Sharps vs. Gobbler

[Josh A.]

Gobbler lost. I was down in a wheat field early this morning and there were two bunches of turkeys grazing around. One was a bunch of young hens and a couple of jakes. The other group was 5 goblers. They worked there way from one end of the field to the other, which is about 2/3rds of a mile and I was waiting in the fence row. I figured they were headed to a corn feeder that was a ways down and around the fence row. As they came by they were around 125yds out, but the stupid hens were all over me. Even though I was prone between the trunks of a big forked mesquite I knew if I moved they would be gone like feathered cannonballs. So, I let them go. I got lucky when the gobblers left the feeder, they went back into the wheat field. I eased up to where I could see through a hole in a salt cedar and waited for one of the two biggest to cross the hole. When the one I wanted came through I had to roll up on my toes a bit and shoot offhand, but I busted him through the wing butt. 70 yds, give or take. The Paul Jones custom flat point hunting bullet put him down immediately. One of the other gobs came back and pecked his head for a couple of seconds then jumped up on top and spurred him. He just sat there so I figured he needed shot. I didn't really want the second bird so I held for his head, either a clean kill or a clean miss. It was a miss.

Anyway, the dead one was a good bird. Beard was a little over 9" long and his spurs were just under an inch. So I suppose he was a younger bird.

The rifle was my tried and true veteran of the swine jihad, its a Shiloh (built like an LRE) with a half round octagon barrel in 40-70ss. The barrel is a 30" but if I could find someone to chop it back to 26" reasonably quick it would be shorter. The #1 that I just ordered is going to be 26", if I don't change it to 24".

The load was GOEX cartrdige, around 62.5gr and it runs the 397gr Paul Jones bullet right at 1200fps.

Fried turkey for lunch!

Josh

[powderburner]

The 26 balances real nice and is a pleasure to carry try it at 26 before going shorter

[Josh A.]

I think I posted a picture of my gob over on the BPCR MSN site. Don't know how to link to it. These computers are so complicated.

Josh

[fjjensen]

Way to go Josh!


Frank

[Josh A.]

Powder:
The issue is less carrying comfort than handiness in and out of my CJ7. I am thinking a 24-25 might gain me a great deal of convenience. By the way, ever carry a Sharps in a saddle scabbard? I am curious about what barrel length would be best. My new Shiloh has to be versatile.

Josh

[powderburner]

when I said carrying comfort I ment just that what you mention every time I got out of my pickup the 30 incher hit something I cut it down to 26 and it is just right .My seat is a split bench and it fits perfectly in the crack at 26 where as before it was always hitting the rear window .at 24 the front sight would be in the seat back crack and would hang up when taking it out. as they say tho your milage may vary

as to carring a sharps in a saddle scabbard I tried a lot of ways 20 years ago and the scabbard was not the best .the rifle weighs too much and long trips tend to pull the saddle off the side of the horse. An old boot top with a slit in it verticaly and hung over the horn worked a lot better just slip the rifle through the sleeve and rest it in your lap. you can still tip it muzzle down to get through tight places and it is a lot handier to get to when needed . the sharps is almost too wide to put your leg over comfortably as well.

[Ken Hartlein]

I've never tried this but I just watched "The Mountain Men" again and they had a real interesting way to carry a rifle. Watch that movie Josh and you will see what I mean. It looks like a much better way than a scabbard. Oh, by the way Josh A. I appreciate what you did for me. Thanks again!!

[nohorse]

Really interesting post! I'd like to do in a turkey with my 45-70 Hartford. Most folks around here think I am nuts for even considerin' it! But I'd still like to add it to the game score tallied up by the Shiloh. Congrats...good story!

[Bearbait2]

Made the mistake of hitting one (93yds) with a "high velocity" .45-70-405. One drum stick was edible. While pleased with the shot, was not pleased with my shooting. Hit about an inch or so below the wing butt. Big mistake. A .45-70 of "proper" velocity would have been a better choice but this was in my younger days when I knew a lot more. Best of luck and have fun.
Shoot Straight

[Josh A.]

Last night I was on a hill over looking our wheat field and you guys wouldn't believe the turkeys. I'd guess around 80 or 90. There were about a dozen gobblers that I could identify. Two of the gobblers came within 150yds of me. I didn't shoot because I had seen some feral hogs in this field a couple of days earlier. I am pretty sure that those gobs are gonna be duckin lead in the next couple of days.

I've carried a rifle many a mile horseback and I ended up with what Elmer would call pacific style. Muzzle down, butt next to the horn and about six inches above it.

No problem Ken, dump that 45 and step up to a forty and use those bullets!

Josh