney. I plan on working on it sometime in the next couple of weeks.

I must say that I kind of agree with you about the in-line BP guns. It takes some of the nostalgia out of it. Once I started deer hunting with the Mississippi, it was pretty much all over. I thoroughly enjoy it. The one thing that drew me to the T/C Encore was being able to put a modern rifle barrel on it. I am particularly interested in getting a 22-250 for coyotes. It's not that I couldn't shoot a coyote with my muzzleloader, but my mother-in-law has had her entire chicken pen cleaned out by a pack of them in one night and I would like to be able to pop them at significantly further distances than I can hit anyting with the Mississippi rifle. She has a hill behind her house that would probably be a > 200 yard shot from her back porch. I don't want any chance for those suckers to get away (best tool for the job). I plan on gutting the next deer I kill out there in the wide open in hopes that I can get them to come out of the edge of the woods for a date with destiny.

My family used to hunt together a lot. I went from a Remington 870 pump 20 guage to an 1841 Mississippi rifle shooting Minie balls. My uncle went from a plain 12 guage to a 12 guage with a rifled slug barrel, scope, sabots, etc.... it was tricked out. I almost always killed more and bigger deer than he did and boy did I have fun rubbing it in!

I just had a thought. I could buy a new barrel for the Mississippi and smooth bore the old one if I can't figure out what is causing the balls to stick. I'll have to ponder that one a while.

I picked up a couple of double barrel BP shotguns the other day at the gun store and they were pretty heavy. At least I wouldn't have two worry about recoil. I am going to have to find an Alabama buddy who is into BP shotguns and see if I can't shoot one a time or two.

Thanks for listening!

 

[Rebel]

BP Newbie, my Navy Arms double barrel .12 ga only weighs about 7 lbs. It is not heavy, but recoil, even with heavy loads isn't bad at all. Nothing like a modern 3" mag .12 shotshell going off.

 

[KyFlintlock]

bp newbie,

Not sure what kind of roundballs you are having problems with sticking, but I got some once that were poured and they had a small nodule on the side, which would make the ball get stuck. Take a close look at em or try a different brand name....

Good luck!