Pedersoli Brown Bess ?’s

Grenadier1758 · Aug 6, 2024

One should be well aware of the bore dimensions of these King's Muskets is 0.750". That means 12 gauge components, wads and cards, will be too small so you will need to order 11 gauge cards. The 10 gauge components are too large for ease of loading.

Since my time period of reenacting is the French and Indian War, the short land pattern of the Pedersoli just didn't meet the requirements of my unit. Loyalist Arms offers several versions of the long Land Pattern and their product, while too heavy, was closer than any other vendor's offerings. Mine has performed well shooting blanks and loads with ball.

Britsmoothy · Aug 6, 2024

You do not need to buy anything to shoot a muzzleloader smoothbore other than powder, ball or and shot.
You make your own wads from bear coasters or leather, card and whatever via a leather hole stamp.

In the .750 Pedersoli Bess, 10g thin over shot cards will go down just about.

I went for the carbine and hunted with it.
Be warned, they are greedy!
2oz of shot and 100gns of powder soon empties a flask!

Second-rate Marksman · Aug 6, 2024

Britsmoothy said:
View attachment 339435

Nice bird! Did you use some bluing solution on the hardware and barrel, or is that just years of use that resulted in that patina?

Britsmoothy · Aug 6, 2024

TrailWalker said:
Nice bird! Did you use some bluing solution on the hardware and barrel, or is that just years of use that resulted in that patina?

That vintage Pedersoli carbine came with browned barrel (I think).
Most of it was worn off.

TNGhost · Aug 6, 2024

Britsmoothy said:
You do not need to buy anything to shoot a muzzleloader smoothbore other than powder, ball or and shot.
You make your own wads from bear coasters or leather, card and whatever via a leather hole stamp.

In the .750 Pedersoli Bess, 10g thin over shot cards will go down just about.

I went for the carbine and hunted with it.
Be warned, they are greedy!
2oz of shot and 100gns of powder soon empties a flask!
View attachment 339435

Bear coasters? I've always known you Brits are some tough hombres.

Great photo BTW

Smokey Plainsman · Aug 6, 2024

TrailWalker said:
Plenty has been said about the fact that Pedersoli’s Brown Bess deviates from the genuine article in a number of ways— it’s been discussed ad nauseam. But aside from paying someone to build you a custom example out of Rifle Shoppe parts (or doing the deed yourself), Pedersoli’s really the only game in town.

The heart wants what it wants. If you desire a gun that generally resembles a Brown Bess in form and function, my advice would be to buy a Pedersoli and don’t look back. And let’s not kid ourselves here… it’s actually that .75” bore you’re after, isn’t it?

Well stated.

The Rifle Shoppe can take many months to literal years to get you a kit in hand. Then you've either got to build it or pay a quality builder to do so ($$$) and that unto itself is a process that could take months to years.

So if you've got about $4000 to spend and several years of patience, you can have a period correct Bess.

Or just get a Pedersoli and shoot the snot out of it and have fun!!

I've found in this hobby you can very easily fall into a pit and get wrapped around the axle about things like perfect historical correctness etc. but truth is, the funnest part is SHOOTING and for a shooter a Pedersoli is very good.

Britsmoothy · Aug 6, 2024

TNGhost said:
Bear coasters? I've always known you Brits are some tough hombres.

Great photo BTW

Beer...stoopid phone...

CascadeRob · Aug 6, 2024

TrailWalker said:
And let’s not kid ourselves here… it’s actually that .75” bore you’re after, isn’t it?

Ya got me! That’s it!

Well I better start whistling Drums & Fife because I got a Bess coming to me in the mail! Y’all are bad influences I tell you what.

James Dietz · Aug 6, 2024

I use .69 round ball in a paper cartridge. Decent to about 50 yards. Love my Bess!

skwerleater · Aug 6, 2024

Did you go with the Pedersoli? Let us know how it goes when you get it.
Good luck and enjoy yourself.

Rifleman1776 · Aug 6, 2024

I loved mine. One of the funnest guns to shoot I ever had. For rb I used a .715" with pillow ticking patch. I favor moderate loads and seldom used more than a 70 gr. charge of real bp, more often though it was only 50 gr. Smoothies gunk up quickly so I loaded mine like a rifle. Meaning I swabed between every shot. With a ball that size it would have stuck after two shots if I didn't. I suggest you experiment with a smaller ball. If you get the accuracy you want - good. As said the Ped BB is not a perfect replica but it is representative of the original old girl.

sturmkatze · Aug 6, 2024

CascadeRob said:
Howdy folks. I have been wanting to purchase a Pedersoli Brown Bess, I’ve been looking at 1777 charlies also but I think the B.B desire is stronger.

Now this would be my first smoothie, and for those who have one I have some questions.

#1. How do you like it? Fun to shoot? Too heavy? Gripes?

#2. What’s your loadout? I will only be shooting round balls not cartridges. So what size are you using for RB, and patch. Or wadding?

#3. How much more “expensive” is it to shoot than smaller calibers? .735 round balls ain’t cheap in comparison, and a mold is about $150!

#4 Last question. What do I need to maintain it? Anything special? Or just a good ole fashion jag and cleaning patches?

Thank you for your input.

Are you just shooting it reenacting?

sturmkatze · Aug 6, 2024

Juice Jaws said:
I am sure you can fine a mold cheaper than $150.00 but even if you can't if you shoot a lot it well be worth buying the mold. I have own several Pedersoli guns and they are all well made

I think I paid $45 new a couple years ago on eBay.

sturmkatze · Aug 6, 2024

Just look for a used one. Mine was $300 a couple of years ago. Of course it was all brown and crusty from being an American reenactor’s gun

cleaned up nice and I took to lodgewood. A few more things to do.

CascadeRob · Aug 6, 2024

sturmkatze said:
Are you just shooting it reenacting?

Just shooting

CascadeRob · Aug 6, 2024

I’ll take a look there! Thanks!

sturmkatze · Aug 6, 2024

CascadeRob said:
Just shooting

Pedersoli is good. I’d take my time and look for a used one

dave_person · Aug 6, 2024

Hi,
These 2 threads will provide information overload on Pedersoli Besses and Bess kits. They show what you will be getting.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/new-reworking-a-pedersoli-brown-bess.107405/

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/a-pedersoli-brown-bess-kit.147669/

dave

James Kibler · Aug 6, 2024

I'm not at all in with the crowd that buys Besses, but have wondered if it would be a viable product for us to make. What do you all think? Do you think with the 250th year coming up there would be increased demand?

CascadeRob · Aug 6, 2024

James Kibler said:
I'm not at all in with the crowd that buys Besses, but have wondered if it would be a viable product for us to make. What do you all think? Do you think with the 250th year coming up there would be increased demand?

I definitely think it would grab some attention for sure.

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