This morning I didn't feel much like XC skiing as I'd done quite a bit Thursday and Friday. Sooo....after pilfering through the toy box to find something to play with I saw my much unused Virginia fowler sitting their looking all forlorn. I haven't worked much with this firearm so I grabbed it and headed for the range.



Fowlers such as this are much more what was used in the battles of Lexington and Concord Bridge. Not rifles as is oftenwrongly assumed. This particular fowler, they were not yet called shotguns, is 20 bore, has a 42 inch barrel with the breech end being octagon for 12 inches up the barrel where the transition to round is seperated by a wedding band





Stock is of fairly straight grained maple but "back in the day" walnut was not uncommon. Single trigger, large Siler lock and iron fittings. This one was built by Jackie Brown and while his work is OK I can't recommend him, unless he's gotten his act together a lot better than it was.

I'm really not much of a shotgunner, much preferring rifled arms but when I first got the fowler I worked up a load consisting of 60 grs. of Ffg, two card wads, 1 1/8 oz of shot and the over shot card. Componets shown below.



I included the cushion wad and experimented with it but dropped it from the load as it was causing donut patterns. A not uncommon occurance with fowlers. These aren't long range smoothbores as they're all open bore. All patterning was done at 25 yards and I finally got to a modified pattern at that range. There are tricks that can be used to tighten the pattern and I experimented with a couple which did indeed tighten things up a bit. Plastic shot cups, plastic wads with the base cut off, worked pretty fair and I made some paper shot cups but never did get the right balance of slits in the sides for the paper cup to seperate from the shot column....and they're a lot of trouble to make. So I stayed traditional and learned to live with what I had.

In the old days wasp nests and hornets nest material was used for wadding. I have used it and it does work well. Problem for me is finding enough of it. I've used dried corn stalk leaves and they worked. Even killed a couple doves using them for wadding but that was with an original 12 bore percussion double gun, not a flint fowler.

Today I wanted to play with patched round ball and my load was again 60 grs. of Ffg with a .600 ball that weighs 332 grs. from my mold and a .020 tightly woven cotton patch. I am not good without a rear sight and sometimes not good with one! I was more playing than seriously trying to learn the gun so I fired offhand at ranges from 75 to 60 yards. I fired about 25 rounds and hit my 3/4 in. mild steel buffalo target 3 times. Two things I noticed....that big ol' pumpkin roller sure throws up a pile of snow and dirt when it hits the ground and when it hits steel makes a most satisfying thwwwwaaaaaaack!



Above at left is the .600 RB with the following size RB's following to the right: .530, .440 and .350. I haven't owned a 50 in probably 20 years so had no .490's to photograph.

I have done some accuracy testing with the fowler in the past and from 60 yards in it is fairly darn accurate with PRB's.....as long as I locate my head at the same spot weld on the stock every time. At 25 yards it will actually cloverleaf. As with any smoothbore your eye is the rear sight. Friends of mine have joked "sure it will....but the barrel reaches half way to the target so you're only shooting 12 1/2 yards". wellll....so what! hehe

I always like to find my patches and examine them to see how the bore likes the combo. Below are 4 patches I found before they melted into the snow.



This is how I like to see them. So intact they could be used again. And this with no swabbing the bore for the entire string. There are some advantges to a fowler.

Here is another shot of the fowler and beneath it is my 12 bore Pedersoli double. It is a fun gun as are almost all firearms.

I've taken a few birds and squirrels with the double gun and a few squirrels with the fowler. I have yet to try the fowler on birds but I want to start with something slow and close!!!!!

[img]http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq41/sharps4070/P1010080-1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq41/sharps4070/P1010087-1.jpg[/img]

I really don't know much fowler history as it's only in about the last 15-20 years that interest has literally exploded iin reference to them. There are currently a few very good books on them and their evolution but I haven't invested in any. I do know they were more prevelent in the more settled areas than rifles as hunting had become more of a sport than a means of survival, as in the frontier districts.

Anyway.....thought ya'll might like to see something a bit different.

