Shotguns for Vintage Hunting

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Today  after work I grabbed my 87 shotgun and patterned it . I tried it at 25 yards and it wasn't very good . It is fun to shoot , but it won't work as a Turkey gun . I was hoping it would work at 25 yards OR less . But the pattern was to thin . Oh well I will use my 1878 double it has 26 inch barrels and TUBES , I have a set of Turkey tubes and it will reach out and touch ole Tom . Then it takes a few seconds for the smoke to clear . I love smoked Turkey .   

[shrapnel]

There is nothing like old guns. They were here when we came, they will be here when we are gone. In the meantime we can enjoy them like the previous owners. I saw this George Daw SXS in the local SXS gunshop and had to have it. It is a 12 gauge hammer gun with a 3 digit serial number and made in 1863. This is real early in cartridge firing guns and especially in shotguns.

It is typical of English shotguns, very nicely made and engraved. It doesn't have rebounding hammers, which you would expect  when a gun is that early. The wood is gorgeous and the fit is perfect. It is a round body, back action gun which contributes to it's light weight and balance.

I found a book that was written by George Daw on his patents of 1864 and find this shotgun on the cover and described in detail in the book.

I took it turkey hunting a couple weeks ago and called a nice Merriam's of around 20 pounds in to the decoys and shot the bird with a single load of 7 shot in a 2 1/2 inch shell...

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Shrapnel
Thanks for posting pictures . Excellent bird with a beautiful ole shotgun . Thanks again .

[hammer1]

I have a parker GH, 10 gauge, 27/8 chambers. It was my grandads, my brothers didnt want it, ive taken geese, and ducks with bismuth reloads, turkey, and others. RST, makes some loads that are very friendly to old shotguns. I also have a purdey made in 1890, that I won on a auction for a song due to sleeved barrels. If they could talk .

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
I plan on early Squirrel Hunting next Saturday , opening day . And here's my weapon and Black Powder ammo loaded with #5 .

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Trying my 87 at Quail hunting . I have spent the last two Saturdays looking for Quail no luck . I guess I need to head to Kansas ,need to hook up with Trap . Now as far as the short barrel 87 I think it would work fine birds . But it's short barrel won't work for Turkeys . Oh well I have my 1878 double with a26 inch barrel and Turkey tubes . Did I ever tell you that I love Turkey hunting .

[cpt dan blodgett]

My little brother wore out our vintage Knickerbocker SxS shooting dove and quail in about 3 seasons.  An old Sea Captain left the gun with my Grandfather in the 30s, we got it in the 60s, it brought home a lot of Pheasants for both mom and dad.  It just would not hold up to the high volume shooting my little brother was doing 4 boxes of shells a day missing dove and quail.

[Tornado]

I went on my first quail hunt not long ago.  I brought my 20ga 26" Rossi Overland,  I was even able to knock a few birds hout of the air with it!

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Turkey season is only weeks away . I am in the process of coming up with a 1887 with a 28 inch barrel . I have my ammo from last Turkey season and plan on smoking ole Tom . Good luck to all the Turkey Hunters out there .

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Well the long barreled 1887 deal didn't work out . So looks like my 1878 double barrel is back in action . I have a couple boxes of ammo left over from last Turkey season so my ammo is ready . hope everyone has all their Turkey Hunting gear ready for season .
Now it's time to gather up my Turkey calls and start practicing .

   

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Here is a video on the emf 1878 long barrel .

[Tornado]

I got one of those a few weeks ago.  I test fired a few shells through it and the shells stuck so much that I had to break it open over my knee.  I got a Flex hone for it and ran it through it this weekend, I'll test it again soon.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Tornado; Could it be the firing pins sticking?  That happened to me with a Sauer boxlock.

[Gabriel Law]

The only time I've experienced this is when the firing pins ( in this case the tips of the hammers) were rough, and slightly piercing the primers.  I removed the hammers, polished the pins round and smooth, and the problem disappeared.  This is on a double, BTW.

[Tornado]

Thanks guys, didn't think of that.  I will look into it this weekend.

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
What type of shotgun shells are you shooting ? Do they have aluminum heads or brass ? The winchester 's that have the aluminum heads were a problem .

[Tornado]

They were the steel based Winchesters, I plan to run some brass based AA through it this weekend.

[Tornado]

The combination of honing and using quality Winchester Featherlites AA shells fixed it.  The empty AA shell flew out like the gun had ejectors!  I tried the cheap steel based ones again and they still stuck, but not as bad as before.  The firing pins were nice and round and not piercing the primers.  Thanks for your help guys.

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Tornado
Hope your shotgun is back to blasting . Them cheap hulls suck .When I load my BP loads I use the Federal paper hulls . They work good for me . They have a real good crimp , the paper does .

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy
Have done a little Turkey scouting  . Have spotted a few Tom's . Hope I can call them into shooting distance when season opens .