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Shortening barrel?
- Thread starter Traddawg
- Start date
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Depends what you are going to use it for
Deer, turkey, squirrel it's 46" now I could take a good bit off without having to repin anything just looking too make it easier to lug around lol
hanshi
Cannon
I can't remember which issue of Muzzleloader Magazine I saw this in but it was a few years ago. Mike Nesbitt chronographed various lengths of 20 ga barrels including his 20" "canoe gun". As I recall, there was little velocity gain after 30". His 20" barrel suffered very little from the short tube. This was with ball as I recall.
Sacrilege!! You should be tarred ,feathered and run about on a rail.
Seriously don't cut of a 46" fowler. Sell it and by a short gun you will make money in the end.
Seriously don't cut of a 46" fowler. Sell it and by a short gun you will make money in the end.
Lol I'm not was just curious if it could be done and still shoot well.
Kmcmichael
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2021
- Messages
- 605
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- 1,011
If you are wingshooting, the longer barrel maintains your swing better.
The guy from Murphy's Muskets on youtube cut down a Pedersoli Bess to about the same size as the carbine version they sell, but I find his cut down one much more visually appealing than the factory version. I was tempted for about half a day to shorten mine, but then I regained my sanity. 
What is it?
‘First model- long land’ Bess, or a Charley?
Club butt? Colonial fowler?
A military gun it’s ok if you don’t play soldier. A custom specialty gun it will mess up the looks. A 46” barrel was not uncommon in the old days on civilian guns, but they are hard to fine now and mostly custom barrels for special guns. In that case it might not be the best idea.
Jackie Brown 62cal smoothbore
In that case I would not want to. Seems a shame to modify it so.
Just my opinion and yes I know about opinions and other body parts,
Just my opinion and yes I know about opinions and other body parts,
I was more curious than anything it's balanced to well now to experiment with lol
Same gun I have!! Mine is a Club Butt I have no problem here in NH with getting through the bush with it either. and I am short 5'6"
Either simply buy a Pedersoli, Indian Trade Musket Kit,
Indian Trade Musket Kit
OR sell the fowler as a 46" is not easy to find, and then buy the Indian Trade Musket Kit
LD
They look clumsy but once you hold one and shoot it it is natural no having to keep your head down on the stock in fact it for hunting I love it!
Best part is they look old.
Best part is they look old.
Le Loup
32 Cal.
The barrel on my .62 caliber fusil is 42 inches long, I have tried a shorter barrel, but found it did not shoot as well as the longer barrel, not with round ball or shot. Now I know there are some that say barrel length makes no difference, but I have been using a smoothbore for a lot of years now, & for me barrel length does make a difference.
Keith.
OP, it’s your gun, do as you like with it. Its a modern made gun...if you cut it, or it’s lost in a house fire, the world won’t be any worse off.
Sell it if you want, but it may be a small market of folks that you are selling too. Or cut it and make up a good story.
I have a 26” Wilson Chiefs gun and it’s awesome. Stupid easy to carry, extremely maneuverable in cover and puts ball after ball into a group the size of my palm at 50 yards (full disclosure...it has a rear sight).
You don’t have to go that short, but you can!
Sell it if you want, but it may be a small market of folks that you are selling too. Or cut it and make up a good story.
I have a 26” Wilson Chiefs gun and it’s awesome. Stupid easy to carry, extremely maneuverable in cover and puts ball after ball into a group the size of my palm at 50 yards (full disclosure...it has a rear sight).
You don’t have to go that short, but you can!
@Traddawg, are there any cons to shortening your Mike Brooks' Fowling Gun?
Yes. The main con is the extreme loss of value. Mike Brooks makes a highly respected and sought after Fowling Gun. Shortening the barrel as much as you propose will reduce the value to a quarter of its present value. It may seem to be handier, but many have not found a 46" long barrel a detriment to performance once the shooter overcomes a belief that short guns are handier. The short gun will likely not be as accurate on target. Seven to 10" shorter won't really make much difference in handiness in the field. Maybe in a sxs.
Yes. The main con is the extreme loss of value. Mike Brooks makes a highly respected and sought after Fowling Gun. Shortening the barrel as much as you propose will reduce the value to a quarter of its present value. It may seem to be handier, but many have not found a 46" long barrel a detriment to performance once the shooter overcomes a belief that short guns are handier. The short gun will likely not be as accurate on target. Seven to 10" shorter won't really make much difference in handiness in the field. Maybe in a sxs.
