Turkey Hunting: Hard Mode | Using Wasp Nest in my Flintlock? | Blackpowder Shotgun

[@improman1]

Thanks for all your great videos. Nothing anywhere compares to your channel.

[@stevedickhaut7607]

The Hungarian fellow from Cap&Ball uses corn meal for his wad when he hunts Pheasants with his side by side flintlock. Same volume for corn meal as powder. It patterned well. He did use a regular over shot wad.

[@alanwoodbury7461]

I tried a bunch of different loads also, but the one that worked the best for me was cornmeal wading #5 shot and cork overcard. Keep them videos coming Ethan.

[@OdoyleRules24]

I appreciate the simple workup. Ive been using all the wads and cards etc, and cant keep anything consistent. I like the idea of sticking with 18th century materials and making it work.

[@JeffandLeslie]

cool video. I have loaded many thousands of rounds from that same table! Hi Scott!

[@straightpipec6099]

I’m using a George Newton 11 gauge this season after watching your video last year. The load will be 3 3/4 drams of 1 F and 1 7/8 oz of #5 shot. Using Sky Chief’s shot column. Your pattern is looking good. Nice one Ethan.

[@Bayan1905]

I know when I was experimenting with my Pedersoli Indian Trade gun which is similar to that gun, I found after some testing that it preferred 70 grains of FFG to 1 ounces of shot. It patterned well out to 40 yards with both #6 and #7 1/2 shot.

[@steveww1507]

good hunting buddy

[@BugsBunny-st8lf]

Yes, it is very Import to have a strong compression, you need to have a "explosion" to get speed

[@bbcustomoutdoors]

I love that you are open to help from others!

[@bkauffman0390]

Paper shot cup brother!

[@markfair7648]

I roll my shot cups out of cork sheets and paper combined. I copy the federal flight control wad. I use cream of wheat as a buffing compound. For my pedersoli 12ga. I love your show to Kaufman.

[@jesserichardweaver5352]

Try double-stacking the shot-dividing the shot into two sections with a wad in between. That may tighten up the pattern.

[@williamkoppos7039]

My Bud was getting results from paper cartridges. Kept the pattern tighter.

[@33granada]

You could try TSS shot instead of lead... and use #9 shot. It has twice the range of lead. TSS is made of Tungsten. Only problem , it's expensive.

[@ditzydoo4378]

An excellent load is equal volume of Cornmeal over your powder then shot a top that. This will cushion the pellets preventing flattening and close up your pattern considerably.

[@matthewhutchins7947]

I use powder, 2 thin cards, cornmeal, 2 thin cards, shot, 2 thin cards

[@matthewhutchins7947]

Try 70gr 2f swiss, 4 thin os cards, 1 5/8th #6, 2 thin os cards... in that order ...works In both my guns. 70 or 75 grains

[@larryadams2184]

Use cornmeal my friend that will keep the shot more consistently

[@TurkeyCreek-ek8mj]

Great video Ethan. I love to see traditional loading techniques. Good luck this season. Ours opens next week. TC

[@martinmeltzer2696]

Hey Ethan! There are a lot of variables (challenges?!) when it comes to Muzzle Loading. Consistency from one shot to the next is what you're after... and that can be hard to achieve. But when it all comes together... there is no feeling in the world like it! Keep plugging away at it, success will be yours!

[@grizsgarage]

I used tight fitting corrugated cardboard wads that I punch myself. They don’t travel very far and don’t blowout the pattern. I use flat cereal box cardboard over shot wads. Slower burning powder tightens the pattern. More shot than powder also tightens the group.

[@FlintlockOperator]

You beat me to the wasp nest wadding! I have a big pile of it ready to make a video.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Can’t wait to see what you do with it dude! I know you’ll have a different take

[@robertlittle7407]

cool man cool

[@markfair7648]

Great video Ethan. I use a ots wad made of cork 1/8 thickness. I also use shot cup made from drawer liner cork sheets . I use a steel mandrel to roll the cork sheet and back it with paper. I use a pedersoli mortimer 12. Flintlock. Good luck to all this year chasing feathers 🪶

[@richarddean3154]

I am conducting a similar load-develop experiment here in Wisconsin for my upcoming hunt (April 24 to 30). I never considered that the level of "compression" could make an impact on the efficacy of the load but it makes sense now that you brought it up. A densely packed load should travel together farther before opening up. Thanks for the insight and good luck on the turkeys.

[@richarddean3154]

One additional thing - I got my turkey last year with Cortney's 20 gauge. It made great table fare on Easter Sunday. Good luck again

[@shovelheadflh71]

Great video, I picked up a lot of ideas & info. Never tried traditional wadding just used modern card & cork for clay targets with fairly good results but not great. Keep up the good work, hope to see You at Five Medals, just got to say hi at Kzoo. Thanks...

