Is a vent liner OK for a Bessie?

[Loyalist Dave]

Simple answer is no, it is not period correct to install a liner. If you are reenacting, don't install one.

If you are not a reenactor, then do it if that's what you want.

I'd have to disagree, but only slightly, with my neighbor, John. A touch hole liner is not correct for the vast majority of Bess in history....

As reenactors, we probably shoot the bess or charleville a lot more than they did in the flint era, even when the soldiers were in a regiment that regularly practiced shooting at marks. I say this as it's not uncommon to fire more than 24 rounds during a single day's reenacted battle, and a weekend often has two days' worth of battles. Go to four battle events a year and your Bess is seeing way more firing in a year than it's ancestor probably did. Use that musket for 20-30 years and....

Add to that the fact that many of the lads opened up their touch holes to 1/8" back in the day as they thought it gave them surer ignition, and that the retiring guys are selling off muskets with 20-30 years of service, and you get a lot of vintage muskets out there now with very worn touch holes, that will self-prime if you close the frizzen on an empty pan, and simply pour the whole charge down the barrel...even if you use 2Fg. :shocked2:

So..., while you have a flash guard when reenacting, if all you ever do is launch blanks, no need to fix the touch hole, but if you ever shoot ball, you probably want to tighten that touch hole up a bit, if it's worn.

LD

 

[Many Klatch]

I haven't played with my Bess enough since I got the touch hole liner. I could probably reduce the powder charge and reacquire my old sight picture. Right now I am happy with the apparent increase in velocity and the tighter groups.

 

[Britsmoothy]

:thumbsup:

 

[SgtErv]

Made a post earlier about mine having some problems. Next month I’m meeting with a guy to drill the touch hole out a little bigger. It’s tiny. Is it a newer Pedersoli Bess?

My thinking is that since it’s not cones inside, it needs to be a little bigger for reliable ignition

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

SgtErv

Is it a newer Pedersoli Bess?

Yes, it is a newer Bess, but the TH is plenty large enough. I have not been back to the range as yet, but pretty sure the issue is fowling due to improper swab. I am going to try a 12 gauge shotgun brush. Ignition is good for the first few shots.
Flintlocklar :wink:

 

[Grenadier1758]

Use a pipe cleaner or one of the tiny dental brushes to clean the touch hole. They remove a lot of fouling.

 

[willowbilly]

About cleaning during shooting.

I take kids to the range quite often to shoot my BB and Charleville.

We will shoot at least 50 rounds through each.

Don't recall having any miss-fires due to fouling.

We run a dry brush about every 10-12 shots.

Run the brush, tap the barrel with muzzle down, good to go.

Having tried several brushes the best brush I have found is the Hoppe's stainless steel brush.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1240113076/hoppes-tornado-style-bore-brush-stainless-steel