Setter Man:

Occasionally, I also use a front-loader. It's a 24 bore flintlock fowler - based on a French fusil. It was aged by the previous owner to look like a 200+ year old original. The patterns aren't too great, and the frizzen is getting soft - but that sure makes it a challenge !

how far out can you kill a squirl with that 24 ga fowler...what kind of load do you use ... and did you say flintlock..... ive got a 12 ga double barrel front stuffer you boys have made me want to try it on squirls.... charlie

Approx. 25 yards - maybe 30...

Yes, it's a flintlock. I use a little less than one ounce of #6 shot (approx. 7/8 or so). Approx. 60 - 65 grains of 2F black, behind an over-powder wad, a cushion wad, then the shot, all covered by a thin over-shot card.

I think a heavier main spring and a newly hardened frizzen would lessen my mis-fires. (But a heavy mainspring would probably ruin the nice trigger pull...)

It just looks "SO DAMN COOL" to stroll through the autumn woods with a fowler that looks every bit like a 250 year old original !!!!

I have hunted pheasants using a modern repro 12 g side by side percussion shotgun. That's a hoot ! (Use approx. 75 grains of 2F black, and the same VOLUME of shot - again with over powder, cushion, and over shot wads/cards. Preload powder and shot into tubes of paper. I use orange paper for powder, and blue paper for shot. Shot tubes in left pocket, and powder tubes in right pocket. Wads in another pocket, and a capper loaded with caps. Be sure you lower hammers to half-cock position after firing, & before you reload - if you only fired one barrel. Better yet to remove the cap altogether ! It's un-nerving to reload the right barrrel when the left one is still fully loaded !!!!!! You just have to be REALLY careful !!!!) Mine doesn't have much choke (and I don't use shot cups), so it throws nice open patterns. Great for hunting over dogs. With this gun, one can "shoot 'em & smoke 'em" all at the same time !

Definitely a good time !

sounds like a lota fun using thefowler for squirls theres something about using a really old gun...it seems like we slip back into time using these old guns..its seldom i carry a modern gun into the field.... charlie

just set up me a pop can at 40 steps.. used my squirl loads in 10 ga of 25 grain of bluedot and 1 1/8 ounce lead no 6 ..used a claybrough and sons with open chokes and 32 in barells... had the can been a squirl it would have been in my bag..on the plus side there was very little recoil.... but i will be usiny the parker 10 opening day which is this sunday...look out squirls.... charlie

Good luck to you !

Be safe.

Its Saturday and I'm askin CHARLIE CLEV... howd you do so Monday you can say they've been askin!!!

got up early this morning was in the woods at day break which was about 6.15 am...wind was blowing at 5 to 10 miles a hour not good squirl hunting morning...seen my first squirl at 6.30 cutting acorns i watched him awhile then i pushed the safety off and fierd the right barrel down that old fat bore came... picked him up and put him in my grandfather old hunting pouch.. it had been a long spell since that old pouch had a squirl in it..did not see another squirl for over 30 minutes then i seen a limb move and i picked up 2 more squirls with the old parker 10...wasnt long tilli spotted another squirl cutting pine burrs put him in the sack too...boy was i on a roll so i thought .just like majic the wind picked up and i didnot see anything for almost an hour..finally spotted one running through the timber at about 50 steps cut down on him and out he tumbled...i hunted for a while longer with no luck gave it up and went home with 5 nice fat squirls....puttem in the deep freeze.. ive got to get a few more then i will have a squirl dinner...going in the morning so wish me luck....that old parker done its job and those old short ten ga shells with a ounce and a 8th of shot done there job.. charlie

Good luck in the morning Charlie! Hoping for a windless morning for you.

Glad you got some Charlie. Bet ol grand-dad was smiling. ch