Vic

here are my folwers
SXS flintlock 20 gage





hudson valley Fowler . 52 inch barrelas .
a note . this is a short barrel for this fowler . most were in the 60-72 inch range








this the first target for Ball and shot at 25 yards with my Hudson valley./ for wads i was using maple leaves



this was a later shot target same distance but i used fiber wads for this target

[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/gun%20stock%20artical/DSC00952.jpg[/img]

cap, that double flint fowler is exquisite. Excellent shootin' with the Hudson valley too!!!!

New England fowler.Fusil style stock. I actually like that stock.20 bore (.62).

ET, that is one nice set up, every bit of it. Look at that trigger guard tang! Love that polled 'hawk. Oh, the plaid...are those your "colors"?

Any of you guys trying candle cartridges?

The coat is a classic Woolrich heavy hunting coat. Probly da best ever made. Warm and comfortable. Ya get to appreciate such things in this sort of place

Smoothbores can be useful...

Caywood 12 gauge London Fowler, jug-choked to MC.

yep
here are some photos of our turkey camp that our local club put on one year









here is a small scaled down NW gun i built a young man a few years back . she is a smoth 45 cal

Really? Nobody?

Been considering a smoothbore, and would like to know how they perform with these, first.

Thanks,

Josh

ET, Woolrich is good stuff!!! I have a Filson that is a fine coat also. Love that red plaid!

Joshua, I'm not certain I know what you mean by "candle cartridges". If you mean paper shot containers, yes, I've experimented them.

Mesabi....that is a fine lookin' Caywood fowler. Danny does good stuff....nice turkey too!

cap, those Merriams are something special. Great set of pics and a fine piece for a young man!! I always wanted to play with a smooth rifle. Maybe some day.

Vic

the little smoothbore is a Trade gun and not a smooth rifle .
John has some health issues and the doctors say he will never grow any taller then he is in the photo .
we all hope this isnt true . but he is 10 now and still is no taller then in the photo .
his father tells me that John took a Turkey with the gun a couple years ago . but i dont have any photos of that .

Remember when your talking smoothbores that they were utilitarian pieces .
Not only could they shoot ball but also shot .
Thus not only were they used for fowl but also larger and small game

That hasta be the understatement of the year!!! In THIS neck of the woods back in da day,when you went to plow yer field, you loaded up buck n' ball and slung the gun and went to work. The natives were decidedly NOT friendly in this region. When ya wanted to supplement the larder, you loaded up shot charge and went hunting for the smaller stuff. Load up a ball alone and kill a deer of bear.

Hey Vic, I'm sorry. I thought it was common knowledge.

A candle cartridge is made thus:

1. Get a pipe the diameter of your bore.

2. Stand it up and pour your load of shot in.

3. Pour in beeswax, paraffin, tallow, or whatever, to just cover the shot.

4. Let cool and push out.

This is supposed to give tighter patterns (I've seen it compared once, and it works in that gun, anyway), and keeps you from having to mess with loose shot in the field. Just load the powder charge, put in an overpowder wad, ram the candle cartridge home, prime and fire.

Maybe this will be of some use to someone? Been trying to get a lead on a smooth barrel for my T/C New Englander just to try it.

Josh

cap, I apologize, I thought I read in the post it was a smooth rifle, obviously not!! It was early this morning...can I use that as an excuse?

I fire PRB out of my fowler a lot more than shot. I'm really not much of a scattergunner.

ET, up where you are, yes, the locals were decidedly unfriendly. For 30 years I studied the west and the wars out there. Then about 7 years ago I moved east a couple thousand miles and back in time a couple generations. The west has absolutely nothing on the east. Wow...did I get an education.

Joshua, I believe this is the first time I've heard of loading shot in that manner. Sounds interesting and as if it would do exactly as you describe. I wonder if there would be any lube benefit from it?

Vic

Vic,

Well Sir, I would think mebbso. My patches are lubed with 50/50 beeswax/olive oil, but I only have rifles, too.

It's one of the first things I plan to try with a smoothbore, but gotta get said smoothbore first!

Please share your findings, Sir, should you try this out. I'm very interested!

Josh

Man I have said it before and I'll say it till I go cold. There is enough of a difference between traditional ML and In-lines that the only comparison is they load from the muzzle and that's it.

