Decided to go old school

[James Wilson]

Yesterday, I purchased a Pedersoli Brown Bess 2nd Model. I tracked one down at Dixie Gun Works on Monday. Being the impatient person that I am and given they are backed up a month on shipping, I took yesterday off and drove 4.5 hours each way to pick it up. Bought some extra flints and blackpowder too. I look forward to learning from the group about the do’s and don’ts of shooting as well as sharing my experiences.

 

[smo]

Congrats on your new purchase!
I’m sure it won’t be your last...

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Congrats!

 

[Wheat17]

Thats some determination right there.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Bess is a gutsy busty greedy girl but always willing to please.
Don't skrimp on feeding her powder to keep her happy.

 

[Mike Payne]

Enjoy! There are few things that are more fun than shooting rock locks.

 

[hanshi]

You really put in the effort to get yours. Flint rules!

 

[jae]

Got to admire a man that would drive that far to pick up a new gun. best of luck with it.

 

[Historian]

I just did the same thing last Friday. I drove up last Friday spent the night in Union City and was there bright and early last Saturday. Picked up my second Pedersoli SXS Flintlock. Very Pleased. They have upgraded the locks a little by lightening/filing the frizzen springs which is what I had to do with my first one.
Hope you love your Bess!

 

[jcs266]

Congrats on your new rifle. If I lived that close to DGW I’d have driven there to pick it up like you did.

Now we need some PICS!!!

 

[James Wilson]

 

[jcs266]

Beautiful! That’s a classic. May it give you much enjoyment!

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Way cool. DGW is on my top 5 places Ive ever been.

make smoke

 

[Heyyou48307]

Love them besses may get another someday, I had two japanese and a custom

 

[bigted]

If this is your first ever flinter ... be patient. Sounds like you are a bit like me in willing to go to lengths to get what you want.

First off congrats on that beaut. She is a nice lookin smoothy and surely will give many hours of enjoyment once you get past a few things that really threatened to end my enthusiasm with the finest ignition to come down the pike.

First is the sound. Upon yankin the trigger, I hear the scrape of the flint. Then the explosion of the pan powder followed by recoil as the pan fire ignites the main charge. All that commotion was very distracting to me. Seems like it takes forever from yankin the trigger to firing ... but ... this all happens in a very fast hurry. For me it is the sound that happens very near my face. I found that by wasting a few shots, and shooting without aiming so I could really get a handle on what happens ... that the trigger tumbler release to ignition is really very fast.

Second is the flash. This is really dependant on how much pan powder you use. (Dont get me wrong here ... little or a lot still flashes a lot). I find that if I use a little line on the bottom of the pan ... mine goes very fast ... whereas if I fill her even half full ... it seems slower ... and the flash is felt on my cheek. This is disconcerting to say the least. That explosion so near my face is way different for me.

Now when I shoot my cappers ... a small disappointment happens when the trigger yank happens and nothing but a boom happens. No scraping, whoosh of pan powder lighting or the big bright flash as the gun goes off. Just yank BOOM. Period. Kinda anticlimactic.

Went out yesterday in the glorious sunshine to my secret shooting place and for the first time shot at 100 yards with the smoothy. She put 5 into about 16 or so inches. Very excited and astonished that I am excited about a 16 inch PATTERN at 100 yards. However this is just my first attempt at this yardage. I look forward to shrinking this into a group in the future.

I am more enamored each time I take her out ... as I am quite sure you will be with yours. Just take it slow and let the Bess speak to you as you get acquainted with each other. That smoothy will capture your heart like no other.

I look forward to your posting on your first outting with your new Bess.