The Other Stuff

[NMHawken]

So my Kibler fowler kit is on order, it is a 20ga, so now I need to start gathering in the supplies I will need to shoot it. I have been using square patches in my percusion Hawken, will I need round patches for the fowler? I have several yards of pocket drill cloth, and if I need round patches, I will purchase the appropriate punch. Local gun store is going out of business, he had 3 packages of 2ea English flints, but they seem awful small. I am planning on trying some of the .575ish round balls I cast, can't use them in my 58 as they are too big, so before I unload the mold, thought I would try them in the fowler. Any recommendation on another diameter that has proven worthwhile? Plan on buying card wads and fiber wads, I'm guessing 20ga are appropriate? Right now I only have #2 shot, a 25lb bag I acquired from Lord knows where, plan on some #6 shot for upland game, rabbits, and squirrels. Looking for any other ideas on stuff I will need? Shot dispenser, other wadding material, et al?

Dave

 

[Clark Badgett]

Square or round patches make no difference. However I would suggest you use a combo that just removes the slop. If you use .020 patches (as an example) get a ball that is .040 smaller than bore size. There is no rifling to fill or engrave the ball in a fowler, no no real need for anything more than a light thump press fit.

ETA: if you use .020” patching, that .575 ball should be just fine. If your bore is the usual .615” that is the average of 20 bore barrels.

 

[Des52]

What Clark said, you should be fine with the .575s with the right patch. I shoot .715s and 735s in my Bess carbine and the .735s shoot a little better than the .715s, but not enough to make a difference when hunting. A patched ball should be just snug enough to load easily. I use a thicker patch on the smaller ball to get the same result as with the bigger ball.

 

[NMHawken]

I've been having good luck with a .495 ball and a .020 patch in my Green Mountain TC Hawken, so hopefully the same patch works with the fowler. Currently have 1.5 Swiss, FFg Old Eynsford, FFg Swiss, and some FFFg Goex.

 

[tenngun]

I use a .575 to make a paper cartridge for my .62 TFC

 

[TDM]

As said, shape of the patch doesn’t matter. Also try unpatched balls with some under and over Tow. The cards and wads will work great for the #6 shot.

 

[NMHawken]

Getting more excited every day!