Vintage Hunting and NCOWS

[rdstrain49]

Not anytime soon.

[1961MJS]

Howdy Rowdy

I just got my 1881 back from Cimarron Arms.  I need to write a nice blurb on their customer service. 

My question here concerns turkey hunting and turkey choke  tubes.  I have a Cimarron Arms 1881  12 gauge side by side with 26 inch barrels.  There are more than several turkey chokes, and I don't really want to buy them all.  What ammunition should I be using, and what choke tubes would go with that?  I live in Norman Oklahoma, and will probably be hunting South of here, so possibly longer shots will be necessary.

Thanks

Mike

[Rowdy Fulcher]

1961mjs
The Turkey tubes I am using came from Colonial Arms in Alabama . First will you be shooting smokeless or black powder . They both work Great . But you will need to pattern your gun at different yardages . That way you will know how far you can kill your Turkey .
The tighter the choke the farther you can successfully take a Turkey . Wish you the best , and take lots of pictures . Have you posted any pictures of your 1881 yet . We would love to see a picture of HER .

[1961MJS]

Hi Rowdy

Definitely smokeless. I don't have the equipment to reload black powder OR shot shells now.  I'll have to buy what I shoot. 

I've only hunted quail and pheasant so I need to  get some help on what loads to buy for turkey.  Like I mentioned above, they're probably going to be 20-40 yards.  I won't be shooting further away than that this year.  From looking at Midway's website for a while, I'll probably buy some #5's or #6's in a 3 inch shell.  Since I haven't shot the 1881 that much yet, I THINK I'll get a couple of extra full chokes possibly in different diameters and see which seems best. 

I plan on getting both a Skeet and either Skeet 2 or Improved Cylinder with the knurled top for shooting skeet.  I'll probably use the hidden chokes that came with the 1881 for Trap, Quail, and Waterfowl.

Later

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Mike
The 3 inch smokeless load work good . I am a fan of the #6 , but if I thought I might shoot  farther I load a #5 in the right barrel that way if he is over 40 yards I prefer the 5's . The main thing you will want to do is pattern your shotgun . I hope this will help you , and wish you the best of luck .

[1961MJS]

Mike
The 3 inch smokeless load work good . I am a fan of the #6 , but if I thought I might shoot  farther I load a #5 in the right barrel that way if he is over 40 yards I prefer the 5's . The main thing you will want to do is pattern your shotgun . I hope this will help you , and wish you the best of luck .

Great idea, I'll get a couple of boxes of each.

Thanks

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Calling all Turkey Hunters . Where are your pictures  . ? I bet ole Dusty has smoked one .

[dusty texian]

Well Rowdy ,so far look's like the Turkey's will live to gobble another day. The hunters have taken some nice Tom's with beard's over 9-1/2" being average . Have not taken the time to stop and call one for me. ,,,,,,Dusty

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Dusty
Back at it tomorrow and Sunday .Hope the hens are starting to nest now . If ole Tom has a bunch of hens around him , he won't usually leave them to come to your call  . Good luck and Happy Hunting .

[dusty texian]

Hey Rowdy ,I'll bet your in the wood's ,chasing old Tom! Hope Ya the best of Luck Amigo!  The hen's have been on the nest down here for a while.But the Tom's are still ready,they about have thier wing tip's worn down square now from struttin.Have seen a good number of mature Tom's this Spring. And a good number of Jakes. The Rio Grande turkey seem to do better in dry yr's. And we sure have had plenty of dry here in Tx. as of late. Kill us a Biggun Amigo,,,,,,Dusty

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Dusty
This year my Turkey hunting spot has turned into a SWAMP . I had ole Tom gobbling his head off , but I couldn't get him in range to shoot . I worked with him for over an hour ,he would Gobble and I would use my sack of tricks . I tried everything but he just didn't come . This coming weekend is the last days to hunt . I am hoping the hens will be on the nest so ole Tom will come to my call ?

[Gabriel Law]

I know this ain't a turkey, and I see folks are posting pictures of practically any kind of hunting arm...so here's a young bull I shot last fall with my self-made Hawken rifle.  The charge was 127 grains 2Fg GOEX, a mink oil lubed/tightly patched .62 cal ball (.613"), and the range was 80 yards.  The ball passed through and through.  Great eating all winter for my whole family.

[dusty texian]

Howdy Gabriel,That is a mighty fine job on the rifle and the use of it. Having never been around Moose . I would like to know about how much meat can you get from one like that.That looks like a big critter to me. About like a good size horse.I have heard Moose is some fine eating.,,,,,,Dusty

[Gabriel Law]

Thanks for the kind words on the rifle and the trophy.  This is a little guy...a two year old, and I got about 500 pounds of cut and wrapped from him.  Wonderful tender and mild flavoured venison!

The one in the image at the top of this post is the bull I shot, with the same rifle, in 2012.  He was about five yards further away, but the rifle didn't care.  This one yielded half again that much meat, and again, was not strong flavoured, but tender and delicious.  I have the priviledge of hunting in some of the most productive moose country in British Columbia, and only a half day's drive from my home.  I had this bull mounted and it adorns a wall in my living room.  I'm not a trophy hunter, and will take the first legal bull I see, but in this case, this fellow was it.

This fall, I want to hunt with my new Winchester '76.  If I'm as lucky, I'll post pictures of the harvest in due course.

[dusty texian]

That is a beautiful moose ! And a better look at that Hawken,I like it. Have you ever recovered a .62 rb. from a moose kill? I wish you luck on your up-comming hunt.The 45-75Winchester should do a fine job. ,,,,,,Dusty

[Gabriel Law]

Dusty, I've never recovered a .62 cal ball, but on my first moose, back in the last century, I used a .75 cal ball in a Brown Bess musket.  I recovered that ball under the hide on the off-side shoulder after it passed through the foreleg bone, a rib, the lungs, a scapula, and another rib.  The ball went from .75 cal to about the size of an old .50 cent piece (remember them!), and only about 1/4" thick.
I've a confession to make...I've been building muzzle loaders for over 40 years. Hawken rifles are one of my favourites.  They were, in their time, perhaps the epitome of a superlative American hunting rifle.  And they shine now too.

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Gabriel
Thanks for posting pictures . That's a fine looking rifle and a nice trophy . Hope you the best of luck with the 76 . Can't wait to see your pictures .

[dusty texian]

June ,May be the time for a little Javelina hunting.,,,,,,Dusty Texian

[pony express]

Looks like you have a few there, how do they taste?

[dusty texian]

Howdy pony express,I like to eat the Javelina. Most I have seen taste it like it. Some would not try it. I learned to cook it Barbacoa style. (Slow roasted) . ,,,,,,Dusty