Is the Brown Bess good for hunting?
- Thread starter Shot deer
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The one used to have was good for hunting
I resemble that remark.
In the ranges a smoothie is a good hunting gun in I don’t know if extra velocity or energy is going to make that much difference.
In the ranges a smoothie is a good hunting gun in I don’t know if extra velocity or energy is going to make that much difference.
Nothing wrong with going off topic, I do it all the time. And I might be old but I ain't grumpy, just get irritate easy.
Sure.
It's just funny how some have started jumping up and down on my head for it before now!
I guess my time here is coming to its demise here, oops am I going off topic!
Dang.....
It’s not off topic it’s just ah, hmm, er, a, umm, oh, oh, organic growth. Yeah that’s it, we’re all organicly growin’ over here.
Mrs says I've become a fossil!
After the first part of the question was answered with a "yes", folks addressed the statement about reenacting with the 2nd Model Bess.
Well the Short-Land-Pattern Bess would be "right out" for anybody doing F&I, But..., since it was for many decades the only pattern available to reenactors, it's most often used by F&I reenactors. It's more probable that Canadians might have surplus SLP's than would Americans.
As far as Louisbourg, I'm not so certain the 15,000 muskets were captured in 1745 rather than 1758, or if they were "kept". If they were, they were the spoils of war for Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, since those colonies alone made up the vast bulk of the assaulting troops in 1745. With so many muskets in the hands of those colonials, it's a wonder those muskets were not heavily seen during the later, F&I war, so perhaps they did not fall into the hands of colonials in large numbers. The fortress was returned to the French in return for the British getting back Madras, India, so perhaps a large number of muskets simply stayed put? The 1758 assault and capture of the same fortress, was done by British regulars, and the military stores captured then, would be free for The Crown to vend.
As far as colonies acquiring muskets in the 18th century (of any type)..., it depends on the colony. British records show a lot of surplus Bess muskets being sold, as well as colonies procuring Dutch muskets, but not so much French muskets. The Pennsylvania Colony, with a government controlled by members of The Society of Friends ["Quakers"], had no militia law, and thus no legal requirement to own a musket or gun, and no colonial arsenal. Maryland, bordering South of Pennsylvania, had an arsenal of muskets in Annapolis from as early as the 17th century, for example, thus...showing the odd differences between colonial approaches to arming citizens.
So it's best to be specific as to one's persona and residence in the colonies before looking into a reenactment musket, as well as checking with your group if you already have a unit with which to participate.
As for hunting with a musket, from a .62 or .65 caliber artillery carbine up to a .80 caliber Fowler, if you can learn to accurately shoot it, it will take deer.
LD
Shot deer
40 Cal
ALERT: Very Off Topic!
"I guess my time here is coming to it's demise here"
What do you mean, your leaving the forum?
In 2000 my wife told me now I was two centuries out of date..... I called her a shrew and a magpie and had another glass of flip.
( that’s a joke for any person who gets their breech clot in a wad)
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Hi,
This is not a complicated question. If you can get your cheek down on a Bess stock and shoot it well, it is fine for hunting. If not, it is not so good.
dave
Rockvillerich
Pilgrim
Reproduction Bess' are a bit heavy, but should be fine for hunting at moderate ranges once you installed a proper touch-hole liner.
franky4me
Pilgrim
I used with succes a TVLLE fusil de chasse in 16 g for one deer at about 40 yards and could have done it at least 10 to 20 yard further I'm sure A bess should hit a bit harder the question is having a good load with a reasonably tight ball
Rat
50 Cal.
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Yes, my Bess (carbine) will stay on the paper plate at 50, and with a good solid rest, or sitting position I'd shoot out to 60-65 if the deer/elk/bear was standing still.
In my musket, a .690" ball and denim patch work well, or a chewed ball and thinner patch. One thing I've learned is that a heavy powder charge will shoot more accurately than a light charge. I go with 140 grains of fg.
A touch hole liner would be a good thing. Then the hole could be located further above the bottom of the pan. On many repros the hole sits too low. I took the poor man's approach and made my pan deeper, and then coned the outside of the hole. I get good fast ignition now. I've probably posted all this before...but too lazy to check.
