Pedersoli Bess Accuracy?

[Blackfingers]

Versus Indian, Pakistan repros, how does the Pedersoli Brown Bess stack up as far as accuracy? Haven't fired my 1st Model yet, but have had the others over the years. I'll find out soon enough, but interested in comments from others. Randy

 

[Grenadier1758]

Are you talking about accuracy on target or accuracy to British Land pattern?

I will guess you are talking about accuracy on target. That kind of accuracy relies more on the shooter and less on the firearm. You will determine that as you get to the range.

So much depends on the straightness of the bore. Some of these smooth bores require barrel bending to attain target accuracy. Some require consistent cheek to stock hold with knowledge of how the bayonet lug aligns with the slot in the tang bolt slot. It also depends on ball to barrel fit. Patch, wad, gnawed (dimpled with a rasp) and lubricated. All can be accurate on target. It takes range time. I have seen good performance from all the makes.

 

[Many Klatch]

In competition at Friendship, I have never seen anyone shoot an Indian made Bess, so I can't tell you how accurate they are. Regarding the Pedersoli Bess accuracy, the best shooters can score an 11 of 18 on the Woodswalk. Basically they are able to keep the hits in a paper plate at 40 yards.

 

[DaveC]

That beer in the avatar though!

 

[FlinterNick]

Well a large caliber smoothbore is only going to be as accurate based on a few things; ball to patch ratio, patch quality, grease quality, and how clean the bore is.

The pedersoli Bess barrel is a very good taper for its undersized breech (undersized compared to the originals), and its a fairly good musket to hunt with.

Indian made muskets are hit or miss. Most are calibered at around .76, the problem I’ve seen with most Indian made muskets is that the tapers can be flawed and not straight. Once I removed the breech of a charleville by Veteran Arms LLC and the bore was off center, one side wall was thicker than the other, the barrel thickness was off on the left side by about .25 making it pretty thin on one side. Granted most Indian made muskets are likely bored correctly, I would have to say the pedersoli Bess is your best bet for an accurate musket ... however one thing I’d say for sure is that the .69 muskets (Charleville, Prussian and Austrian and Springfield 1816) will be more accurate than the .75 Bess.

 

[Stantheman86]

Does no one make a repro of the late model Bess with the rear sight?

 

[FlinterNick]

Does no one make a repro of the late model Bess with the rear sight?

The rifle shoppe sells it in kit form under “new land pattern musket”

 

[Blackfingers]

That beer in the avatar though!

Oatmeal Stout!

 

[Blackfingers]

Does no one make a repro of the late model Bess with the rear sight?

Discriminating General, Canada.

 

[Stantheman86]

That would be neat but would knock it out of the "competition " box for many people.

However most people aren't buying Brown Besses for competing so I think that would be a neat piece to have.

 

[DaveC]

If smooth bore competition is what is of interest... Let me say that I've never seen anyone duplicate what I've seen done with a Potsdam!

This was the Prussian copy of the French Napoleonic muskets. Later, circa 1840s, these were converted to percussion like so many other flintlocks. These have a rear sight. They were purchased in considerable quantities during the War of the Rebellion, and are relatively widely available. This is a particular original arm that could be used for competition. As for actual honest-to-goodness British Brown Besses, there are the Nepal muskets available from IMA, which might require one or another parts and also relining of the barrels or even new barrels...

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I'm trying hard to shoot well with patched ball with my Pedersoli Bess. .715 ball and .010 lubed OxYoke patch. So far the best I've been able to accomplish consistently is about 6" at 25 yards and about 12" at 50 yards. Certainly man-capable out to 100 yards but it's surely not a rifle. You can see the targets on my Facebook page, "Timewalker Guide Service". Paper cartridges shoot less accurately, sometimes horribly so when they are old/damp.

 

[Stantheman86]

I posted a video of myself shooting my Pedersoli Smoothbore .69 and today my friend at work was asking me about it ,how accurate it is, etc.

