Brown Bess for hunting?

[mauser182]

Has anybody used a Brown Bess for hunting? If so how does one go about sighting with it? .75 cal must hold a pretty good amount of shot and I would use it mostly for squirrel/rabbit, but also for deer if possible. Any information would be great.

 

[Stumpkiller]

The Bess is a servicable multi-use gun. I never did connect with a ruffed grouse, but for sitting bunnies or squirrels of any momentum it was dandy.

With a patched round ball just look down the barrel like it was a shotgun. Obviously, that limits your range considerably. Just imagine the deer's heart is a grouse. Mine was good out to 40 yards or so. I practiced to 50. At 60 and beyond it was throwing knuckle balls and the accuracy was not reliable (in my hands).

Wounds were right up there with a 20 ga. rifled slug, not quite as "well defined" as a 12 ga slug.

 

[shootemup]

I haven't used one for hunting, but would love to. Probably wouldn't be ideal for wing-shooting, but serviceable. For rabbits and squirrels it would be excellent, and that big roundball you would be shooting would knock a deer right off its feet.

How is the trigger on your Bess?

:hatsoff:
Spot

 

[saber]

My Uncle use one in N.Y. for 20 yrs for deer,Turkey and waterfowl and he did well with it his patched round ball combo was differnt he did a lot of brain tanning and would use a greased brain tanned patch and a under sized ball and I would not have wanted him shooting at me at 75yards

 

[jethro224]

I've been meaning to take my Bess out after small game but just have not done it yet.

Last winter, however, I was able to take a small doe with it at the last minute of legal time. My load was 80 grains of 2F Goex, a ticking patch lubed with Stumpy's Moose Snot, and a .715 ball. The shot was about 35 yards and she didn't go far. 50 yards would be about my max range for deer hunting.

My sight picture holds the full bayonet lug sitting right at the top of the breech... or straight down the barrel with the lug right in my way of the target if that makes more sense.

I have a ton of fun with my Bess. :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

I've used the heck out of mine with shot for snowshoe hares. It's "okay" with RBs at the distances the other describe, but I think before I use it for deer hunting I may do something with that front "sight." I keep intending to work up some buckshot loads for it because some places we hunt feature fast-moving deer inside 30 yards. Ought to be dandy in that circumstance.

 

[flintlock75]

I have been hunting with my bess for many years both small and large. It has worked very well on grouse and rabbits and hits harder than my .20ga trade gun. I have taken 2 moose with it and it knocks them down hard. The only drawback is the weight, by the end of the day it gets very heavy, so the sling gets used on the return trip. My small game load is 1 1/2oz of 7 1/2 shot and 80gr of 3F. for big game i use a .705 rb with heavy patch and 90gr of 3F.