Those rifles posted above are so beautiful and YET so very functional.

Thank you OP and the rest for sharing.

HaYen

Campfire Brudder Ha Yen, I have been wrestling wid meself to NOT bust yer stones on this BUT THE DEBBIL MADE ME DO IT!!!!


Them's ain't rifle guns, they is smoothbores

ET...I failed to compliment you on that horn also. Horns are about as neat as the rest of the goodies!!! Here's mine.



It's a map horn and the map is from a 1710 French map of my part of Missouri. A friend of mine made it....2-3 years ago. I believe he is now a member in good standing with the "Honourable Company of Horners".

Vic

Good stuff there fellas them's some real muzzleloaders there!

Ha Yen,
ET is just being ornery. Imagine that...??
While it sounds contradictory, style-wise and historically, you could have a "smoothbore rifle". The barrel is not rifled so it is not a true rifle but a 'gun' that has a rifle type stock, has a heavy walled barrel and front and back sights could be correctly termed a "smoothbore" rifle.

Johnny $

Look close at mine. Front and rear sights yet is a fowler.

THIS is a rifle


Love dem Lancasters

ET,
That is a fine looking RIFLE! Details...?

I have an Isaac Haines from Jim Chambers -- but it is in a cardboard box in the garage - in a million pieces. My dear little wife says that I can't start anymore projects until I get my new shop done and move the mess out of the garage...(sigh)

Thanks for the pics!

Johnny $

Thought you would have had red plaid kilts and knee socks to go with that outfit!!

I told Mrs Flem to look at your pic and she said, "Tell Jim style points for the man purse."

Woody,
That is his everyday outfit. He saves the colorful stuff as his Sunday-go-to-meeting attire!
...and he has high heels that go with the man purse



Johnny $

I believe you're right!!! Where's home??

Rural Madison County. How about you?




Johnny $

Got an acreage south of Plattsmouth up on the bluff overlookin the river...

Hey now, that is a great area! Any eagles out and about?



Johnny $

Not too many now, but back at the tail end of bird migration had several in the trees behind my house..seems they're always back there lookin for easy pickins....

Yet another fine kit ET. Seems I recognize the "man purse" fowling bag. That's ok...my wife always told her friends "Vic's making another purse". Wadda they know anyway 'bout such important stuff...

Saw Mrs Flem's comment and couldn't help but bump it along a little.

Too bad Jim isn't here to defend hisself!


Johnny $

smooth rifle

The rifle is a Lancaster,50 cal using an L&R Classic lock. Very quick lock! Done by Brian Turner. SWEEET shooting iron!! Around the muzzle are stamped alternating "x" and "o" 's. I was told that they are the Pennsy Dutch Hunter's good luck hex. As for my "colors" We ain't rquired to wear that revolting hunter orange here so the green/black or red/black check patterns are good to go. Actually quite visible without looking like yer on a quest for a whorehouse. The warbags or shooting pouches historically pre-date any of the [bleep] you guys might wanna buy


Added: Cap, I REALLY like YOUR artillery!!!!

Thank you . but the smooth rifle isnt mine . its one i built for a fella over in Kennewick.

Here is my fowling bag for my Hudson valley . Not sure if I showed you folks over hear this or not

Cap YOU built it!! You built the Hudson Valley fowler too and they are superlative IMHO. Now dese guys gotta realize that THEY are behind the curve on our warbags

cap, fine work as usual. That smooth rifle is NICE. Is the engraving your work also? I believe I've seen that bag before, pretty sure I have. Over on another Campfire, the one with 'sticks and Mike and LD?

captchee,

Everything you do is a work of art. Like that smoothie!

I will likely build a Fusil de Chasse from a Pecatonica parts set for my first build. It won't be HC; but then again I'm not so concerned about that. Just want a smoothie for my first so I can do small game and deer until I put a rifle together.

Good work friend!

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!

thank you all for the kind words .

Yes sharpshooter the engraving is mine ..
I also believe I may have posted the bag over there . It was made by Allan Roberts, specifically for my Hudson Valley . My wife did the bead work on the strap .

