Dumb Brown Bess question

Could my Brown Bess be used as a shotgun?? I mean, yes, it's a smooth-bore gun, and it would be equivalent I guess to about an 11 gauge shotgun, but is there something I might be missing if I decided to load this as a shotgun?

 

[cynthialee]

It would seem that yes is the obvious answer, but I doubt you are going to be doing any on the wing shooting with it.

 

[SgtSchutzen]

It`s not going to handle like a shotgun or fowler but other than that you can load and use them with shot or buckshot if ya want. Just work up a load like you would with any other smoothbore.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Oh thats been going on for over 300years now :thumbsup:

Brits.

 

Thanks all. Just curious on why it will not handle like a shotgun or fowler? Is this something to do with the choke on a traditional shotgun?

 

[Matt85]

plenty of members here use there bess as a shotgun. if you go to the hunting section right now i believe a member used one for hunting tree rats.

and perry the reason it wont handle like a fowler or normal shotgun is the weight. it would be tough hit a bird on the wing with a heavy musket.

-matt

 

[pargent]

Oh yes they are a very versitle gun to own

 

[Many Klatch]

I was actually thinking about taking my Bess trap shooting this weekend. The Bess is a bit heavy to swing for wing shooting in Skeet, but it is a shotgun and it will throw out a mess of lead.

Many Klatch

 

[Stumpkiller]

Yep. I used one for rabbit hunting and squirrel occasionally. Grouse? Not on the wing. I was about zero for 150.

It can shoot shot, but that alone does not a wing gun make.

 

[jethro224]

Yes your Bess will shoot shot.
No your musket is not a shotgun.

I shoot shot out of my Bess all the time. Works great for squirrels. Works for clays too. But it's a chunk to swing. It's not a shotgun. It's a musket.

1 3/8 oz of shot over 80-90 grains of 2F with a thick card over the powder and a thin card over the shot works pretty good for me.

 

[buzz]

i used mine mostly with shot
hafl dozen or so 32 or 36cal shot and wod in some cotton rag and she patterns right nicely
geese never know what hit them

 

[Rifleman1776]

Yes, I have killed squirrels and even quail with mine.
It can be used in trade gun matches that require shot on some targets.
Go fer it.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

I used mine to go Dove hunting, I am not much of a shot shooter but I did hit a couple. I was reloading the Bess one time and a Dove actually hovered over me as I rammed the card wads in. I did not know Doves could hover! He was in the next county by the time I got the shot in. It will make you humble shooting flying things with your Bess, but it can be done. Wads shot and powder.

 

[Leatherbark]

Thanks all. Just curious on why it will not handle like a shotgun or fowler? Is this something to do with the choke on a traditional shotgun?

Makes a fine shotgun for sitting game. Just doesn't swing like like a double or a fowler on birds taking to the wing. I have a fowler, but would still like a Bess someday. Get you some 11 gage wads and go for it.
Probably 80 - 90 grains of 1 or 2 f and 1-1/4 ounce of shot or so.

Bob

 

[Silex]

Recently I had the honor of trying Jethro's Bess on squirrels and it worked wonderful.
If you do the job the Bess will stand up to it - the load Jethro posted is no slouch it flings quite some lead downrange and works well.

Actually there is one thing I was wondering.
Jethro's Bess from the feel is about the same weight as my 28 gauge - I might be wrong though.

So in Friendship I tried my 28 at the quail walk and skeet - it didn't work too bad. Of course station 8 is a killer with a 42" barrel and the weight but the rest of the station were quite ok.

Maybe it's not the weight alone - architecture of the musket compared to fowler might be an issue, too. I am just wondering.

Silex

 

So is a fowler shorter than the Bess? I've never really compared the two together so I never realized that.

 

[pargent]

Depends on the barrel length of either, a fowler is usualy fitted with a lighter barrel and the wood is slimer, the musket is the military weapon of the day and is usualy of heaver construction to stand up to military use.It should be noted that to an extent one can do the job of the other and thats what happened in the colonial times, check out some of the fowler builds on this forum they ranged from plain working guns to works of art owned by the wealthy.

 

[jdkerstetter]

Oh, if you only lived closer...the books I could share.

See if your public library has or can get on inter-library loan:

Muskets of the Revolution and the French & Indian Wars by Bill Ahearn

Flintlock Fowlers by Tom Grinsdale

They are an invaluable resourse. Enjoy, J.D.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

A dumb question for a Brown Bess? Hey, I'M the guy who asks all the dumb questions...

 

[Wes/Tex]

Basically, the Bess is a 11 pound, honking big shotgun. The reasons they make difficult bird guns boils down simply to the fact that they're heavy, rather straight stocked (done on purpose to keep soldier's from bothering to take aim), and have big locks with long hammer throw distances which slows down ignition time (if only by tenths of a second). Most true fowlers were sleeker and generally smaller bored, if only by small increments. Actually, the Long Land Pattern would be an easier musket to use as a fowler with it's deeper stock drop, though it's 4 inches longer and slightly heavier. Having said all that, I had one of the English made LLP Besses from the late 70's that I used as a hunting gun and even shot trap on rare occasion. All it took (and all is a lot) was to follow through, and consciously do so, because it's natural to stop follow through when the gun goes off. If you decide to try it out, just remember to follow through on your shots and don't try to make a 75 yard goose gun out of a Bess, load light and have fun! :thumbsup: