Musket or Fowler?

[WonkoTheSane]

Rob and Eric, nice looking smoothbores.  Thanks for posting the pics.

[larryp]

My North Star West Chief's grade. .62 cal and 36" barrel.

[Keb]

A few guys seem to like the Northwest trade guns here. I have owned a few, at least 2 Curly's guns both in 20 gauge and built at least 5 others. They all slapped me in the face. All shot great but I couldn't take the punishment. I've settled on mostly fowling guns for what little shooting I still do.

This is the gun I built from surplus parts a while back. It holds and shoots pretty good.  It's a .54 cal by 46" Colerain octagon to round smoothbored barrel with a Chambers late Ketland lock with the tail ground off. Maple wood & brass fittings. No entry pipe or butt plate.

[amm1851]

That's a great looking smoothbore,  Keb. My first muzzleloader was a TC Hawken I built from a kit, and it slapped me in the face about evert third shot. Although I killed my first deer with it, I grew tired of the punishment and sold it. I found the Lyman GPR and the Deerstalker fit me better. As for the Northwest trade gun, I have a Caywood that I have put close to a thousand shots through,  and it has never hurt me. I would like to shoot a Tulle someday; I find the stock design graceful and appealing.

[sse]

Never had a gun of any kind hurt my face, so I'm curious to know what the heck the problem was...??!!

[amm1851]

In my case, it was failing to get my cheek firmly planted on the stock. Partly poor shooting technique and partly ill-fitting stock design.  Hope that clears it up some.

[sse]

In my case, it was failing to get my cheek firmly planted on the stock. Partly poor shooting technique and partly ill-fitting stock design.  Hope that clears it up some.

Thanks, something to look to look out for I guess.  I don't have as much shooting experience as some of you guys.

[Keb]

My problem with the northwest guns is not enough drop. So I have to get right down on them to look down the barrel. That just happens to hit me right on the cheek bone. That along with using a lot of powder and a 20 gauge gun weighing a mere 5 1/2 or 6 lbs. doesn't help matters. I will just use better fitting gun today.

[Hanshi]

I've never had my face slapped by a gun; but I have had my feelings hurt, on occasion.