Pan opens fully when the lock is removed from the gun.
Pan does not open fully when the lock is in the gun.

Resolved pending live fire test.

Quote from: Smokey on May 19, 2025, 11:45:26 AM

I think it went to an email address maybe?

Checked spam and junk, nothing.

Please resend to rob@tradmla.org or rfd@rfd.cc

Sorry, Rob. I resent it as pm, I think.  See if it worked this time.

I think it went to an email address maybe?

**ALL** of the offshore guns are hit or miss and Pedersoli is TYPICALLY the "best" of the lot, on average.  You want/need a period correct Bess, there are gunsmiths who will oblige.  My main interest will be function over form as it will be used in reenactments where all that matters is that it goes !bang! when it's s'posed to as that's what the onlookers require and that would be period correct.  Dave Persons is a Bess expert and a Pedi Bess can be fairly well corrected ... except for the butt stock, which like all other repro Bess guns is overall too small.  I've never been picky about "authenticity" but I am making a number of wood corrections, though I will not change or add metal markings.  Wood will get reshaped, for the most part.

The gun has been reliable in the past.

The trouble has developed recently and gotten worse.
I've been through multiple flints in various positions trying to diagnose it.

Sometimes the pan does not go off.
Sometimes there is a flash in the pan.
Every few attempts the gun actually fires.

Quote from: RobD on May 19, 2025, 08:32:30 AM

What firearm, what bore, and what lock?

I should assume these tests weren't done in wet or humid air conditions?

Is the load "compact"?  Meaning the powder is fully down the breech and a touch hole pick will be able to poke into the powder, and the patched ball is well seated on the powder column.

What is the diameter of the touch hole? 

Has the touch hole been picked before dropping the cock on the hammer?  Mandatory at least for starters so that the most amount of chamber powder is available to receive the HEAT from the pan flash.

What pan powder kernel size, how much, and where is it located within the pan?  At best very little powder should be centered in the pan and away from the touch hole.

Is the flint edge sharp and fully at 90* to the hammer and where does the flint edge strike the hammer?

There's more, but the above is a good beginning.

Please answer my questions - they are important -  so that I might be able to help you.