English Flintlock Fowler First Look
Vložit
- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- In this video I’ll share a first look at my new-to-me flintlock, English-style fowling piece.
This gun has a true 12 gauge bore.
I bought it at the Lancaster Longrifles 2021 Rendezvous at Muddy Run. Here’s a link to the video:
• Muddy Run Rendezvous ...
Mike Beliveau links:
Patreon - / duelist
Website - mikebeliveau.com/
I remember reading here in England the old poachers would use ivy leaves as wadding when they had nothing else, ivy is available all year, won't burn and is quite waxy
That kicks like a mule with 120grs
This got me wondering of any other leaves would be safe to use. :)
i think its experimental archeology type of thing relearning the old way and preserving it i watch all of these and enjoy them
Sweet fowler. People who don't own a flintlock fowler are missing out on some great fun and tremendous versatility for shooting and hunting. Love your channel.
I'm learning a lot about black powder firearms from your channel. I've never used a black powder firearm, so far. However, I am definitely learning how to do it safely, and a lot of the science behind why thing are done in a specific way.
I'm 76, I've been shooting blackpowder since the early 80's, and have killed 3 deer with a flintlock. I have .40 and .54 cal flintlock rifles and a new flintlock Southwest trade gun. I know a lot about shooting these guns, but i sure enjoy your videos. I enjoy the history lessons that you entwine with your shooting...Great Job!
The lock time on that weapon is phenomenal! Nice shooting.
Your channel offers some of the most genuine and informative firearms information on CZcams. I'm really glad that I found it. Thank you.
Seriously tempted to pick up a fowler. I do love a good smooth bore. Great video, Mike!
Kibler is coming out with a smoothie. Might not be a bad idea to wait for that.
@@mikef3808 I got a Tulle from Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading. It is a very nice 20guage shotgun.
@@jwkennington nice, I've been thinking of getting something from them as well.
What I love about your videos is the care you toake to make safety a strong part of what you do every single time. That's why I recommend your channel. THANK YOU.
Nice results with the smooth bore. Thanks for the historical information on powder usage too.
Interesting talk about powders and the historically correct way to load a smooth bore
Hi Mike, I really enjoyed seeing this beautiful fowler. Congratulations on your new acquisition! Also, I enjoyed your discussion on patched ball vs. bare ball and powder granule size. I always enjoy learning from you! Thanks so much!
Love the smoothbore content!
Thank you Mike! In the fifty years that I've been shooting black powder guns, off and on, it's been with pistols and rifles. Mostly percussion cap type. In the 80's I purchased a flintlock pistol kit and built it, but never shot it and lost it during one of my many moves. Four years or so ago I order a Lyman 50 cal. Percussion Great Plains percussion rifle and received a flintlock instead. I decided to keep it. I still have not shot it yet. Over the years I've accumulated all the recruitments to fire it, including a couple possible bags, and some loading data . Your piece on that fuller kind of kick started me back to flint locks again and hope to shot and hunt with the Lyman!!...I'm to old to start getting into Fowler's now and note to mention money wise. Thanks again Mike!!!....I bet that thing scares the hell out of Evil Roy !!
Hello Gary....When you decide to shoot your Lyman Flintlock make sure you use a good black english flint and open that touch hole up to at least 1/6th inch and maybe to 5/64ths. Plus you might want to use 3f in it to make sure the powder gets to the touchhole. Your rifle has a chambered breech and it makes coarser powder harder to get down to the touchhole because it has to travel through a smaller communication hole to get there...........Good Luck!
Great Shooting Its very rewarding when you can soot well with a smoothbore gun even better when its a flintlock well done.
I love your videos, I have been shooting BP since I built my first gun in 1973 . Back in those days I finished the barrel in shop class at school for a metal working project. [ breech plug , dovetails and bluing ]
Outstanding. Really impressed with the ignition.
Excellent 👍👍👍Greetings from France 🇨🇵🇺🇲🇨🇵🇺🇲
I’ve been shooting smooth bores for years. Mine shoot well with a 100 to 110 charge of 2fg out to about 75 yards. I’m currently experimenting with 1 and 1 1/2fg to see how well that will work. That is a very nice fowler and I look forward to seeing more load development and shooting. As always great video.
Yes, indeed it is a beautiful piece..
Most homesteads wove their own fabric and made their own clothing.
