Going turkey hunting tomorrow morning with one. My old fox is full and ic. Throws tight patterns for most shots, and the ic for when mr tom makes a charge.

Best of luck. Don't forget, on the IC bbl wait until you see the whites of the eyes in a full blown charge.

I hope you score. I have to wait until May 2 for our turkey season to open. I went and did a little spotting this morning.

A couple of years ago I used my 12 gauge Fox AE to kill a turkey. The Fox has 32 inch barrels choked full and fuller. It did the job. This year I plan on using my Damascus barreled Parker GH.

Here are some photos from this morning. And my turkey taken with the Fox.

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Bill Bates

Thanks for the great pics Bill.
I can see why Ben Franklin wanted the turkey for our national symbol.
Showing my ignorance, I didn't know turkeys ranged to Utah.
Are those pics up in the Wasatch?
BTW, you mentioned hunting turkeys with a Damascus barreled gun. I have my great-grandfather's 12 ga. Lefever double with Damascus barrels. Bore is good and it's lockup is good and tight, triggers and safety work. I shot squirrels with it as a teenager, but darned if I can remember the shells we used back then. My uncle supplied them. What will you use for turkeys or recommend? I'd like to shoot my old gun, maybe at turkeys around our country place but more likely squirrels. I'm not an experienced shotgunner and wouldn't want to hurt the old girl with too strong a load.

Turkey hunting here is getting pretty decent and yes, theses were taken in a local canyon here on the Wasatch Front Range.

I do love Lefever shotguns. A number of years ago I passed a up a mid level grade Lefever. I've been kicking my self for not adding it to the safe.

One really nice things about Lefever side lock guns is if they get loose you can adjust the ball screw that acts as a hinge and tighten it right up.

Damascus guns are not a "black powder" only as goes the old wives tale. Many Damascus guns were built and proofed for smokeless powder. By about 1895 to 1900 smokeless loads were in regular use.

As to loads, provide the barrels are sound and the bores free of pits it very well may be safe to shoot with lower pressure loads from manufactures like RST, Gamebore, Polywad and B&P.

I own two Damascus barreled guns. A Belgian double and Parker GH. The Belgian gun was manufactured somewhere between 1896 and 1905. The original service load is stamped on the barrels by the Belgian proof house. It is a 3 dram 1 1/8 smokeless load.

My Damascus barreled Parker GH was manufactured in 1924 which is very late for a Damascus gun. Parker used the same proof loads Damascus or fluid steel.

Both guns have great bores and sound barrels. I plan on using Gamebore Pure Gold 2 1/2 in. 32 gm #6 shot loads. They pattern very well out of the Parker. With it's full and fuller choking it should the job easily on Tom within 35 yards.

I would say have a gunsmith that really has experience with side by side and more so Damascus barreled guns give the Lefever a good looking over. If all is in order go ahead and order some RT shells and shoot it some.

Here is my Parker with a sage grouse from last Fall. There is something special about using a classic old side by side with double trigger for what it's maker intended.

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Bill Bates