(I work in a prison) I pointed at a cluster of inmates about 90ish yards away and I'm like "I could probably hit any single one of those guys if I aimed at them , most likely, but I'd 100% sure at least hit one of them in that group which is all that would really matter.....given that a soldier with a smoothbore really wouldn't be taking shots at single men"

 

[nit wit]

Pedersoli has a better trigger pull than the India guns, that being said you can rework the locks and make them better. If you can afford better buy better, if not, you have to start somewhere.Two things that will help greatly: Use 1 F powder and prick your charge every shot!
Nit Wit

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I'm trying hard to shoot well with patched ball with my Pedersoli Bess. .715 ball and .010 lubed OxYoke patch. So far the best I've been able to accomplish consistently is about 6" at 25 yards and about 12" at 50 yards.

You should try 11 gauge. ½" thick fiber wads, which have been altered by using a ½" drill bit, to make a slight indentation in the fiber in the very center. Then lube them with 70/30 olive oil and beeswax. Load them with the flat side toward the powder and the side with the indentation toward the ball. Load the wad about an inch deep, then put the bare ball in and it will center on that indentation in the wad. Push the whole package bit in about another inch, put a wad of tow over it all, and ram it all down.

When firing the inertia will compress the wad as it's pushed against the ball, and the ball should stay pretty well centered in the wad due to the indentation.

The key to a non-spinning projectile is consistency of how the ball exits. A patch folds unevenly each time, so ads a random variable to your shooting. Might be why historic sources don't mention patching a smooth bore ball, even when the smoothbore shooters were familiar with rifles and rifle loading.

Another option is to get even larger ball, and rasp the outside to make raised bits that actually touch the side of the barrel just enough to hold the ball centered but not causing much if any friction.

LD

 

[Pioneer flinter]

Hey blackfingers i know it's not a Bess but I had my Military Herritage Northwest Trade Gun out yesterday and at 30 yards I was stacking the balls on top of one another from a rest. A .601 ball a .010 patch and 60 gr. Of 2f.

 

[FlinterNick]

I'm trying hard to shoot well with patched ball with my Pedersoli Bess. .715 ball and .010 lubed OxYoke patch. So far the best I've been able to accomplish consistently is about 6" at 25 yards and about 12" at 50 yards. Certainly man-capable out to 100 yards but it's surely not a rifle. You can see the targets on my Facebook page, "Timewalker Guide Service". Paper cartridges shoot less accurately, sometimes horribly so when they are old/damp.

I get pretty good accuracy at 30-50 yards with my miruko Bess; using .68 ball I patch with Burt’s Bees Hand salve and I used coffee filters as patching; get the thicker filters, sometimes I double wrap the balls.

 

[Rat]

I'm trying hard to shoot well with patched ball with my Pedersoli Bess. .715 ball and .010 lubed OxYoke patch. So far the best I've been able to accomplish consistently is about 6" at 25 yards and about 12" at 50 yards. Certainly man-capable out to 100 yards but it's surely not a rifle. You can see the targets on my Facebook page, "Timewalker Guide Service". Paper cartridges shoot less accurately, sometimes horribly so when they are old/damp.

I have found that a .690" ball with a denim patch works well. Really, you should be able to get smaller than 6" at 25 (be "stacking" them as the man says) and around 3" at 50, under ideal conditions and the load your musket likes. I have also found that accuracy increases with a heavy load, in my Bess. I shoot 140 grains fg under the .690" ball. A "chewed" ball with a thinner than denim, but still pretty thick patch has been showing promise for me, but have not got around to extensive testing yet.

 

[Stantheman86]

50 yards standing with paper cartridges , in my .69 Smoothbore. I have two rounds in the same hole , if not for the flyer caused by me still learning where to hold with a non-sighted musket , I'd have a group.

 

[Rockvillerich]

You did good! Yeah, muskets take some practice to come up with a "sight picture". I find the Bess to be easier than the French pattern guns, but they'll both do okay once you get the hang of it.
I have sights on a two light weight smooth rifles and find that they shoot just fine up to 50 yards. One is a .54, the other is .62 cal.