Goin' birdin' with my Bess

[whiskeyjoe]

Finally got me some time this week to hit the woods and maybe down a Grouse or two. I have an older 2nd model Pedersoli Bess (not that it means anything,about 30 years old) and have not had time to work up any type of load. For the sake of time I was thinking maybe I could just make up some paper cartridges similar to the type that was originally used except use bird shot. You know,bite off one end,prime, and shove the remainder down the bore. Anyone out there tried this? What size load, type of paper ,etc? Thoughts and opinions from one and all greatly appreciated.

 

[musketman]

Bird shooting with a Bess is mega fun. makes that quick second shot a bit rough though... :haha:

I use equal amounts of shot and powder with good results, (one 90 grain measure to weigh both) I have made paper shot cups from penny rolls, but they need to have the sides perferated with a pin prior to loading so they break open easy...

I load my powder, overshot card and then the shot tube, the folded part goes down and acts as a fiber wad, I also place an overshot card on it for added insurence...

 

[Mike Brooks]

Bird hunting with a flintlock has got to be one of the funnest things to do that's still legal. (in most areas)
What you really need to do is go out and do a couple days worth of pattern work if you want to bag some birds. Otherwise your going to make a lot of smokke and noise and no meat.
I'd shoot 1 3/8 to 1 1/2 oz and an equal volume of 2ff powder. use 1 nitro card and about 1/2 of a lubed in Crisco fiber wad with an over shot over the top. You may have to play with this a little, but it will be a good place to start.
Chances are the rolled cartridge jamed down the bore isn't going to pattern worth a manure. Great idea on paper, but not in reality.
remember, consistant good patterning loads are what puts meat on the table.
Please don't feel I'm thumbing my nose at your methods, I've just been there years ago and learned the hard way what makes a flint shot gun work.

 

[Rebel]

Whatever load you decide to use, DON'T prime the pan first, for safety reasons. If you prime the pan first, the gun could go off accidentally while you have your hand over the muzzle loading it.

 

[Wes/Tex]

If you're really into paper biting, another version is to roll the paper cartridge in the military style but with a fiber wad glued into the center as it's rolled. After it's dry, drop the shot charge into the top and twist a pig-tail and tie off with string. Put powder into the bottom and fold or twist closed. With a small paint brush, wipe some lube/beeswax mix on the outside of the tube from the fiber wad up to the top. When loading, bite off the bottom twist or fold and pour the powder into the muzzle. Then push the cartridge into the muzzle, powder end down, until the top of the cartridge is even with the muzzle end. Then you can gently pull up lightly on the top twist and slice off the top with a patch knife. Push an over-shot card on top and push all down the bore with the ramrod. The lubed helps keep the fouling soft and the wrapped shot column hold together well enough for pass shooting, etc. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Stumpkiller]

Thoughts and opinions from one and all greatly appreciated.

Don't chop the potatoes and carrots up until you get back home. :haha:

Many times I took my Bess into the woods after grouse. Many holes were bored through the branches several feet behind laughing grouse.

I used #6 shot, either with Circle-Fly wads and cards, or with paper cartridges as you mention, or even with tow wad & overshot.

Don't believe that in 15 years I ever actually killed a grouse, but it sure was fun trying. :haha:

About the time I get the gun up, the cock back and the grouse caught-up and led . . . it's 15 yards out of range of the cylinder bore. One thing you don't have a problem with is the follow-through. Unless you're beside a tree when you twist.

My New Englander is a tad better.

Someday I hope to have a purpose-built lightweight flintlock fowler. Before I need one with a swivel attachment for my walker.

 

[riarcher]

Bite off the end and ram her home" is something I've tried to do all summer. ( :cursing: ) Nothing I've tried has "worked fer a darn." :cursing:
I've had occasional impressive results,, but not consistant.
Best I've found (general paterning) is slightly more shot (round it over) in the same measure for powder (slip off the top).
Interestingly, I found 3F to be NASTY at the paterning board over the much more consistant patterning 2Fg. Also, I found 1Fg to through a nice tight group better with shot of #4 size and larger.
Plastic shot cups are interesting in that the used cups from the skeet range seem to be more consistant reused (if in good shape) than any new ones I tried.
Both lead and bismouth shot seem to apply to the above.
Steel is a different critter in my gun. While I've not done much with working up a load, I found that more powder than shot seem to show promise using the plastic cups. 2F is better than 1F here (not tried 3F).
The shot cushion wad is not working for me at all. Far better is the nitro, a healthy dab of BB or Olive oil/Bee's wax combo, and anouther nitro.
I suspect that the "lubed" shot cushion blows the shot out (paterning shows a "shot hole" at 25 + yards on the board - at 35 yds I've had 18" holes in the center of my spread)
Hope this info helps you some in determining your shot load. If you ever do find that "rip it open and pour" I'd be awfully pleased if you'd share it with me. Right now, my Bess is simply a one shot, single shot (better make it count shot) musket.

 

[whiskeyjoe]

Thanks for the replies,guys. I've never really shot anything other than RB through any of my guns. It's just that it all seems so much more ''involved'' shall we say when it comes to turning your smoothbore into a scattergun. I mean I understand the idea of wadding, and an over-shot card, but it just seems to me that by the time you go through the whole procedure, the suns on it's way down and time to head back to the truck! As far as the wadding and the card is concerned, do I have to measure the I.D. of the bore and cut material accordingly? What about speed shots or something of that nature. I guess what I'm really admitting to is that I'm dumber than dirt when it comes to turning my Bess into a fowler of sorts. What kind of material should I be looking for to make my own cards and wads?

 

[Rebel]

Your Bess should take an 11 gauge wad. You can get them from crcle fly.

 

[musketman]

Don't believe that in 15 years I ever actually killed a grouse, but it sure was fun trying.

There's a trick to it O' Slayer of Stumps...

For the most part, grouse always pair up, one will flush and a few seconds later, the other will follow...

Use the first one as an indicator, cock and ready your gun, take a step or two and the second bird will flush in the direction of the first one...

Using this method, you should (almost always) get the second bird...

If the second bird doesn't flush within two steps, wait a half a minute then uncock the gun, it'll flust then...

 

[hawk]

Whiskeyjoe
I bagged a bunch of grouse this moose season with my bess.
took an old powder horn filled it with #6 shot,
used 2f powder60gr cardboard overpowder card old bootliner for wad 70gr shot and a over shotcard
Whiskey remember to stomp your foot to flush 'um
first or it's just like shootin' Chickens :rotf: