Wild turkey with a brown bess

[Brasilikilt]

Hey all

I've only been hunting once with no effect.
I have been told that spring turkey season is coming up, and I was thinking about trying to bag myself a big gobbler.

From what I have learned, you need to be really sneaky around these guys as they see color, whereas most game animals don't, so "ghillie suit" type hunting gear is preferred.

I was thinking that a .75 Brown Bess with a heavier charge would be sufficient to bag a turkey.
If anyone advises against that, please explain why.

I have a shot flask filled with lead shot which is about a 7 1/2-8 size....I have a feeling that this might be too small.
I also I have (if they weren't stolen) quite a lot of .177 BB's intended for air-rifle use, would these be better or worse?

As for my load, I am a bit lacking per my experience with shotgun wads/cards etc. I always have used well-greased doubled-up pillow ticking patches to hold all of my load in place while practicing/experimenting with shot loads. While I hit what I was aiming for (for the most part) Would I be better off punching out circles of felt or cardboard?

Here goes a big thanks to all those who respond

Iain

 

[bingo1952]

7-1/2 shot is a little small. I would use at least #6 shot. Punch yourself some card wads they will seal the bore much better than pillow ticking will. 95 grains of 2F and 1-1/2 ozs of shot should be murder on a turkey out to 25-30 yards but by all means pattern your gun don't just go out assumming it will work. work with your load until you can put 6-7 shot in the kill zone of a turkey target. Shotcups are an option that may help tighten up the pattern some.

 

[XXX]

Check your state hunting regs on allowable shot size. My state only allows #4-6. Some states also restrict bore size for turkey, so you need to check that too before going with a blunderbuss or anythin bigger than say 10GA. I suggest getting a book on turkey hunting. You will need to know how to identify bearded male turkeys as opposed to all other turkeys. You will need to know something of the wild turkey's preferred habitat and habits. You will also need to know where to shoot a legal gobbler and you will need to work up an effective load and pattern it once you know what size shot is legal.

 

[longfowler]

don't use BB's for shot, they're made of a hard steel,and will damage the barrel. They even tell guys who reload steel shotshell for duck hunting with modern guns not use it. up here I think the law says any shot size from 7 1/2 up to 2, but 4's & 6's work best. the gun I'm holding in my avatar is a 12 ga with a bess lock, it's deadly on turkey birds out to 25 yards with 80 gr of 1f,a sigle overpowder card from TOW & 120 gr measure full of #6 covered by a overshot card. I made my own overshot cards from milk cartons. that brown bess of yours should work great, definetly wear full camo and good luck, turkey hunting is a horrible addiction sure to ruin you!

 

[bigbore442001]

I've shot quite a few wild turkeys in my life but none with a muzzleloading shotgun. Last year I went out for the first time with a muzzleloading shotgun but did not get anything. It was a bad hunting year in general.

The Brown Bess should do well for the big birds. I have found that no 5 shot is a happy medium for shot size and number of shot per ounce. I'd work up a good load with an equal volume of shot and powder. A good cushion wad between and a overshot card will be needed.

I know this will sound like heresy but I use plastic shot cups for my TC Black Mountain Magnum. Something to think about.

 

[Ron LaClair]

Get a box call and learn how to use it. Go online and order the proper wads for your gun. Don't use BB's, head hunting is the name of the game so your 7 1/2 shot will work fine. Good luck :thumbsup:

 

[40cal]

That is cool. Good looking gun. I hope a smooth bore will be my next purchase. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[KyFlintlock]

Go for it!!! A head net is prob your most important piece of camo. Never had a guili suit, but still managed to take about 35 or so (not all w/black powerder though).

Just don't move when they are in sight. WHen his head goes behind a tree, pull up and smile.

Good luck
Wess

 

[bwhoffman]

Ian,
I got some bigger shot (4, 6 and copper plated 6 if you want some!
Newberg is a bit of a drive for you, but I'd front ya!

"Rebel" down south does a lot of turkey hunting so I am told(by others that have joined up with him), might be worthy to give him a PT. he is current on the oregon "how to"!

when do we get the rest of the story on your plunder???

Brett

 

[Brasilikilt]

Hey all!

Ask and ye shall receive!

This is all very good advice from the successful turkey slayers to a guy who hasn't shot anything as of yet

I have heard about steel shot (BB's) being tough on barrels, but this was always mentioned in regards to modern shotguns, so I did have a thought that with the lower velocities of black powder guns, this wouldn't be so much of an issue.....but now I know the scoop.

About shot card wads....

Do I need to punch them out to bore size, or should there be some extra diameter to fold up in order form a bit of a cup so as to grab the bore and keep the load wedged down in there?

Shot size-
Most of you say to go to a larger size shot, but a few of you say the smaller stuff will work with a head shot....
All of you seem to have had success.
I suppose the best way to find out is to practice with various size shot and see how everything patterns out.
25-35 yards doesn't sound like that much,but hitting a turkey head (which can't be much bigger than a baseball) is a lot harder than it sounds.

Any thoughts on home made swan shot?

Thanks again for all the tips and pointers.

Iain

 

[hawk]

my bess likes 95 grs/vol. ff and 110 grs/vol.of no.6 I use an over powder card (totw)and a paper shot cup and an over shot card .

I use my 36" 12ga trade gun now for turkeys ...tighter pattern.

...the bess was a real turkey hammer though!

good luck on your hunt.

 

[paulvallandigham]

You are throwing around terminology like a new guy who hasn't a clue, and that can be forgive. Go to the Track of the Wolf on-line Catalogue, and look at shotgun wads. That way you can learn what wads exist, and what they are called. Basically, you have Over Powder wads( OP wads), Cushion wads( sometimes they are Pre-lubed )and Over Shot Cards. ( OS cards).

The wads and cards are sold by " Gauge " of your gun, but they are actually cut a bit over-sized, so they give a good tight seal in your gun.

The same kind of thing goes when buying OP wads for rifles. Normally those wads are cut about .010" over bore diameter, so that the wad can squeeze down into the grooves of the barrel, and seal the grooves from gases.

You do have to actually measure the bore diameter of your shotgun- don't rely on what the manufacturer, or maker says it is. There are variations in dimensions on barrels, and if you have an oversized bore diameter, you are going to need to buy( and later make) the next gauge size wad larger. MY 20 ga. fowler barrel is oversized, and I buy 19 gauge OS cards for it.

Circle Fly makes the wads and cards from shotguns, and these then are sold by everyone else in the industry. If you have questions about sizing, contact Circle Fly directly.

Swan Shot: tear shaped shot made by hand. In many states its illegal to use this shot on any game, SO check the regulations in your State. I don't seen any advantage to the long tailed shot- for any game, including turkey. If I had such shot, I would put them in a case-tumbler, and let the shot bang against each other until the pellets were round!