What length barrel is your turkey gun?

[Blackpowderart]

Interesting .... Following . Like Numb said ...long barreled doesn't mean heavy but they can be a pain in brushy areas . Last 42" Carolina Gun I made was 5 1/2 pds. . I like the handy ness of the shorter guns but I'd never take one under 40" turkey hunting . Its a pain getting a good tight group from a 42" barreled gun , why handicap your yourself on purpose ? Shot cups are helpful for tightening up groups ....

What do you mean when you say "shot cup"?

 

[Blackpowderart]

Mine is 30 inches octagon to round jug choke full by Caywood. I keep my shots under 30 yards. It’s put a couple on the ground so far.

What's the advantage of an under hammer

 

[harleysboss]

What's the advantage of an under hammer

Direct ignition from cap straight to powder charge. No visible hammer while aiming. On some guns, depending on how it was made, the ability to change out barrels. Oh yeah, the cool factor I guess. They aren't for everyone though, some people think they're ugly

 

[Dave Marsh]

42 inch in 62 cal, Jug choke by Lowell Tennyson.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

42" fusil, cylinder bore, shooting 70 gr 2f, 80gr (by volume) 5 shot. 2 shot cards over powder, paper shot cup, and oil soaked fiber wad on top.
I feel good to 25yds, though I could push 30, but for me it's about bringing them in close.

 

[Art Caputo]

My J. Gardner .62cal Fowler barrel is 42”.

 

[user 53846]

24" x12 gauge.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Not sure if this belongs here but my turkey gun is a rem 870 Youth model in 20 ga with a 21" bbl. Its topped with a Millet red dot and with Win Super X #5s it will roll a big eastern tom at 40 yards without any trouble.
Oh yea and its a joy to carry all day long.

We don't discuss modern guns on this forum. Read the rules:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/forum-rules.108881/

 

[Sidney Smith]

We don't discuss modern guns on this forum. Read the rules:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/forum-rules.108881/

Maybe you should let the moderators do their job, instead of anointing yourself to an authoritarian position. Just my .02c

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Maybe you should let the moderators do their job, instead of anointing yourself to an authoritarian position. Just my .02c

I don't agree. We need to hold each other accountable to the rules. There is basically no moderation on this forum these days. I really miss Zonie.

 

[sheriff john]

Six days into the season, thinking about switching to a double barrel. My calling really sucks, had a flash in the pan unloading the flinter and my percussion fowler just flaked off another chunk of the hammer nose. At least with a double barrel, I'll have a chance to get off a shot if the first one's a dud.

Doubles are much shorter barrels in answer to the question.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Direct ignition from cap straight to powder charge. No visible hammer while aiming. On some guns, depending on how it was made, the ability to change out barrels. Oh yeah, the cool factor I guess. They aren't for everyone though, some people think they're ugly

AND..., my father and brother are left handed, and I'm right handed, but..., with an underhammer "buggy gun" style, we can shoot the same rifle or shotgun.

LD

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I see a lot of guys are using long barreled fowlers for turkeys. How many of you use a shorter barrel and why?

For me, most all of my turkey hunting is done in forested lands. To that end, I wanted something light and portable. Something easy to get positioned on a bird if it were to come in at an odd angle etc. I don't want the muzzle hitting brush and getting caught up. So, I chose a 36 inch barrel. I didn't want to go too short as to lose velocity from the load. I felt 36 inch to be a good compromise.

Actually you can go a lot shorter, and not lose velocity. Shorter barrels are often found in history when folks are doing some hunting from horseback, or other platform, other than being afoot.

Some of the really long barrels on fowlers were for shooting birds on the wing, and once the barrel was moving the length was thought to prevent the shooter from "stopping the gun" when firing and causing a miss. This was still taught in modern skeet and trap shooting and water fowl hunting, into the 1980's.

LD

 

[rkg1]

38 inch Colerain turkey choke hard to load but shoots a tight pattern. Would not hesitate to shoot 35 yards. Have used it for 31 years and taken several birds with 75 grain of 2f and 1 1/8 load of number 6's 1/16 inch hard card over powder 1/2 inch felt wad lubed with Wonder Lube and a thin overshot card.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I don't agree. We need to hold each other accountable to the rules. There is basically no moderation on this forum these days. I really miss Zonie.

We need to hold ourselves to the rules. If we do that there would be no need to self appoint a moderator. We certainly don't need any Karen's here. Again, just my two cents.

 

[SDSmlf]

I see a lot of guys are using long barreled fowlers for turkeys. How many of you use a shorter barrel and why?

For me, most all of my turkey hunting is done in forested lands. To that end, I wanted something light and portable. Something easy to get positioned on a bird if it were to come in at an odd angle etc. I don't want the muzzle hitting brush and getting caught up. So, I chose a 36 inch barrel. I didn't want to go too short as to lose velocity from the load. I felt 36 inch to be a good compromise.

I use my Pedersoli 12 gauge double proofed in 1978 that tips the scale at 5.8 pounds (more recent Pedersolis weigh significantly more). Barrels are about 28” long. I prefer shorter barrels when turkey hunting, and two 12 gauge barrels in an under 6 pound gun is about perfect for me.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

We need to hold ourselves to the rules. If we do that there would be no need to self appoint a moderator. We certainly don't need any Karen's here. Again, just my two cents.

Ok now I'm a "Karen" that's a first. I guess I'll check that off my bucket list!

I was merely trying to guide a new person because the moderators no longer enforce the rules and I'm seeing more and more discussions about modern guns on this site which I think is ruining it for everyone. I really don't appreciate being called a "Karen" and when you think about it you are telling me what I should not be doing so it's kind of calling the kettle black isn't it? A Karen telling me I'm a Karen,.. it's quite laughable!

Anyway you can say what you like and hide behind "just my two cents" I really could care less.

 

[Compressorguy]

I primarily turkey hunt edges of fields and cut overs, tucked back in the woods with a Chambers smooth rifle in 20ga/.62 with a 46” barrel. It does take a little more thought to set up your shots so that you can swing the barrel left and right to maximize your shooting options but hasn’t really been an issue. I do however recognize the handling benefits and appeal of a carbine length gun though in thick woods.

 

[WALT53]

24" x12 gauge.

That’s a nice set up you got there.

 

[user 53846]

That’s a nice set up you got there.

Thank You. Just added a 12 gauge, 36" barrel Trade Gun to my remuda, to match that shorty.