In my musket, a .690" ball and denim patch work well, or a chewed ball and thinner patch. One thing I've learned is that a heavy powder charge will shoot more accurately than a light charge. I go with 140 grains of fg.
A touch hole liner would be a good thing. Then the hole could be located further above the bottom of the pan. On many repros the hole sits too low. I took the poor man's approach and made my pan deeper, and then coned the outside of the hole. I get good fast ignition now. I've probably posted all this before...but too lazy to check.
Dave Orchard
Pilgrim
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(Reply from another Dave ;-)
dave_person sums it up perfectly....
I'de add in the weight factor if damage & age have made you less of a man than you once were ;-)
I have passed my Charleville w/modified buttstock along and only carry & shoot my light, short 24 ga fusil.
If you can't hit with it, it becomes a decoration or costume accoutrement.
The other Dave
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When I owned my first Brown Bess Carbine around 1974, I bought it primarily for shooting in Northwest Trade Gun Matches - mainly round ball, but also some trap. So like Brown Bear, I found it accurate and handy for deer and WOULD have been good for Quail and Pheasant, but the trigger pull was too heavy for wing shooting. I didn't learn how to do trigger jobs on flintlocks for a few years and really not after I stopped using the Bess, but I found it was really no different than doing trigger jobs on the large Military Percussion Locks I had been doing.
Now as to the original question, if you are primarily going to be a reenactor, you should speak to the unit you wish to join about what is an acceptable musket/gun. However, as LD already mentioned, most units accept the Pedersoli or Miroku Short Land Pattern Bess's. The longer barrels of these Short Land Pattern Muskets don't swing real well on fast moving birds like Quail and Pheasant, but they work OK for squirrels and rabbits and fine for deer - even on the run. They may also work OK on Turkeys and Ducks, but though I have hunted both with modern shotguns, I've never tried my SLP Pedersoli Bess on them. Modern shotguns only have a bead or "front sight" so you would have to get used to the Miroku like any other modern shotgun. It takes more concentration to develop a uniform "spot weld" or cheek position to shoot round balls, but that is really not that difficult, it just takes some practice.
Oh, you may or probably would need to do a trigger job on the Miroku or have it done by someone who knows what they are doing for hunting.
Gus
Now as to the original question, if you are primarily going to be a reenactor, you should speak to the unit you wish to join about what is an acceptable musket/gun. However, as LD already mentioned, most units accept the Pedersoli or Miroku Short Land Pattern Bess's. The longer barrels of these Short Land Pattern Muskets don't swing real well on fast moving birds like Quail and Pheasant, but they work OK for squirrels and rabbits and fine for deer - even on the run. They may also work OK on Turkeys and Ducks, but though I have hunted both with modern shotguns, I've never tried my SLP Pedersoli Bess on them. Modern shotguns only have a bead or "front sight" so you would have to get used to the Miroku like any other modern shotgun. It takes more concentration to develop a uniform "spot weld" or cheek position to shoot round balls, but that is really not that difficult, it just takes some practice.
Oh, you may or probably would need to do a trigger job on the Miroku or have it done by someone who knows what they are doing for hunting.
Gus
Persephale
32 Cal
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Are we talking about that weapon of 1812?
Garganzolla
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Is this the weapon of 1812? You must agree that not every weapon deserves a nickname, not every weapon. And the nickname is not by the name of its maker but by some of its characteristic features.
Garganzolla
32 Cal
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You must agree that not every weapon deserves a nickname, not every weapon. And the nickname is not by the name of its maker but by some of its characteristic features. And certainly, not every weapon with such a nickname has become as famous as the Brown Bess. The progress of the Brown Bess was that over time, this gun got more and more simple finishes, and its barrel got shorter and shorter. It was mainly for combat, not hunting, although it was undoubtedly used for that as well. I wonder if it's available anywhere now on gun sites like ballachy.com or similar sites because I wouldn't mind getting one for my collection.
