brownbess range report with .690ball

[BlueL]

I was on shooting range with my brownbess (made by pedersoli). I tried hit steel "gong" 25cm diameter.There are results...

ammunition: papercartridge - .690ball with 100gr of FFFG powder, i used "military" loading style...

at range 25m
18 shots 16hits

at range 50m
18 shots 2hits

at 75m
18 shots 0 hits

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

A pretty good indication of how accurate the Bess was with it's real load. The Brits used a .68 roundball with a coarser powder. Did you leave the ball in the cartridge paper?

 

[BlueL]

yes I did...

 

[gjkershul]

A bigger ball .735 and time will increase your hit rate.
It took me two years of steady effort to get comfortable with the Bess.
Keep up the good work! :thumbsup:

 

[gjkershul]

Here is a loading protocaol I developed.

My load in my Pedersoli Bess for trailwalks, military shoots, and whitetail is 80 gr of 3f. with a .735 Lyman ball ball in a computer print out paper cartridge-yellow pages out of the phone book work well also.
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 charge. If permitted by the event, it is advisable to reload with this type cartridge immediately after firing when the barrel is warm from the previous discharge.
This protcol is something like the British drill for Enfield cartridges.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I suspect you need to use a Round Ball that is closer to bore diameter than what you used. And, use an OP wad to seal the bore. Either a cloth patch, or paper patching will help hold the ball and center it in the barrel to improve your accuracy. As others have suggested above, try those .715 balls in your gun. That and either a denim patch, wet or lubed, or paper patched from a " cartridge" will give you much better accuracy, even from a BB with that bayonet lug for a front sight, and no rear sight. :thumbsup:

We shoot at a larger diameter target beyond 50 yards( meters)- 12 to 16 inches. Its not that your target is too small. You expectations for hitting a target that is only 9 inches or so in diameter is a bit much. :hmm: :surrender:

 

[BlueL]

I have mould for .690 and .715 ball. I have interested, what result will be with "military" load. I hope that I will make some test with, same load and target will be a man size target...

 

[bingo1952]

That is not so bad for a "Military load". I suspect that a man sized silhouette will fair common at 50 meters with aimed fire and these guns were not originally aimed they were presented/pointed in the general direction of the opposing forces and fired on command with a shotgun style slap of the trigger not rifle squeeze.

 

[Many Klatch]

Try a .715 ball and a .010 spit patch over 90 grains of 2F. I have won a few matches with my Pedersoli Bess Carbine shooting that load. You can also cut a shallow "reference groove" in the middle of the tang and one in the middle of the top of the bayonet lug. I did my grooves with a Dremel tool. That gives a bit finer sight than the issue Bess. You still need to use Kentucky windage but it will help on your horizontal hold.

Many Klatch

 

[trent/OH]

My Bess shoots a little to the left, so I use the top left corner of the bayonet lug as my front aiming point. That big lug covers a LOT of target just aiming over top of it, so that small aiming point helps considerably. This Spring I may try shooting it with bayonet fixed, but then I'll probably lose the entire aiming point.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Now you know why there was no "Aim" command in the old days! :thumbsup: "Just shoot up here amongst us..." :rotf:

 

[Swampman]

A patched .715 ball over 90 grains of 3F will shoot like a house a fire.

 

[nkmprdstr]

Now that you've gotten the "military" load out of your system, unless you're stuck with it for demonstations or such, develope a good patched ball combo and go out and enjoy your "Bess". Smoothbore will shoot MUCH better than they are given credit for.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Good advice from all concerning target accuracy, but I think everyone is missing the point :shake: Bleu was looking for an indication of what could be expected from the Brown Bess using a load close to that used by the British Army in the 18th Century. He has stated that he has the .715 cal. mould and I am sure he has tried that as well.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I don't think anyone missed the point. We just have all been there and done that, and are happy that Bleu has discovered( again) how inaccurate those old loads were!( and why they were!)

What people are trying to do is encourage him to use the gun with live ammo, instead of blanks, by giving him loading data and information on how to improve the " sights " on the Brown Bess to be able to shoot it to its real potential.

Its one thing to know why the British issued such undersized balls for these pieces, and how badly they shot in these guns. Its quite another to learn how much better and more accurate these guns can be with a minimum amount of work. I am willing to bet his lock needs tuning, too, but that is another issue. :hatsoff:

 

[smoothbore69]

The Brits at the time of the American Revolution did not have an "aim" command but, with the introduction of Von Steuben's system, the Continental Army did.

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

I don't think anyone missed the point. We just have all been there and done that, and are happy that Bleu has discovered( again) how inaccurate those old loads were!( and why they were!)

What people are trying to do is encourage him to use the gun with live ammo, instead of blanks, by giving him loading data and information on how to improve the " sights " on the Brown Bess to be able to shoot it to its real potential.

Its one thing to know why the British issued such undersized balls for these pieces, and how badly they shot in these guns. Its quite another to learn how much better and more accurate these guns can be with a minimum amount of work. I am willing to bet his lock needs tuning, too, but that is another issue. :hatsoff:

That's very interesting Paul and it also proves that you have indeed missed the point - it is not necessarily an indication that Bleu is an inexperienced shooter, it simply means that he is using the Brown Bess as a tool to satisfy a need to know what the tool (Bess) was like when it reigned supreme on the battlefield, a worthy effort in my opinion. This is something that many people don't understand and I can see that, we are products of our time and many here probably don't give a fig about history or at least don't understand the value of what Bleu is doing. That being said, he has said that he owns a .715 mould so it should be obvious that he has (or will) also try the "enlightened" method of a tighter roundball, maybe even with a patch. And maybe he will post the comparison to satisfy those that will say "I told ya so". :shake: Try to understand what he is doing and that there are those who can learn from what many seem to think is wasted effort. And where did he mention firing blanks? I must have missed that one.... :wink: And maybe his lock does need tuning before he goes "enlightened" on us, but who are we to say.

Keep up the good work Bleu, your efforts, time and documentation are not wasted. :hatsoff:

 

[BlueL]

well... I know that if i use some bigger ball and patch result will be much beter,but I think that if i have Brownbess (or other military musket) I will be mainly interested in something like "military using" of this weapon... for me is more valueable (from view of man who is interested in history not from sharp-shooter who is wining competion) if i hitted mansize target on 100m in 50% (for axample) with .690ball and papercartridge, than if I hit it in 90% ( for example)with .735 ball and path ... if i will be interesed match shooting Ill buy some jeager rifle, or american long rifle, or some piece of target rifle....

:v :v :v .

 

[Many Klatch]

If you are experimenting to see how accurate the military was in combat you might try adding 4 buckshot to the load. That was pretty standard for Washington's army.

Many Klatch

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

If you are experimenting to see how accurate the military was in combat you might try adding 4 buckshot to the load. That was pretty standard for Washington's army.

Many Klatch

The buck and ball load in the Continental Army (and others as well) used 3 .30 cal. round balls over the .68 roundball for the .75 musket. For the .69 cal. French musket used by the Continentals, the charge in buckshot was the same but over the .64 cal. round ball.