Brown Bess Questions

[Bmarks1762]

Have finally got a Brown Bess (Pedersoli). I have always wanted one and been fascinated by black powder shooting (especially flintlocks). I am a 22 year old C.W. reenactor and am experienced w/ black powder shooting, just not flintlocks. I plan to use my bess for small game hunting as a shotgun. I just have a few questions:

1. I also have a Pedersoli M1805 Harpers Ferry pistol. I noticed the vent is larger than that on the bess. Would it be a good idea to drill it out a little bit?

2. Also, tips for sealing up the barrel channel. I guess just take it like it is and just apply bees wax as I've read in the flintlock forum. Should I also coat the bottom of the barrel with gun grease?

3. Is it safe to shoot it w/o eye protection?

4. Suggested loads? I have #5 and #6 shot, 2f powder (some 4f for priming), 11 ga. wads on the way from DGW.

5. Items carried in the frontiersman's hunting pouch? Also I have a pan primer but I like more the idea of a small priming horn.

6. Any other tips or hints in general.


I love the gun. It is more like a piece of art. I'm afraid the flintlock syndrome has taken hold. I eventually want to get some frontier period attire and have everything period correct. I would absolutely love to do Rev. War reenacting but there's no organizations here in Northern Kentucky (Boy I guess I was just born in the wrong time!). I guess hunting rabbit and squirrels on the farm will have to do. Thanks and greatly anticipating any replies!

Brandon

 

[Rebel]

The vent hole should be at least 1/16"-5/64".

NO, NO, NO, it is not safe to shoot without eye protection, especially if bird hunting. I had a flint come apart on me on one Tradegun i had as i was shooting at a bird overhead. If it hadn't been for the glasses i would have had a bunch of flint flakes in my eyes, which wouldn't have been any fun at all. Those flakes are like little razor blades.

You can seal the barrel channel and bottom of barrel with a good coat of beeswax.

Suggested loads 70 grs powder 1 oz of shot, 80 grs of powder 1 1/8 oz of shot, 90 grs of powder 1 1/4 oz of shot. This is a good starting point. You can adjust from there.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Welcome,

IMHO if you are getting good ignition, leave the touch-hole alone. If you have flashes without ignition, open it up a tiny amount (in 1/16" or less increments).

Beeswax, paste wax ("bowling alley wax"), finishing wax. Any will be a benefit in sealing the barrel channel and barrel from moisture. I buff in a good coating and then wipe on a thick coating without buffing it before I re-pin the barrel. Same system I use on my centerfires.

You really should wear eye protection. Embers, flint shards, blowback (not to mention twigs and thorns while hunting). All can give you injuries, and will lead to flinching even if you don't get otherwise hurt.

What a frontiersman carried in his pouch is a darned good question. Few pouches have survived the ages undisturbed.

Two things handy for flinters are a mainspring vise (to remove/replace the mainspring and frizzen springs) and a vent pick (to keep the vent clear). I carry small bird flight feathers which serve as both a vent pick and a pan brush. If you use a metal vent pick, be careful with it so you don't ream the vent hole or accidently snap it off in the vent. This can ruin your whole day.

If you really want a good patterning load, you'll need nitro cards, wads, and over-shot cards. Using wads in front and back of the shot column can cause holes in the pattern.

A good place to start is 75 gr FFg & 1-1/8 oz. of #6 shot for birds. 82 gr. is three drams, and that's a standard "high brass" 12 ga. load. 82 gr. FFg with 1-1/4 oz. #5 would be a good squirrel and bunny (& duck) load.

When you get a powder measure figured out, a level measure of powder and a heaping measure of shot from the same often works out to be a dandy load. Life is good. ::

Increasing the powder will usually open the pattern, increasing the lead tightens it . . . sometimes. Don't think that by using more powder it will increasre your effective range. Try a few test patterns on large sheets of paper to see what you've got.

Lubing the wad lightly will make loading and clean-up easier. A wipe with liquid lube or a smear of grease/wax lube is all it takes. Too much just weighs down the wad and reduces the load's velocity (and gives more kick). Only the part touching the barrel makes much difference.

A shot snake is nice to have, but a luxury you really don't need. I made a pouch with three inner pockets - a big one for wads and two small ones to keep the over-powder and over-shot cards seperated.

If you nick the edge of or poke a small hole in the over-shot card it won't "burp" up off the load when you remove the rod. Seating it compresses the air in the barrel and that adds up over a 42" x 3/4" airspace. If it "pops" without your noticing you spread shot like breadcrumbs on your backtrail, and when the gun goes "Boom" it don't raise fur or feathers.

 

[Bmarks1762]

As far as the eye protection goes, what about reenactors? I know that they don't wear them. Also they didn't have eye protection in colonial times. I've haven't read too much on people (colonials or reenactors losing an eye (can you tell I don't like wearing glasses). Thoughts?

 

[faw3]

did anyone ck out the flintlock carbine in BACKWOODSMAN jan/ feb they said it cost a lot less than ?? looks like it could be saved with a few wood files take off 2or 3 pounds of wood move the ramrod ect but i couldnt ever get any one to see how much ect any one have any luck getting ahold of this person, just wondering everything is so sky high now :m2c:

 

[musketman]

As far as the eye protection goes, what about reenactors? I know that they don't wear them. Also they didn't have eye protection in colonial times. I've haven't read too much on people (colonials or reenactors losing an eye (can you tell I don't like wearing glasses). Thoughts?

This is why reenactors are required to install and use flashguards...

Maybe one day, someone will invent safety contact lenses...

Glasses were around during colonial times, Ben Franklin wore spectacles, you could have one made with safety glass...

 

[Wes/Tex]

Jas. Townsend & Sons, (www.jastown.com/), and others sell period glasses frames that are correct for the AWI period. YOu can use them with straight clear glass lenses, they come that way, or have your perscription put in at nominal cost. Just don't do the mirrored thing!! :front:

 

[Rebel]

All i know is, if i hadn't had shooting glasses on when my flint came apart while shooting at a bird almost directly overhead, when all the flints slivers fell in my eyes i most likely would have been blinded. I am more concerned with being able to SEE than being PC. :m2c:

 

[schrivener]

[quote

Glasses were around during colonial times, Ben Franklin wore spectacles, you could have one made with safety glass... [/quote]

Spectacles actually date back to the late 1500s. They weren't common, by any stretch of the imagination, but they did exist. Lots of folks wear the period frames, with plain lenses, some of us don't. I DO have a flashguard on my bess, not on my Tulle. I've also got scars on one check from flint shards from the guy next to me, and gotten tattooed by flash from the touch hole. It happens, I guess. But most reenactment sites require a hammer stall (frizzen cover if you want the 20th c terms), and a flashguard for liability reasons. Unfortunately, my tulle lock, if I put a flashguard on there, it binds the frizzen, and it doesn't pop open. If I loosen it up so that the frizzen opens, then the guard won't stay in place. The bess is built differently, and the guard mounts without any problems.

 

[sherpadoug]

Unfortunately, my tulle lock, if I put a flashguard on there, it binds the frizzen, and it doesn't pop open. If I loosen it up so that the frizzen opens, then the guard won't stay in place.

Someone here recently mentioned mounting a flashguard on a rifle with a rare earth supermagnet. I have not tried it myself yet, but it sounds like a possibility when nothing else works. :hmm: