Brown Bess Accuracy

[KHickam]

am contemplating getting a Brown Bess - in the past I owned a Bess - I couldn't get the thing to shoot worth a darn - first the frizzen was not properly hardened - then after I got that figured out - the bayonet lug is a poor front sight - and the lock time was attrocious. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it.Have the $1000 dollar guns improved since I got my Bess in the late 80's - make a long story short I got so fed up with it I sold it and bought a TOW Fusil de chasse, which was extremely accurate (for a smoothbore) that lock time was superb and I loved it.

If I get back into historical re-enactment - well I would like to portray a reasonable interpretation of a milita man - scout - the Bess is the more obvious (read least expensive) choice for a smoothbore I think?

 

Loaded in the miltary fashion of the day they were not accurate enough to reliably hit a man sized target at 100 yds. They can be loaded to improve on that, but lack of good sights limits them.

 

[Juice Jaws]

I have the Officers Model from North Star, and I feel it shoots very well. I shoot aganist other Trade Guns and hold my own. You are right the bayonet lug isnt the best sight but it works. I love mine and it shoots very well. I have begun using a over powder wad, with patch ball and it improve the shooting.
juice jaws.

 

[mike alexandre]

Agree totaly. If I do my bit at the match this year my OB is going to win me a gold medal - I have just had a pb of 89 at 50yds and can regularly bring in an 85.

 

[J.D.]

Several of my friends filed the top of the bayonet lug into a sight, leaving enough height to the base to secure the bayonet.

Another shoots his bess almost like a rifle, even with an unaltered bayonet lug.

All of us can consistently hit an 18 inch gong at 100 yards, off hand, though some rounds bounce into the target. :thumbsup:

That said, IMHO, the lock on the Italian bess needs a serious rework to make 'em right. The case hardening on the frizzens is notoriously thin, and the lock internals are seriously in need of tuning.

The tumber hole in the bridle on mine was .032 larger than the axle. It should have been, and is now, .005 larger, and the hole was drilled 10 degrees off perdendicular to the face of the bridle.

The lower part of the tumbler scored the lockplate and the top of the tumbler cut a groove on bridle. The mainspring also had worn away part of the bridle that covers the arm of the tumbler and the hook on the mainspring.

The bad part is, though I have not examined the Indian made muskets, they may not be any better.

IMHO, I would buy a used one and rework the lock.

IMHO, once the locks have been reworked, they are good, reliable, heavy duty guns that can take a LOT of abuse.
J.D.

 

[Many Klatch]

My Pedersoli Bess Carbine will put them in the same hole at 25 yards. 50 yards it will keep it on the paper. My lock was made correctly and it works well, the lock time is slow, but it sparks well and goes off even with a dull rock in the jaws.

The Bess is fun to shoot and when it hits a gong, there is no doubt about whether you hit or not.

Many Klatch

 

[Doc Rogers]

Do any of the custom guys make a Brown Bess custom?

I've seen a lot of import made ones on the web but have not noticed if Chambers/Brooks/TVM/ERA, etc make them?

Just curious as I am just getting into re-enacting and might be looking for a Bess in a year or two.

Thanks,
Doc

 

[spudnut]

If I hold and follow through mine is very accurate and Ive hit the 100 gong a couple times.I even use paper cartridge.Mine is a Narregansett long land and has a very light trigger for a musket...Mark

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I think a few builders will make them using The Rifle Shoppe parts. John Bosh comes to mind.

 

[wallgunner]

Probably most makers would make you one if they want your money. Either Rifle Shoppe or Blackley has the parts. My father has a Bess built on Rifle Shoppe parts, but assembles directly off an original Dublin Castle Musket in the Fort Ti collection. A lot of thought goes into recreating a military musket, not just the appearance from the outside. It's the tiny details that make the difference. But back to the original question, even with the most historically accurate musket, it will only shoot as well as the shooter. Play with your loads until you find what works, it's the only way. Don't forget, it's a musket, not a fine fowler or fusil, it was made to be durable, tough, and mostly dependable, not accurate. That's why linear tactics were used.

 

[J.D.]

My lock was made correctly and it works well, the lock time is slow, but it sparks well and goes off even with a dull rock in the jaws.

The Bess is fun to shoot and when it hits a gong, there is no doubt about whether you hit or not.

Many Klatch

My old bess was the same way, until the flint ate through the case hardening. The rehardened frizzen gives better sparks than the original.

IMHO, the reason the bess locks are so reliable, even with the sloppy fits on the internals, is the sheer mass of the moving parts. Once they get moving, they will create enough force to produce a decent shower of sparks.

I suggest that you take that lock apart and look at the lockplate and bridle. There may be some galling where the tumbler rubbs against those parts.

Also check the polish on the nose of the tumbler and the hook of the mainspring. The nose on the tumbler was left as cast on mine.

Check the clearance of the holes with the tumbler axle using what ever drill bits or small hole guages you might have, and a mic the diameters of the tumbler axles. The clearance, ideally, should be .005.

The clearance on most is .015 +. That is pretty sloppy.

Although that is a big lock with a long hammer throw, it shouldn't be all that slow.

I suspect that a good bit of that slowness is probably due to poor fitting of the internal parts.

IMHO, the lockplate and bridle should be hardened too. They are as soft as a baby's behind.

It's common for the axle holes in the plate and tumbler to wear pretty badly with heavy use. Some of those holes are elongated up to about .005-.008 thousanths more than they are wide.

IMHO, based on my experience, if your lock is properly made, it is one in a thousand.

And yes, the bess is a LOT of fun to shoot. It makes a satisfying clang on any steel target, no matter how large or small.

I have hit lifesize squirrel metal silhouettes at about 25 yards, off hand, using patched ball. That big ball will really make that steel bounce.

It will also provide a satisfying cloud of charcoal dust when shooting a charcoal briquettes at 10-15 yards, off hand.

J.D.

 

[KHickam]

Great reply - I went to Cabelas and hefted one of the Bess that they had there - I remembered why I got rid of it - the comb with a decent load slammed me under the cheek bone - I was loading about 80 grs if I remember - is the 1st Model built with a less sharp comb - Just curious - I am a pretty decent dog trainer but not that great with wood working tools :surrender:

 

[J.D.]

the comb with a decent load slammed me under the cheek bone - I was loading about 80 grs if I remember - is the 1st Model built with a less sharp comb

The stock on the Pedersoli bess is much straighter, less drop, than original besses.

The sharp comb line can be softened with a rasp and sandpaper, if you decide on the Italian model.

IF you decide to have one custom made, the maker will put as much drop as necessary to prevent your getting smacked by the comb.
J.D.

 

[Parzifal]

I have a indian 1 st model bess I received as a kit from loyalists "specials section" ,I requested they tune the lock before shipment "glad I did" and she is a great shooter man sized target at 100 yards doable..and misfires nearly none existant.

Rob

 

[swinford]

Curious to see how you prepare your cartridges. We shoot the 1842 Springfield in N-SSA matches (see[url] www.n-ssa.org[/url]). Rules require shooting bareball only. I shoot a 678 ball in the 69cal gun and can keep them in the black up to 50yds. What are your numbers?

Charles Biro Swinford
17th Va. Vol. Inf.

 

[Parzifal]

Newspaper wrapped around a black marker and with a glue stick I seal the edge "allow to dry" then twist one end closed drop in a ball dump a 7.62 "to empty cartridge shoulder" amount of ffg...fold back opened porton closed.
Take some twine and wrap the base of the ball tight in there without ripping paper.
If you toss in 2 x 375 cal balls in there "WITH BALL" and tie em nice makes for more consistant strikes.
Trying different ball combos in the cartridge can be alot fun if you dont go overboard.


Sure I miss sometimes "and sometimes alot"
Still havin a good time

Now if only I could just get out and shoot more..


Rob