Brown Bess Lead

[nkvd]

Hello

When it comes to choosing lead for the Bess,how do you know when to use .715 or .735 size lead balls? Also where is a good source for already cast lead balls in.69 and .75 calibers?

Regards,Rob

 

[mr.fudd]

Mine seems to fit the .735 balls a little better than .715. With the .715 balls I have to use a thick denim patch.

 

[mazo kid]

It would depend on who made the barrel; you will have to mic the bore to determine actual bore size.

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Ditto to what both Mazo Kid and Mr Fudd advised. After measuring the bore, I always found it useful to plan on using the largest diameter ball possible when using either a .015" or .020" patch without having to fight the ball all the way down the bore. This worked for me in obtaining the best accuracy. The .010" patches are awfully thin. I never tried denim patches simply because I found a ball diameter that worked for me and I didn't need thicker patches.
"Your results may vary".

 

[Many Klatch]

A lot of us that shoot Brown Bess regularly in competition find that a thin patch and a loose fitting ball works quite well. My .715 ball and .010 patching will thumb start and slide down the barrel easily for shot after shot. Sometimes after 20 shots or more a carbon ring will form at the breech and I have to tap the ball down with some force but that is an exception.

Many of us believe that with a smoothbore all you are trying to do with the patch ball combination is keep the ball from rattling on the way out and to act as a gas check.

If you are using a tight patch ball combination and you have to use a short starter you are trying too hard.

I recommend that you get some of both size ball and try them out.

Many Klatch

 

[Grenadier1758]

Tight ball and patch fit on a smoothbore is not really necessary. I think it is better to use the smaller ball and thicker patch. You should measure the bore diameter and choose a ball about 0.030" smaller than the bore. With a 0.020" thick patch the ball will be easy to start. I know of several people who will go from a patched ball to unpatched ball once the fouling builds up near the breech. In my 20 gauge fowler, the accuracy improves with bare ball loads.

Another reason to measure the bore is for the time you will want to use shot. Most Besses will have a bore that is closer to 11 gauge in size.

My Pedersoli measured about 0.750" diameter and my Loyalist Arms Long Land pattern measures 0.770" diameter. I use a 0.715" ball (from the Pedersoli) and 0.017" patching well lubricated or lubricated paper cartridge that is just bore diameter.

It takes quite a bit of practice to learn the sight picture to keep a ball on target even at 50 yards.

 

[gjkershul]

My service load for trailwalks, military shoots, and whitetail is 80 gr of 3f. with a .735 Lyman ball ball in a computer print out paper cartridge. When time permits, I prime with 4f from a charger. The computer paper mikes at .0035 and two wraps bring the paper patched ball to close to the .749 muzzle diameter. Before puting the powder in the cartridge I dip the cartridge with the ball in place in hot paraffin (sp) wax to just cover the portion of the cartridge were the ball is.

To load, the cartridge is torn, the powder is poured and the cartridge is reversed and thumb loaded waxed portion first into the barrel. The portion of the cartidge now above thge crown of the barrel is then torn off leaving a waxed-for lubrication- paper patched ball which is then rammed home on top of the powder cahrge. If permitted by the event, it is advisa
able to reload with this type cartridge
immediately after firing when the barrel is warm from the previous discharge.

 

[J.D.]

Tight ball and patch fit on a smoothbore is not really necessary. I think it is better to use the smaller ball and thicker patch. You should measure the bore diameter and choose a ball about 0.030" smaller than the bore. With a 0.020" thick patch the ball will be easy to start. I know of several people who will go from a patched ball to unpatched ball once the fouling builds up near the breech. In my 20 gauge fowler, the accuracy improves with bare ball loads.

Another reason to measure the bore is for the time you will want to use shot. Most Besses will have a bore that is closer to 11 gauge in size.

My Pedersoli measured about 0.750" diameter and my Loyalist Arms Long Land pattern measures 0.770" diameter. I use a 0.715" ball (from the Pedersoli) and 0.017" patching well lubricated or lubricated paper cartridge that is just bore diameter.

It takes quite a bit of practice to learn the sight picture to keep a ball on target even at 50 yards.

Mike is right on. A ball about .030 smaller than bore dia with a .018-.022 patch will shoot very well. The smaller ball will usually shoot well in paper cartridges too.

A general rule of thumb for choosing a ball dia/patch thickness is to subract the ball dia from bore dia, then divide the result by 2.

For expamle;
.750 - .715 = .035/2=.0175, so in an 11 bore bess, a .715 ball and an .018 patch is a good place to start in choosing a load.

And while I do agree that it does take some practice to shoot a bess well, I know more than a few people who can keep their shots on paper at 50 yards, off hand. :wink:

 

[J.D.]

Forgot to mention that you would probably be better off to cast your own balls, once the proper diameter is determined. Jeff Tanner makes a pretty good mould for a decent price, though you will have to make or buy a nipper to nip off the sprues.

Any lead that melts will work in a smoothbore, so wheel weights, fired cast bullets picked up from a range, or any scrap that can be obtained will work.

 

[juancho]

Without much knoledge on the subject, I decided when I got my bess to use .735 balls.It just seem to me the biggest piece of lead you can fire out of a .750 bore.
As for the mould, (extremely not PC), I designed one based on a sprueless Lee mould on the computer and made it on my (again, extremely not PC) cnc machining center.
I did not feel like making handles for it , so I adapted a pair of visegrips to it.Thanks to the hytec cheating, the balls are absolutly perfect and have no problems loading.
If I decide one day to make a .715 one day , I will let you guys know if I see a difference.