Firing the Brown Bess

bones92

bones92

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A few photos (stills taken from a video) while firing an early reproduction Pedersoli Brown Bess (2nd model Land Pattern, I think).

Wicked fun to shoot! Wish I'd have brought the bayonet along....

The British soldier was expected to fire three aimed shots in a minute.



The flash in the pan....

fnKdpMH.jpg



The report!

9A252aZ.jpg



Le dénouement...

BEx95R0.jpg
 
The lock....

The Brown Bess is a .75 caliber musket. The reproductions usually take a .715" to .735" patched ball, depending on maker. I have some .735 from Track of the Wolf that should fit nice and snug with a greased patch.

 

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What powder do you typically use? I've got a Bess shipping on Saturday (on the the Japanese-produced Bicentennials) and haven't shot black powder since I was Boy Scout a while ago. Where does one acquire black powder these days? Same place as smokeless?
 
SPM said:
What powder do you typically use? I've got a Bess shipping on Saturday (on the the Japanese-produced Bicentennials) and haven't shot black powder since I was Boy Scout a while ago. Where does one acquire black powder these days? Same place as smokeless?
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For a .75, I'd start with a load of around 90 grains (by volume) of FFg. Go up or down from there until you get desired POI and accuracy.

Use FFFFg for priming powder.
 
Tim said:
For a .75, I'd start with a load of around 90 grains (by volume) of FFg. Go up or down from there until you get desired POI and accuracy.

Use FFFFg for priming powder.
Click to expand...

Where about would one go to buy the stuff?
 
SPM said:
Where about would one go to buy the stuff?
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Depends on where you live. In the greater Winston area just tootle on over to Advance, NC and visit-

Parks and Son, Inc.
234 Bingham & Parks Road
Advance, NC 27006-9415
Phone: 336-998-8182

Goex distributor. Multiple grades available. So quit paying hazmat shipping and make a road trip :)
 
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Don't even try Pyrodex, especially for priming powder. Harder to ignite than the holy black and fouling is much harder.

As for accuracy, go over to http://www.n-ssa.net/vbforum and make some inquiries. There are guys shooting smoothies in our organization with accuracy that you'd swear isn't possible without rifling.
 
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Dave951 said:
Depends on where you live. In the greater Winston area just tootle on over to Advance, NC and visit-

Parks and Son, Inc.
234 Bingham & Parks Road
Advance, NC 27006-9415
Phone: 336-998-8182

Goex distributor. Multiple grades available. So quit paying hazmat shipping and make a road trip :)
Click to expand...

I did some web searches and saw them. 1 hour and 8 min away from the house. Well worth the drive.
 
You also should get acquainted with that archaic skill known as casting. Being a smoothbore, alloy of lead isn't as picky as with rifling.
 
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Many of the big outdoor sporting goods stores carry it, but you have to ask as it's typically kept locked up.

Or you can order it in bulk... PowderInc.com and other sites have it.
 
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bones92 said:
Also, I'd probably start off with around 60 or 70 grain of either 2F or 3F.
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I use 60gr FFFg in my .32 flintlock. .75 is an awfully big pill to push...I'd start around 90gr.
 
Tim said:
I use 60gr FFFg in my .32 flintlock. .75 is an awfully big pill to push...I'd start around 90gr.
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Unhu, with 90 gr Bessie havum heap big whampum on both ends. Redcoat ready?:D
 
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I use a .715 round ball and 80 grains of 2f in my .72 cal. Potsdam musket. Loaded in a soft plastic tube with grease on top of the ball. No patch or paper is allowed. It's quite accurate at 25 and 50 yards.
 
gsimmons said:
I use a .715 round ball and 80 grains of 2f in my .72 cal. Potsdam musket. Loaded in a soft plastic tube with grease on top of the ball. No patch or paper is allowed. It's quite accurate at 25 and 50 yards.
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Gsimmons -you NSSA? Sounds like smooth bore event type of shooting.
 
The conversion messed up the image links; I was able to repair them for you, OP. Hope you don't mind
 
Cool you coming to next Nationals? I'm with Palmetto Sharpshooters, let's sit down to breakfast at the Ruritans one morning.
 
We're shooting at Statesville the weekend of the 8th. Yall coming?
 
Will you send me information on your unit, please? I guess you're going to make me get my sh*t together and come out and shoot round here. [emoji3]
 
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