MVTC Tulle Fusil de Chasse (Pics)

[Dave Markowitz]

I was up at Dixon's today and saw that he had a Middlesex Village Trading Co. Tulle Fusil de Chasse.  It handled really nicely and I've been looking for a flintlock ball and shot gun, so I brought it home.

Weight is about 7 or 8 pounds with a good balance.  The trigger pull is quite a bit lighter than my MVTC M1717 musket.

I'm thinking I may age the metal a bit to take the shine off.

















The bore mics about .62 caliber/20 gauge at the muzzle. I bought some .600 round balls, along with wads and cards for shooting shot, and a 5# bag of mixed #8 and #7.5 shot.  I'm planning to shoot it with round balls tomorrow, probably won't get to pattern it for awhile.

Range report to follow after I shoot it.

[Dave Markowitz]

I was able to get out and shoot it today.  The lock sparks well and ignition is reliable, no flashes in the pan in 19 rounds (all I had time for).

The .600 balls and pillow ticking patches can be thumb started, which is nice.  I also tried some shots with an over powder was, and also and over powder wad + cushion wad.  Didn't see a difference in POI at 25 yards vs. just a patch. I was using 80 grains of 2Fg Goex.

For patch lube I used mutton tallow from Dixie Gunworks.  I wiped with a spit patch after every 3rd or 4th shot so loading wouldn't be too difficult

It's shooting about a foot low.  I need to play around with my sight picture (the piece has only a front sight, nothing in the rear) to see if I can raise it.  Groups were about 6", mainly due to the heavy trigger pull.  I'm sure my follow through could use some improvement, too.