Help me find a flintlock smoothbore

[labnoti]

I need a quail gun for October and figure it's not too early to get started. I've been looking at a few of the off-the-shelf flintlock smoothbores available:

Pedersoli scout - a bit light for 12 ga and no ramrod

Pedersoli flintlock SxS - looks awesome, but maybe only the fancy one will be out late this year and the standard next year? Might be a gun for the future

Pedersoli Mortimer 12ga - a tad portly at 10 lbs.

French Tulle fusil-de-chasse - ToTW has a used Kendall Brady, a bit pricey for a field gun. TVM has the Tulle.

Pedersoli Indian Trade Musket 20ga

TVM Flintlock Fowler 20ga

I think I've got it narrowed down to the TVM Tulle, Indian Trade Musket or the TVM Fowler. Any advice?

 

[mehavey]

Pedersoli Brown Bess (12ga)
(Style Points)

 

[JN01]

The TVM guns will have a superior lock.

 

[B.L.E.]

Pedersoli Brown Bess (12ga)
(Style Points)

The Brown Bess was a .75 inch bore making it an 11 gauge. No problem though, Track of the Wolf sells Circle Fly wads in that and nearly any other oddball gauge you can imagine.

A 12 gauge has a .729 inch bore.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Brown Bess is too heavy and swings poorly. I'd rather have a trade gun for hunting.

 

[mehavey]

I use the Bess in Skeet. (Singles, natch)
No, it's not my Mdl-12... but it sure teaches/helps follow-through

 

[eastbank]

the key to a good flint lock is the frizzen, to hard and it will brake flints, to soft and the flint digs in, with no spawls of steel(sparks) with either one. with out a good frizzen and the flint adjusted just right, the flint lock rifle-shotgun may drive you to drink.

 

[Roaddog]

The TVM fowler is a good bird gun with nice follow through and the weight is good to work with.20 gage is plety of gun to get the job dun.TVM makes a good quality gun.

 

[labnoti]

I understand the guns from TVM are built to suit with higher quality locks and options for premium components, and so they command a higher price than Pedersoli's which are in stock at Cabelas or Dixie etc. I hadn't really intended to pay over a thousand dollars for a field gun, but I might be better off in the long run getting a good one the first time.

Between the Tulle and the Fowler, I understand the Tulle is based on French designs and the Fowler on British. I can see some differences in the shape of the buttstock but otherwise the practical differences aren't obvious to me.

 

[l.cutler]

If you want it by October it is probably too late to be thinking about TVM. Most likely have to settle for a premade over the counter gun.

 

[Old Stony]

The British fowlers seem to me like the best way to go. I've been using one for many years now and really like it. I had mine done up as sort of a canoe gun....shortened to 24 inch barrel and it handles nice. I have taken deer and hogs with mine as well, using .62 caliber round balls...so there is a lot of versatility there.
Sorry...I've lost all desire to deal with anything Pedersoli, but you can find a lot of good stuff out there if you check around with places like Track of the Wolf, The Gun Works, etc..