So, most farms had a patch of flax for making their own linen thread.
The fibers of flax that were too short for spinning into thread were called
Towe. Towe was a tough fiber that
had a dozen uses from scrubbing pots and pans to charcloth to cleaning guns.
It a also made good waddling for smoothbores. So, it was very common where there were farms.
In the backcountry where there were no farms wool blanket material was commonly used.
One of the combatants in the Mongohila ambush wrote that the Indians and French were so close that they could see the blanket wads coming at them.
It was one of the Girty's as I recall.
Thanks for all you do.
John Davis Jax Fl
An alternate shooting position is standing with the fore stock resting on a fence post of the correct height to simulate off hand shooting. This is simply to test the grouping capability if a particular load…
Your channel is a great resource to learning muzzleloaders.
I appreciate that!
Informative and educational, as always. My 12- gauge Caywood English fowler, is likely the most often used hunting tool I own. Hard to beat the versatility of the smooth bore. Admittedly, I have only shot patched ball through it. But intend to try the bare ball route in the very near future.
Well I like our new rifle……lol look forward to your next video
I've shot a bare ball in a .54 cal rifle with a loading patch on top of the ball and darn near centered the black on target @ 25 yards. Only tried it once, experimentally. And I normally use short distances due to fading eyesight as I'll be 75 years old in two months.I was really surprised.
Mike, I swear you look younger. It's pissing me off, I look like something dragging under the truck. Great video by the way.
There a town in ny state that's famous for big foots but the cannons that went to Boston came through this valley to General Washington. Keep up on your videos Mike your becoming a professor of history. Love your vids
A while ago I handled an English fowler at a local antique gun shop. Fell in love. Badly wanted it, but could not afford it. I was impressed that it was just so light and lithe compared to rifles. If I'm remembering right, it may have been a 20.
Beautiful... Sorry to hear about your fusil de chasse. Bought mine because of you in all honesty Mike. Been an interesting arm.
Ive been wadding with unwoven natural wool in mine for similar reasons why you stopped using tow. Has been working well.
This must have been at the height of the cicada cycle. We had the same humming in Rockville Md.
love your videos!
That is the style fowler that I want. I have a kinfolk who carried one at cowpens and King's Mt.
Beautiful in form and function mike, one you should keep for years to come and pass on.
Thanks for sharing this video, awesome
I love the smooth bore I live it southern New England and hunt every thing with them .
I think for the purpose of finding the most accurate / consistent load, shooting off the bench would be beneficial. You don't have to necessarily worry about where it hits yet, just how close each shot is. Once you figure out the most accurate / consistent load you can shoot off hand to sight it in.
I wadded with tow exactly twice: the first two shots I took with a T/C 12ga New Englander. At the time I was living in Colorado, and a burning tow wad is a great way of starting a wildfire. Switched to wool from the local Llama farm and never looked back.
Do more on this one, Mike. Good treatment of powder choice.
s
Wonderful fowling gun, Mike. I do almost all of my hunting with a 10 bore New England fowling gun and gave up on patched balls a long time ago, I have never been able to get the consistant accuracy I want. Paper cartridges , using a .715 ball work the best for me. Close 2nd is a .735 ball loaded over 140 gr FFg with a wool blanket wad. Its good to see someone else promoting something other than the tightly patched ball . I keep hearing about folks shooting 3 in groups at 50 yards with their smooth bores, but seldom see it at our club. With the loads above, I can do it and even if the group is a bit larger at times, it's usually only one of 5 that sneaks out to 4 inches or so. Looser combos are definately the way to go in these guns IMO . Thanks or the work you put into this
Finding a ball small enough to load easy but one that will objurate to fill the bore when 10,000 psi spanks the backside of the ball when the powder goes off.. It takes a hefty powder charge to do that.
With a patched ball you have already filled the bore so a smaller powder charge works for that.
Cool gun mike!
This is hands down my favorite CZcams channel, keep up the great work Mike!
Haven't shooting black powder for years so that I'm 72 and I've been doing it since I was. A child. In fact I was handed down a musket from the civil war that I would shoot.
This guy's amazing. I just came across this and he's enlightening me to so many things I should have known back then. I was shooting pyrodex in my guns. Now I feel like an idiot. I thought I knew everything about it and what I was doing. Thanks for this video.
