Pedersoli Brown Bess very unreliable

[Alden]

Me? You are short-stroking the frizzen. "Get the lead out" is often heard. Replace it with thick notch-cut leather, setting that flint back against the screw. Then, probably, bevel up in its case so it hits higher despite being set further back. The lead wrap is dictating what is happening by your lock, as it tends to...

Is the top of your frizzen a dark, burned-looking, color?

 

[commando223]

Is the top of your frizzen a dark, burned-looking, color?

No, not that I can see it looks like it has very little wear up top.

Edit: now I see what your talking about the first pic looks weird because of the flash but it's pretty clean up top.

 

[pargent]

From your photo you have the flint on too steep of an angle, it will hit too low on the frizen . It needs to have the bottom flat edge level with the edge of the bottom jaw flat, when it hits the frizen it needs to touch where those scratch marks start. :thumbsup:

 

[hanshi]

Use leather for the flints; lead almost always loosens.

 

[Wes/Tex]

From a look at the photo of the lock area, I'd first note the flint is cocked down at the nose. See if you can get the bottom of the lead forward so the flint sits level with the lower jaw. This will slightly raise the point of impact and improve sparking ability. Also make sure the flint face is even against the frizzen by slowly lowering the cock till the flint touches the frizzen face and be sure it evenly touches the front surface. Retouch the flint as it blunts out from use which can be accomplished with a special tool, back of knife edge or by lightly bumping the flint against the frizzen face while still installed. Also, be sure the flint is well tightened in either lead or leather...don't be bashful when you tighten it down. :thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

Yep, the flint is at the wrong angle. Looks like your flint wrap doesn't go all the way to the front of the jaws. Get the nose of that flint up where it belongs and your problem should be fixed.

 

[David Teague]

Some locks work with the flint down, some the flint up, yours is a "flint up" kind of lock.

Learning how to shoot flintlocks without a mentor can be hard, but once you get the rhythm of things, they are a joy to shoot.

Here are a few tips (some already posted in this thread)

1.Leather for the jaws (cut out the back where it folds so the flint butts up against the screw's shaft)

2.Angle the flint for your lock.

3. Keep the flint sharp and clean between shots

4. Keep the frizzen face, pan and vent hole clean between shots.

Do the 4 things listed above and as long as you have a good frizzen, good flint and dry powder it should go boom every time.

 

[commando223]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I will definitely put this advice to use once I take it out again. I am pretty much on my own around here when it comes to Blackpowder guns but I'm the type of guy that likes a challenge. That's kind of why I like these historic arms. Nothing like the smell of real Blackpowder burning :grin:

 

[jethro224]

I am pretty much on my own around here when it comes to Blackpowder guns

Where abouts are you? I'd bet there are some more blackpowder shooters closer than you think.

 

[commando223]

I'm located far south in Texas (Mcallen Area)

I went ahead and made the changes you guys recommended and I'm pretty impressed to see way more sparks than ever! Now I know it's not safe to try it indoors but I cleared the area and I have tile not carpet or I wouldn't try it. Also the leather is great and holds very tight. Can't wait to try this out in the field.

 

[Ike Godsey]

CONGRATS! thats the way it should spark!

ike

 

[Many Klatch]

Yep that will work. BTW, my load for my Pedersoli Bess is a .715 ball, .010 spit patch, and 90 to 120 grains of 2F (depends on how much fun I want to have). I prime with the 2F as well.

The secret to shooting roundball successfully from the Bess is to memorize your sight picture. I have to "see" part of the barrel below the bayonet lug before I can get on target. Filing a small notch in the top of the bayonet lug and a small one in the tang to help with your horizontal hold will make you more accurate as well.

Many Klatch

 

[Alden]

Of course. Looks like you didn't cut a notch in the back of the leather wrap so there's none between the flint and the screw, but with that particular flint it seems not to need to be farther back. Also from the first picture angle I might even put the bevel UP on the flint now (that the lead wrap isn't messing everything up)...

Finally, notice you have apparently bottomed-out the top jaw in the cock -- you want to address that. You cannot be assured the flint is truly tight enough. Maybe another sliver of leather on top there, but I've usually used two slightly thinner leather wraps if necessary and trimmed them.

 

[jethro224]

There's your sparks! :thumbsup:

Alden has some good advice in that last post. So does Many Klatch.
My Bess shoots a .715 ball cast from old wheel weights with a .017 patch. Thumb starts pretty easy.

One other thing I notice is that the flint you have in there looks just a little small for the lock. Ya got any bigger ones?

We have lots of members here from Texas. Maybe one of them will chime in on where to find a shooting club.

 

[commando223]

I do have larger flints that I ordered from Track of the Wolf. The one in the picture is the flint that came in the box with the musket, it's pretty small and amber color. I'm sure the others will perform even better this was just a quick test since I found some leather I wanted to try. The loads I was using were 715 ball with 18 ticking patch and 735 with 10 lubed patch 100grains FFG with both. Right now I'm flinching pretty bad and I think it got worse since most of the time it didn't go off but I sure can't wait to get back out there and try some more. I really think it's gonna work out great now. I'll be sure to take more pics of targets ect. Again I wanna thank all who replied this form is great I'm definitely gonna stick around. :bow:

 

[Many Klatch]

You should be able to easily push the ball and patch into the muzzle with your thumb. If you have to use a short starter you have too tight a combination. After a number of shots a tight patch will be difficult to load because of the fouling. A looser patch ball combination will let you keep loading after 15 or 20 shots.

Flinching can be somewhat cured by dry firing. Replace the flint with a small piece of wood about the same size. Cock and trigger the lock, never do this without the frizzen closed, if you let the hammer come down without the frizzen you can have bad results.

Practicing with the wooden flint will get you used to the trigger pull and will show you whether you have a flinch or not.

Many Klatch

 

[Britsmoothy]

Excellent photographs.

Thankyou gents for a good education :thumbsup:

Brits :grin:

 

[buzz]

looken better
you like and see the flints from TOTW work great I got about 80 shots on my current flint
to help speed up ignition dont over fill the pan 4 to 6 grains work great in my bess
you find shot loads are just as much fun or more then RB