blackpowder for spring birds?

[6.5x55swedish]

Has anybody tried using their muzzle loading rifle for turkey? I am wondering if it would hurt anything to load it with bird shot and would it be legal?

[rick243]

Muzzleloading shotguns are legal. Smoothbores will work alright. The rifling in your rifle will spin the shot charge so fast it will scatter all over the place as it exits the barrel. Give it a try on a pattern board. I wouldn't think it would harm the rifle other than maybe leading the bore. :)

[bstickin1]

I don`t know if it would hurt anything but the caliber would have to be at least as big as a 20 gauge to be legal. I think .50 caliber is too small. I think a 20 gauge is .550, not sure though. CVA, Traditions and Knight make a not too badly expensive muzzleloading shotgun or Thompson Center makes one for quite a bit more but it looks just like CVA`s if your interested. It`s pretty fun working up the right load for one then getting to bust a gobbler with it.

[6.5x55swedish]

Yeah, I wasn't sure what the cal. gauge, conversion would be. I have a .54 cal T/C Renegade that I would like to have used, but it looks like I need to stick to the modern shotgun for this year anyway. I have priced some mz loader shotguns, but I would want a sidelock and all I have seen are out of my priceline for this lifetime;)

[kycurhunter]

i hunt exclusively with black powder in the spring. i have a CVA trapper that is ok if they get toght but i love my TK 2000 it will reach out and touch one. 100 gr. if FFg and 2.5 oz. of #4 hevi shot will do it at 60 yards.

i killed a nice bird last year over 50 yrds.

[KyHorse]

I hunt with a TK2000 as well. 100gr Triple7 and a 3 1/2" cup full of #5's. Patterns well out to 50-55yards.