Qtip

The Tulle from Dic at Pecatonica can be a very nice piece if done correctly .
I owned and shot one for years .
Then thing to remember though is that just like the ToW assembly , its just provides you with a base .
ToW has a set of plans for the fusil de chase as well . But if you are wanting to do one correctly then they also need to be changed a little. .
As of yet there isn�t anyone that I know of that sells the parts for a true representation .
But with some research you can work through that . The biggest issue is really the lock . But the Davis sells a lock that with some modifications to the pan , works very nicely .
But again it all depends on how accurate of a representation you want to get .

When I built my Tule some years ago , I chose iron hardware over brass . Not based on authenticity, mind you . Frankly that�s just what I wanted . Same goes with the Hudson Valley I posted . To be correct the gage should be much larger . The hardware should also be of brass not Damascus. The Tang is also way to long and thin .
But on that build I was not trying to be HC . I was building what I wanted for myself .

Here are some photos of my Tulle and a short video of me shooting it .
As a note . I found that shooting the tulle required a different hold then with any of my other rifles .
Also notice the recoil in the video seems excessive. The load that day was 80 grains of 3F with a wad and RB � I never really felt to much recoil in the gun .









[video:]http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/TMA/?action=view&current=Charlies_Tullie.mp4[/video]



speaking for myself though . i would have to say that one of the nicest shooting smoothies i have ever built . excluding SXS would have to be this type D Fusil .
Again though this piece is not HC . The customer has his own wants which were to be incorporated.
She was slim ,long and light . From the bench she patterned a 1 hole 3 shot group .

this actually was Freds first flintlock . i took photos of these targets the day i delivered it





[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/gun%20stock%20artical/storm011.jpg[/img]

first 3 shots from the bench 25 yards prior to bending the barrel
[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/gun%20stock%20artical/storm015.jpg[/img]

off hand at 50 and 75 yards after bending the barrel . as you can see he has alittle work to do on finding a load . but at 50 she was in the black . the 75 range is the the uper patern with the red marker dot as the target . at that range she was alittle low . but he was also again using only a 60 grain charge

[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/gun%20stock%20artical/storm016-1.jpg[/img]


one of these days ,im going to take things to the next step and do a fuse lock . i think that would be a kick in the pants

Man,that is a really beautiful piece!! You do NICE work!!!

Cap, ya know you officialy suck dontcha?? Superb work!! I actually like the fusil style stocks. I can hold an extremely naturel head position-straight up- shooting mine. Just bring the gun up and presto!! It is in proper position!! Before I forget, here are the "hunters luck hex" on the muzzle of my rifle

OK ...I give up What da heck is that ??? Some good luck Mojo/vodoo chit ??

The Pennsylvania Duch were actually Germans who had a lotta belief in Hexes. A Good Luck Hex like this apparently was done to some hunting rifles in the 18th century (and before).

FlyBoy, you've never seen that before? I thought it was fairly common...well, somewhat so as I've seen it a lot..but then I am from a very German community and of German extraction.

cap, gorgeous, just gorgeous.

Now I believe I'll go get comfortble before the forecasted "apocolypse of snow" hits here. I don't recall the last time I heard so much whining and fear mongering about a winter storm. sheeeeshhh...bring it on!

You know I really have,but as I've never had the luxury to spend much time with those priceless pieces always thought they were some gunsmith scratchins or foundry markings.Goes to show youse guys how very little I know about em!! I have a old hammered side by side shotgun of my great grandfathers'which I believe is a 12ga.and it has stuff like that stamped in many places...Hexes ?? damn,hope they're the good kind..

LOL . i tell you after spending the last 7 hours looking through a loupe, doing checkering .???/ lol

sharpshooter . good luck with the storm . sure hope its not as bad as they are saying .
few more weeks here and it will be Turkey season ,, YA!!!!!!

captchee,

I watched the video and it is very cool. At first it appears like it really rocks you; but then I thought about it. 80 grains of 3f is a preety good load, and besides I think a 20 ga. conventional slug gun would be more of a kicker; as I have shot a ton of them. Great vid!!!!!!

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!