Beginner's Questions

[VanZeumeren]

I'd like to get into muzzleloaders. I've got some experience with more modern arms, but am very interested in more traditional firearms.

I'm currently eyeing the Brown Bess, to be found here: [url] http://www.loyalistarms.freeservers.com/brownbesseastindiapattern.html[/url]

That said, I have realized that I am woefully ignorant of the care and feeding of such a beast. Are there any guides that someone could point me towards?

 

[AZ-Robert]

Welcome to the forum! You can count on these guys to get you started on the right foot.

For starters, right click on this link ( Lyman Users Guide ) and "save as" to download a copy of the user's guide for Lyman's Great Plains Rifle. Though for a gun different to the one you are shopping for, the basics will still apply.

Bob Spencer's web site is another good place for general information:
[url] http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/[/url]

As for hard copy beginner's guides, look for Lyman's Black Powder Handbook, available from their website if you can't find a used copy locally; or a copy of Sam Fadala's Black Powder Handbook, available from Amazon.

 

[VanZeumeren]

Thank you very much. I was pointed here by a person on another forum, who said that people hereabouts are very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.

 

[hawk]

Van, I have a dublin castle bess from military herritage and love it! Bess is a great gun to have for that "traditional firearms " feel.
good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[musketman]

Welcome VanZeumeren, here are a few older threads to read about the Brown Bess that could be helpful...

Brown Bess

Loadin Brown Bess

Newbie questions re Brown Bess

 

[Okwaho]

I'd like to get into muzzleloaders. I've got some experience with more modern arms, but am very interested in more traditional firearms.

I'm currently eyeing the Brown Bess, to be found here: [url] http://www.loyalistarms.freeservers.com/brownbesseastindiapattern.html[/url]

That said, I have realized that I am woefully ignorant of the care and feeding of such a beast. Are there any guides that someone could point me towards?

I think that the Loyalist Arms long land pattern {2nd model}Bess is a very good weapon .I notice you are in New Brunswick but I'm not sure where Truro is located. There is a great event going on this weekend at Fortress Louisbourg near Sidney on Cape Breton Island.I was scheduled to go but last minute problems prevented me from attending.If possible you should go over there and talk to the reenactors about their weapons.There will be a contingent of Brits,I'm sure who will be happy to talk to you and show you their guns,most of which will be long land pattern Besses. As someone has suggested there have been threads on Besses on this board and I believe there was one comparing original besses with repros and I think it was on this board.Good luck to you and don't get in a hurry until you have done all your homework.If nothing else you should go to Louisbourg just to see a site which is truly awesome.
Tom Patton

 

[VanZeumeren]

Thanks again folks, for all the information. Trying to absorb the information is rather like drinking from a firehose... but it'll be worth it all the same.

Truro's in the middle of Nova Scotia, basically at the pointy end of the bay of Fundy. It's an hour outside of Halifax.