Trying to decide

[Snooterpup]

Jacks Fowler shoots good!!

Right nice shootin’ there. Sumpin’ to be proud of!

 

[mushka]

Boy, that is one well used Bess.

 

[Loja man]

Right nice shootin’ there. Sumpin’ to be proud of!

Thanks! First shot with a smooth bore!! But the Chambers Fowler points and handles so nice!! I am working on building one right now!!

 

[hanshi]

No one can tell you what your best choice would be; only you can decide that. So if it is any help I'll mention what gun I finally chose. That choice was an early American smoothbore with a 38" 20 ga (.62) barrel and a Chambers flint lock. The goal was to use it primarily as a round ball shooter but with the option of loading shot. I'm no longer a hunter so it doesn't see much action these days like it did years ago.

 

[2 shots]

have you ever shouldered a bess? they are more pointers than aimers. most fowling pieces are much lighter, faster pointing and come up much better. just my free .2 cents for you. a 20 gauge .600 ball more than enough for the game you mention

 

[Old Sparky]

I’d not want to lug a Brown Bess around hunting.

I was looking at the carbine

 

[rich pierce]

I was looking at the carbine

What would it weigh? I was thinking weight more than length.

 

[Old Sparky]

My advice it to get an Indian LLP Bess AND an 1801 German "Sharpshooter" musket in .62 cal. and decide for yourself.

LOL I was looking at that Sharp shooter

 

[Old Sparky]

I think I like the Northwest trade gun. I love the idea of the serpent side plate.

 

[Crow#21957]

I really like my 20 ga fusil. And shoots rb good too.

 

[Flinter 2]

I've owned an original third model Brown Bess, a custom 12ga. New England Fowler, and four French Fusil de Chasse smooth bores, I've hunted with all of them, shoot them in line shoots and on trail walks, even shot some sporting clays with them.
I still own my two custom Center Mark French Fusil de Chasse smoothbores, I still own them because they are the best all around smooth bore guns that I have ever used, mine are flintlock as are most of my M/L long guns.
I would not recommend a Bess or any other military based pattern for civilian use, Just a side note, Robert Rogers of Roberts Rangers fame turned down the British Brown Bess muskets offered his troops by the Crown in favor of the French Fusils because of their nimble weight, balance, and accuracy, as well as their reliability.
They get my vote every time.

 

[tenngun]

I really like my 20 ga fusil. And shoots rb good too.

I have had many ml, don’t know off hand, I have four long guns at this time, but a fusil like that remains my favorite gun

 

[Stumpkiller]

After discussions and comparisons with the builder of my smooth fowler (Mike Brooks) I went with a 16 bore. Barrel makers use a 12 gauge blank, and a 20 gauge blank. They do not have a 16 gauge blank. If a 16 is needed they bore out a 20 blank before milling the profile . . . so the result is lighter than the other two barrels. I don't know if that is universally true for all barrel makers, or still true. But at the time it was for several we were considering.

Mine came out at exactly 7 lbs with a 42" swamped barrel and a flame walnut full stock. Shoots paper wrapped 0.650" round balls fine out to 60 yards.

 

[oldwood]

Initially , back in 1970 , I hunted with large cal. smooth bores , and shot in competition with them. .75 , .69 , 10 ga. , 12 ga , , all smooth bores , and my favorite for round balls at 50 yds. , is the 20 ga. , or .62 smooth. .62 rifled , likes 90 gr. ffg. for distance , but the recoil is too much these days. Killed a pile of Pa. deer with rifled .62 , but not these days.