Muzzleloading for Turkey

[shaman]

There are a bunch of things coming together that have me looking at a muzzleloader.  For one thing, Angus (age 12) has been enamoured of the idea of a flintlock muzzleloader since he first held a Brown Bess at Williamsburg back in 2006.  Here he is checking out a nice piece:
 

 
 
 
KYHillChick is on preparedness kick.  She's getting so she'd like to be prepared for any eventuality.  She's thinking probably a flint fowler.  However, Angus is particularly enamored of a Brown Bess.  Brown Bess makes a nice fowler if you're talking turkey, right?  Smooth bore, 14 GA (approx). It's workable.
 
Then you have me.  I met a guy over the summer who's a flinter, and not just any flinter.  I mean like the guy who sits at home all day and turns out  a sizeable share of the flints that go into flintlocks worldwide.  He lives in Switzerland now so that he can be close to his favorite deposits-- what a life!  Anyhow, I'm sure I can get flints cheap now.  He also turned me onto a flint deposit near the farm.  I might end up trying to make my own.
 
I'm sort of torn.  I'd like a nice, plain Kentucky Rifle for deer hunting. However, the idea of  bagging a gobbler with a flint fowler has me intrigued.  I could turn around and stuff a patched round ball down it for deer season too.
 
Anyone doing this? 
 
 

[Steve_In]

Yes there are many out there. I hunt deer with a flintlock rifle and turkeys with a original double 10 bore.
I had a more detailed reply but it got dumped into cyberspace somehow[:@] I will get it redone and re-post it later.
Check out to start[:)]
http://www.nmlra.org/
http://www.americanlongrifles.com/
http://www.coon-n-crockett.org/linklist.htm
http://www.flintlocks.com/
http://www.caywoodguns.com/
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/

[Steve_In]

The Brown Bess should make a good turkey gun. The Brown Bess has probably taken about the species of bird and animal in the world. It was the AK-47 of its day being the main weapon of the British Empire. It was built to withstand the rigors of combat including being used with bayonet. The usual strategy was to line up the troops and march onto the field and fire, next rank advance and fire while first was reloading. This continued until the bayonet charge. The fire was not aimed. The musket was held level pointing in the direction of the opposing army. For this reason the stock of a Bess can be somewhat punishing on some shooters cheek. I found it unpleasant to shoot and almost impossible for me to get my head in position to take an aimed shot. There are several good repros available with the Pedersoli's being about the best.
With your location in Kentucky you should consider a trip to Friendship, in this spring for the NMLRA June shoot. Lots of traditional ML's there. We went to the Louisville show a few years ago and there were many repros there.
I have a Rev War era smoothbore on my bucket list. Probably go with the Chamber's Pennsylvania fowler in 20 gauge. Lighter ball weight and it could still be loaded up with shot for turkey. It is down about #3 on my list of guns though. I have also looked at the Caywood guns too. The thought of interchangeable rifle/smooth barrels has great appeal to me.
You will need to locate a source of real black powder. Substitutes will work in a flintlock but they are sloooooow. Practice will help you gain confidence and learn about maintaining good flint ignition.
I will be happy to answer any questions you have or to offer suggestions on other fowlers.

[shaman]

Yes, I used to hit Friendship twice a year, but I haven't been in years.  That's probably where I should go.

Yeah, I've been talking to some guys elsewhere;  their admonition was the Pedesoli Brown Bess was IT, and that I was going to get myself in trouble if I went with the Indian imports.

Thanks for getting back to me.  I'll check out those links.