I just want to mention off the cop one more thing. we've heard things about the gun that won the West. But in reality the gun that won the West with a shotgun... They just fired everything they had to fire out of it. But I must say that rifle or that shotgun that he's shooting is absolutely beautiful it's very understated and beautiful
Is a pleasure to learn from this wise and informative as well as knowledgeable individual 👍
I stand completely corrected about the lock time! Its a pity other folks don't know how to do that on their videos.
The joy you experienced with this Fowler was evident in the video and that carries over to us viewers.🙂
Beautiful piece. I gotta get out and try some bare ball loads out of my 20 gauge fowler. I'll probably start with about 70 grains of 2f and hemp tow on top.
Thanks Mike .
Truly appreciate you sharing your knowledge and wisdom.
I love seeing fowlers. thanks for a awesome video Mike keep up the fantastic work.
Been wanting to see this for a long long time. Hope you do alot lot more on this.
Like the prospective on the fowler. makes total sense. especially if you liked to eat out on the frontier
I have a white grease pencil and make a rear witness mark above the screw that pins the barrel. It helps me get a repeatable sight picture.
Awesome as usual! You are the one who got me interested in black powder shooting. If it wasn't for your channel, I don't think I would have ever gotten the information that I needed to get started. Thank you for all that you do and keep up the good work!
Thank you for the comments on the powder. you are correct, many people just do not know, or understand why each powder is used.
I've always wanted a fowling piece. I finally have a Pedersoli .50 Kentucky flintlock, so I'll have to land an English Fowler soon. I wish the entry level companies like Traditions sold a 20ga or 12ga smoothbore muzzleloader for the budget minded guys.
Thanks for the advice on the aiming. This has been an issue for me.
A smoothbore is on my bucket list for sure. You don't make waiting for it any easier. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for dispelling the stigma that I have heard about smooth bore. Now I want one!
Love the show keep up the good work thank you for all the hard work
Always impressed, thank you. I have never tried a flint lock. I am more into the Civil War cap locks.
I would very much like to see a video about the use of different powder granulations for different applications. That would be very helpful
Your historical knowledge of shooting and the arms of the day... that is why I look for your videos. Always good and fun to watch. Thank you. Gotta' say, cool gun!
I have never heard about the burning powder gas centering the ball. Very interesting.
always fun to watch you shoot
I bought an old "fowling" gun at a local shop today, not at all an elegant piece like yours. As near as I can determine it is a "sporterized" Brown Bess. The lock plate is marked W Brazier next to the hammer and London at the rear. It's been cut down, barrel and stock. It does have the barrel cartouches that are normally on a Bess, though there is a fair amount of rust in that area. The bore is pitted, it will probably end up as an 11 or even a 10 gauge when cleaned up. It was converted to percussion but I have an East India lock so I can convert it back. My intent is to bring it back to a functional state, though it will never be a thing of beauty. I thought is was worth the $150, even if just for parts and the fun of doing the research.
Best advice for actual muzzleloader use. I have a TVM fowler that was made by Jack Garner himself, I was inspired by Mr.Bellevue with his TVM in the earlier days of the channel. He has given best loads and science behind it.
I agree with your advice on sighting from the position you are going to be shooting from. I am a position shooter and my zero from a bench is at least 2 minutes from any other position I shoot from.
Very entertaining and interesting! What should be mentioned is the main reason for the preponderence of smoothbores in the 18th Century (in civilian hands) was their versatility. With a round ball and/or buckshot it was good for deer or other large game, and with a shot load it was good for birds or pest animals around the farm or homestead. (Smoothbores were a LOT cheaper than rifles too!)
Getting into the 19th Century it wasn't unusual for Civil War surplus rifles to be smoothbored by local gunsmiths, and for the same reasons as above. A .58 caliber rifle wasn't much use around the farm, but one converted to a 20 gauge shotgun was. Every once in a while one of those smoothbored rifles will show up at gun or antique shows. (And they usually go for a LOT less than an intact Civil War rifle as well!)
Thank you for the wonderful demonstration, Mike!
I love your videos for the same reason I love black powder shooting. The change in life pace
So right or wrong I'll let you tell me, I use cotton Lenin and I put each piece in melted bee wax. So basically waxed cotton patches. My charges 105 to 115 no more. With respect have to clean barrel once in a while due to wax build up to thick but also helps on rainy days on a hunt, You know keeps powder dry. Thanks great video, Take care.
