North Star West Trade Gun- which one???

[GARD72977]

I need help deciding which gun to buy. I attended my first event and there are lots of smoothbore shooters there. No one shoots a trade gun so I will be the first. After talking with everyone I am thinking 54 cal. I cant decided between the Northwest trade gun and the Early English. Im open to suggestions on CAL and would like some opinions on which style. The club shoots a "woods walk" monthly and has some paper target matches. Even though there may be better choices for the paper target matches I want to try my 36cal. I really want the smooth bore for the woods walk and to squirrel hunt with.

[KCSO]

Since I use mine mainy for hunting I use a 20 Ga as that is about as small as I care to go for a turkey gun. I have carried everything from a cut down brown bess to a 24 Ga. If you are going to shoot a lot of balls for trade gun matches a 24 with 60 griains of FFG is a dandy shooter, but it's a tad short on shot for turkey ducks and geese. A 12 Ga trade gun is just the ticket for ducks and geese and such but is punishing with round balls in a long match or woods walk. I think there is a reason so many of the old guns were 20 bore. My current gun is a H E Leman style trade gun with a cherry wood stock and brass fixins and a 36: barrel. Since I canoe a lot that is as long a barrel as i would ever want, having tried loading a 42" tube in a canoe...ONCE! If you get the stock cut to fit you thereis nothing wrong with a 30" trade gun in 20 bore for all round use.

[DIRT Farmer]

I currently have 3 plus a Brown Bess, all have their place. I was using a 20 as my main compation gun, shooting up to 100 rounds of shot a day through it. Age and wear and tear on the ole shoulder was showing, after heart surgry I built a 28. The B Bess was my first shooter and have fired thousands of shots through it, now only used for turkeys and geese. The 20 inch barrel blanket gun or what ever the correct name is is just right for wandering around with a light shot charge.
The 28 was built with a heavier barrel to cut back on recoil.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I agree with KSCO on the bore sizes. 12 Bore is alot of lead to be throwing at alot of targets.
100 grains of 2F under a caliber.730 RB will get your attention ever shot in a light weight smoothie.
I have a caliber .60 Trade Gun with a 40" barrel that I enjoy very much hauling about all day. I use it crow hunting ( calling) off and on. It does not punish the shoulder at all with numerous shots in an hours times. Shoots RB with sufficient accuracy I could drop a corn cruncher at 50 yards but as I hunt river bottoms 33 yards is my farthest shot with any firearm. Wish I could have it down here with me. But Peru gets real fussy about firearm importation; even BP.
Stock fit is everything. I am 5-9 so that is not hard. But If you are tall be sure not to get a too short pull. Cheek fit also.. getting slapped once is not bad but 30 times in a couple hours will not help consentration.
But definatly get what you like and want. You are the one going to haul it about and enjoy shooting it.
Mike in Peru

[waksupi]

I've had all the gauges over the year, and the 20 bore is by far the nicest to shoot, and does a fine job for hunting. I build a lot of the guns for North Star, and I build 15 twenty bores, to any other gauge.

[GARD72977]

I paid my deposit today. Ric, see if you can snag my work order when it comes up. I decided on the northwest trade gun but still considering the right cal for what Im doing.

[waksupi]

I paid my deposit today. Ric, see if you can snag my work order when it comes up. I decided on the northwest trade gun but still considering the right cal for what Im doing.


When you finalize the order, just ask Matt to direct it to me.

[GARD72977]

Its final enough for now. Matt told me it will be several months before he makes the bbl for it. Im not to concerned about the Cal. Just want to be able to shoot the club matches and I think any would do that. Im going to do some more research. The only thing that a smaller cal may be is more economical. That make a lot of sense. Spend almost 1400 on a gun and pick a cal because it saves a a dollar or two each trip to the range.

[KCSO]

Way back when I ordered parts from Curly Gostomski for a trade gun. I ordered a 12 bore because I already had a thousnad or so wads on hand. After some phone calls and I might add AGAINST Curly's advise I got the parts and built a 12 bore trade gun..that weighed 6 1/2 pounds. With a round ball and 80 grians of FFG I could keep 3 shots in the black of a standard 25 yard six bull no problems. The 4th shot invariably went into the ground as my shoulder gave out. I took turkey and ducks and deer and small game witht he gun and never got use to the recoil. I sold it to a fellow club member I was temoprarially miffed at and since then it has belonged to just about every member of the club some for as little as two shots! Remember a trade gun built right willl be light and handy.

[waksupi]

Most I know who have had a 12 bore have the same opinion. There is also one of those pass around guns here, new guys had to try.

[Coffeecup]

I was a big fan of the 24 bore, until there were some bear-in-camp problems. After that, I traded for a cut-down Bess and shot it for a lot of years, taking everything from buffalo to doves with it. Now I've got a sXs 11 gauge.

For trade gun matches, I'd go with a 24 gauge. For hunting, I'd probably go with a Bess or a 20 gauge fowler if I couldn't use my double. I learned my lesson about 12 gauge NW guns more than 25 years ago, and will never shoot another if I have a choice.