The PERFECT Turkey Rifle

 Just to be clear - we’re talking about feathered avians, not their two legged human counterparts. Although… I suppose my scholarly expert choice would work on them too! HAR HAR HAR!

When ya reach my age and get a few kills, hunting starts to look much different. If I were to hunt again, it would be purely for meat and for fun, with the emphasis on fun. It doesn’t bother me at all to get skunked. One of the reasons I haven’t killed as much game as other hunters is that I am picky as hell about my shots. I get in close, and put them down with one. Although I was a capable marksman in my day… shooting animals is different, for me. I flat out refuse to chase or risk wounded game. It could happen, I suppose, nobody is perfect… but when I drop the hammer, the end is usually not in question. On targets I will shoot as far out as possible as long as there’s a good backstop.

The perfect turkey gun for the intrepid stubfart does not exist. It will have to be built. If I were to undertake the project - that would mean a black powder muzzle loader. When I say black powder - I mean The Holy Black: we are talking Swiss or Goex or home made… no (hork,spit) substitutes. I’d need a flinter too; cap locks are fine for lesser or more serious sportsmen. But I bend my knee to tradition and period correctness. 

I love the Hawken plains rifles… but for turkeys I’d change it up a bit. How about an elegant Lancaster County longrifle?

Oh my goodness…

These things look awkward and cumbersome, but you’d be shocked at how well they carry in the field.

The kits can often be ordered in various stages of completion, you you’d only have to do the work that you’d be comfortable doing. 

Pick your style or rifle ‘school’. Choose you calibre.  Your grade of wood, your length and style of barrel. The prices may make you gag… but serious rifles aren’t cheap whether they are modern centrefires or top tier front stuffers.

Want to test your nerve and skill? Take ya chisels and carving tools to a tope grade maple stock blank. Go ahead… I dares ya!!! Bonus points if you’re fine with engraving too…

There ya have it - the perfect gobbler gun! One a those, shooting cast, patched round ball? That thing’d be an absolute sweetheart on the range too! .36 calibre, spun at..what? 1:48…? What is the best rifling for the small bores?

I miss the campfire, cigars and whiskey. I think I’m going to stay retired from the hunting game… But if I ever do come out of retirement… I am going to do it in style!

Have a great Sunday fellas. If you’re smart enough to enjoy a project like this… here ya go! If you haven’t filled your tag yet…jump on that, and best of luck to ya!