Good shooting with only a front sight. Props.
So fine. Dream rifle right there.
It's been a fine week for weather and for shooting. I'd like to get out there today and get some practice in before spring brook is upon us. I really like the style of this smoothbore it's a beauty.
I really enjoyed watching this video. You have some nice toys.
That 120 grain load has a kick to it! Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the explanation of powders! Can't wait to get my 1860 army and get into some black powder!
I always enjoy your videos including ones on cowboy guns and medieval swords. Thanks for making for some good viewing.
As a fowler, I assume it would be used with shot to take ducks (and geese) so it would be interesting to see how to load that, what size shot and how it patterned. Maybe even how a flinter affects the lead needed to take the bird.
Hate to ask a dumb question but are we still allowed to use lead on waterfowl ? Or is it steel shot only?
@@flintlock2588 If that was to my comment, the "lead" I was thinking of was how far ahead of the bird the gun is pointed so the shot hit, not lead (the metal) used in the shot. I don't shoot myself (I used to shoot pistol before the UK banned them) but I more or less assumed by now it as all steel shot.
@@flintlock2588 Yeah, that's a problem, as in the US, lead shot for waterfowl is banned. You can load Bismuth in these fowlers, I believe. For other game, such as turkey, and small game, you can use lead shot in most states. I think CA has banned all lead projectiles for hunting.
Mike, that gun is meant to be used as a shotgun. It should be loaded with the powder charge following with a wad with a under shot card next with about 1 and 1/8 ounce of shot and lastly with an over shot card to keep the shot in place. Shot size should be English No 6 for ducks and pheasants and No 4 for geese. English power is measured in drams.
What a beautiful piece!!
Thank you so much for the information about the powder, I like the yakin
Mr. Beliveau; I have enjoyed your videos for years. I truly enjoy seeing your success with your flintlock guns, and perhaps someday I will get one to try out myself. I have a few cap and ball guns, and your videos give me hope that I can have similar success with those old style of guns. Thanks for sharing.
One good bucket load off the list .
Nice work Mike, as always.
From what I have read of colonial history, the Fowler was indeed the most common style of firearm that your average colonists would have had and it was what many militia members were armed with.
They had certain disadvantages compared to proper military arms such as a lack of a bayonet lug but overall they would have been much more common than the specialty Pennsylvania/Kentucky rifles of the day.
I’m a smoothbore freak! I have a .54 cal Pedersoli Jaeger rifle , but have shot a lot of Brown Bess with patched roundball. I’d love to get a 20 ga or 28 ga smoothbore Fowler.
I should have made the muddy run event. I'm less than 30 miles away. Maybe next year. Thanks for sharing the Fowler.
I agree with Hugh... I can't get my hawken to lock up in less than 500 milliseconds lately. Maybe a video describing what you consider "tuning"?
I found your take on sighting in a shot gun by shooting off hand to be interesting. I haven't fired a firearm without a rear sight much, so I'm most familiar with firearms with a rear sight. This being said, I've found it helpful for accuracy to place my check in the same position, with or without a rear sight.
I'm saving my pennies to buy a flintlock smooth bore fowler and so have found your videos on load development very helpful.
Over the last 40 years or so I have shot black powder on and off. Each of my guns are rifled and at the present time I do not own a smooth barrel. I have several friends who shoot Fowler and I hope to add
Hope you can also get that French piece repaired. I always thought it was just beautiful. Going to really enjoy seeing your progress with this fowler too.
Great video, thank you for sharing. I’m interested in building something like this but find barrels in this caliber or larger are hard to find. As you mentioned rifles seem to get all the love.
Beautiful fowler Mike. Thanks for introducing her to us.
Excellent video. I like learning about black powder and the arms on your channel. Thanks Mike
I love black powder I wish I could get a blunderbuss are a smoothbore I have a 54 black powder rifle and 45 black powder rifle the and a couple 44 revolvers there's so much fun to hunt with i like to God bless and great video
Thanks Mike. Another really great video. Sure wish I was able to do a bit of black powder shooting again. Your videos are the next best thing.
Thumbs way up Mike! I love your smoothbore flintlock videos. I have a 20 gauge smoothie with a rear sight, and just love it.
Wonderful!
Nice gun, Sir. Thank you.
Two words ....... WICKED AWESOME!
Looks kinda brutal at both ends. Cool vid!