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 !
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