[@bobmiller4383]

Try # 4 shot. It works a lot better in my 20 than # 6 I'm not sure why, but it does

[@dianehuston1721]

Good luck Ethan hunting this spring. Get that Thunder Chicken.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Just a couple days left! Keeping my fingers crossed. Thank you!

[@maddog45auto66]

I've had real good luck with 80 grains of powder, 80 grains of cornmill, 80 grains of number 6 shot and then. A water on top of all that. Try it, you might like that load.

[@williamkrevey1098]

Thank you, I'm getting similar results out of my 69. I feel much more confident after watching you guys figuring this out. I collected a particularly giant paper wasps nest and I like that better than the honey comb ones from under the eves. But that's look and feel not necessarily actual results.

[@brokentoe570]

Thanks for the information Ethan, but I would stay a way from using dried out tow . It sometimes will smolder and start to burn on the ground and leafs. Turkey season here in PA. Is a dry time of the year (not this year) .

[@brianhoxworth3881]

When I first started turkey hunting 35+ years ago, 11 hits in the kill zone was a dead bird. If you can consistently do that your fine.

[@DocLaw172]

Two things. What about Skychief's load, and secondly, I always thought the wasp nest went above the powder, not the shot, as a gas gap filler.

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Testing the sky chief load very soon. I may have not made it clear, but I’ve got the next above and below the shot.

[@improman1]

Try mixing cornmeal into the shot. Youll like the results

[@Bayan1905]

I like using tow for wadding in my trade gun, but the problem where I am right now is that it's very, very dry and with constant fire warnings it's something you don't want to use. Not sure about wasp nest as a wad, I have a few here that would probably make decent wadding and might be worth scavenging them just to see what it does.

[@keithkrause3386]

So to avoid the donut issue would it be better to aim a little to the left or right to place more shot in the kill zone?

[@6610andrewc]

Try adding corn meal muffin mix in with the shot. I have really good luck with that.

[@louc3336]

Great

[@vincentmueller3717]

I've never owned a muzzle loader shotgun, but have herd you are supposed to tomp the over-powder wadding very firmly, don't worry about crushing the powder. The over-shot wadding should be firm, but not so much as to deform the soft shot. Fingers crossed, good luck.

[@diamondmetalworks13]

Good luck on the hunt. It’s almost as if whatever you put over the shot blocks the bb’s huh?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

Yeah it’s a big puzzle for me. Thinking of going out with tow and trying to get back to basics

[@jollyjakelovell4787]

Ethan how did you 'encourage' the wasps to move on?

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

It was a real battle of wits 😂

[@randiegadberry5448]

Not everyone has a smoothbore. Can you try some turkey loads in a rifled gun?

[@brokentoe570]

It depends on you states fish&game laws. In PA. Spring turkey is only shotgun, fall maybe shotgun and rifle but I am not sure.

[@matthewhutchins7947]

Gonna be hard to get a consistent pattern with wasp or hornets nest. You Will never get the same amount of nest from shot to shot. Consistency is what you need to be confident in at your max distance in tje turkey woods

[@searchingfor6thgear44]

Noob question but why wouldn’t you use a paper wrapper for your shot to keep it together longer down range?

[@swamprat9018]

I think you are hung up on wasp nest too much. think they were using hornet nest, the ones bigger than a basket ball. those have more useable stronger material. Also I did not see the distance you were shooting. I know 1100 fps 7-1/2's will kill a turkey at 30 yds no problem. crono your shots should help you id the compression errors also. if your doing a one to two load do (1) 7-1/2 and (1) 6 on top. Bigger shot always on top for duplex load. Also you're trying to do modern turkey shooting with antique eqpt. They would have used larger shot like no. 2s and shot the head if close and body over 30 out to 40 yds.

[@swamprat9018]

after re-watching, defiantly chrono a 1:2 and if your close to 1k fps at the muzzle I'd go all 7-1/2's or duplex with 6's. you have 126 more pellets per ounce of shot in 7-1/2's over 6's. and it looks like 25yds would be your max range. Either that or no. 2's. might get you to 30yds.

[@Nick-wn1xw]

He said 20 paces.

[@matthewhutchins7947]

Most states #4 is the largest legal

[@swamprat9018]

@@matthewhutchins7947 well don't try body shooting with no. 4s. I believe no. 4s to be the worst choice of shot size for turkeys. No. 2s where legal which in my state is, you can body shoot when past the tight pattern for head shots. That is what we did back in the day before screw in chokes.

[@user-rd3yc3oi8u]

I'm trying to ask you some questions on Instagram and you have completely ignored me I do not know what the deal is but I am trying to contact you on there and everything I want to know how where I can get some leggings for my mountain Man outfit and things like that so you can give me some really good ideas on what I need on getting a flintlock rifle and everything else and it is blocked I do not understand what the deal is

[@ILoveMuzzleloading]

What’s your name on Instagram? I’m not seeing anything about leggings. Send me your name and I’ll send you a message and see if we can get connected.