I think I got lucky! Another Brown Bess?

[Stormrider51]

A couple more.

[Roaddog]

Very nice detail work done there.I think you two will get along real good together.

[mario]

Next I tried wadding with a bare ball and got another surprise.  I ran down a wad of tow, dropped in the ball, and followed it with another wad of tow.  I didn't even try to measure, weigh or otherwise be sure the amount of tow was consistent.  The five shot group was actually better than the one I fired with PRB.  See the photo.  I think I hear Mario laughing from here.

   

When I shot with paper cartridges, it in effect was a paper patched ball.

For instance, with a .755" bore, start with a .690" ball (like the Brits used) an make the outer diameter of the cartridge just a bit smaller than .755". The idea is to dump the charge down the bore and then stuff the ball down, still wrapped in the cartridge paper.

For rapid fire, or when the bore started to get fouled, simply dump powder, then drop/ram the ball down bore forgoing the paper. Historically they would drop the ball and tap the butt on the ground to seat it against the powder. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRACTICE.

However, I have done it for the experimental value. You CAN feel when the ball goes all the way down (I checked with my rod) and you CAN feel when it hangs up.

I used this method for an informal shoot a few years ago, against shooters using PRB and cartridges and placed #8 of 30-ish shooters.

Mario

[TallTexan]

A couple more.

 

[WindyCityJoe]

I just bought a unfired pedesoli brown bess yesterday for $875. S/N 194##. I thought I got a good shooter, however after reading your input on the pedesoli brown bess that you bought maybe I should of got something else. I never shot anything larger than a .50 cal cap lock.

[Stormrider51]

I just bought a unfired pedesoli brown bess yesterday for $875. S/N 194##. I thought I got a good shooter, however after reading your input on the pedesoli brown bess that you bought maybe I should of got something else. I never shot anything larger than a .50 cal cap lock.

Joe,
Give that Bess a try before you decide you should have bought something else.  The big girl grows on you.  I was lucky with the India Bess in that it performed so well with the first load I tried.  Most guns require some time and load development before they give best accuracy.  Mine never misfired and flints seemed to last a long time.  Try her out and come back to tell us your thoughts.

Storm

[WindyCityJoe]

Thanks, what would be a good load to start with? Should I take it to a gunsmith and have it tuned up before I shoot it for the first time?
WCJ

[Stormrider51]

WCJ,  Mine functioned fine from the beginning.  I'd save my money unless the gun doesn't work when you go shoot it.  As long as the lock sparks well it should work.  Be sure to pick the vent just before priming.  That's true for any flintlock.  An advantage of the Bess is that the lock and the flint it uses are huge.  Big flint + Big frizzen = lots of sparks.

I used a starting load of 75 gr. FFg and a .735 ball.  For patching I have some flannel.  With that ball and the flannel I can thumb start the ball and it pushes down easily.  That's handy if you are loading with that skinny steel rammer.  My limited experience to date with smoothbores is that a tight patch/ball combo doesn't increase accuracy anyway.

Have fun!
Storm