Pedersoli Brown Bess

[Rock Home Isle]

Those miruko barrels are very good. I’ve loaded them with up to 100 grains in the past with 1F and 80 of 2F and 60 of 3F.

Just watch the wood on those, most were made of some low grade maple or birch that will chip at the end grains.

There was an OLD BlackPowder Annual article written by Ted Franklin Belue, and he talked about using a cut-down Brown Bess and shooting loads of 160grains behind a RB, as his every day type of load. Fascinating article....

 

[FlinterNick]

Anyone know the thread pitch for the ramrod?

Metric 6 x 1

 

[Musketeer]

M5-.8 threading on my Bess's rammer. I have this female-to-female adapter from Track to let me use male 10-32 accessories on the end of it: Adaptor for musket rod, Pedersoli Brown Bess or Charleville, 5-.8mm female to 10-32 female - Track of the Wolf

 

[Rock Home Isle]

M5-.8 threading on my Bess's rammer. I have this female-to-female adapter from Track to let me use male 10-32 accessories on the end of it: Adaptor for musket rod, Pedersoli Brown Bess or Charleville, 5-.8mm female to 10-32 female - Track of the Wolf

On my next order...

 

[FlinterNick]

M5-.8 threading on my Bess's rammer. I have this female-to-female adapter from Track to let me use male 10-32 accessories on the end of it: Adaptor for musket rod, Pedersoli Brown Bess or Charleville, 5-.8mm female to 10-32 female - Track of the Wolf

Mine is M6-1, unless I gauged it wrong.

 

[Musketeer]

Mine is M6-1, unless I gauged it wrong.

I don't know how old yours is, but it's possible they changed them at some point. Mine has a 2016 date code and it's for sure 5mm. I measured it on my metric Screw Chek'r thread gauge.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Some of the Pedersoli Bess ramrod threading was closer to 10 - 32 which is very close to 5-.8 mm and 10-32 would almost work. That Track of the Wolf adapter would be the best choice.

 

[Musketeer]

Yes, 10-32 and 5-.8 are extremely close. My 10-32 jags will fit in either end of the Track adapter, but the threads on the Bess's rod will only fit the metric end of it.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

...Did you cross thread it at one point?

 

[Musketeer]

...Did you cross thread it at one point?

Nope, but I wasn't sure which end was which initially, so I screwed a 10-32 jag into one end and it went in, so I figured the other end was for the end of the rod, but it didn't fit, so I unscrewed the jag, flipped the adapter around, and it worked. No idea why 10-32 fits both, but metric only fits one. Like I said:

 

[Artificer]

One thing I’ve seen reinactor s do is slightly bend the ram rod end so its hardly noticible and that usually creates friction enough to hold in the rod.

That's what I did on my circa 2000 full length Pedersoli Musket. Works fine.

Now getting a GOOD worm for them is something altogether different. Most repro worms I have run across in the last 45 years of using a Pedersoli Carbine or Full length musket, have been woefully inadequate in the heat treatment of the points and threads. The points on the end of the Worm have to be SHARP or they won't grab tow or (God Help Us) a modern patch in the bore. Grin.

Since I used to collect original Musket tools and accoutrements, I checked out using an original Civil War" period .69 cal. Musket Worm, which have good points and threads. I bought a metric tap that fit the threads on my Pedersoli Rammer and SLOWLY and CAREFULLY used it to re-thread the original threads. Worked like a Champ!!!! I bought more and re-threaded them for others in my re-enactment unit.

Now, DON'T pay "collector prices" for these as they will go around $ 45.00, but you usually can get them on Ebay for around $ 13.00.

Items for sale by generallee292 | eBay


Gus

 

[Grenadier1758]

I do have to admit that I once ran a 10-32 die over the 5-.8 mm threads of a Pedersoli Bess ram rod so that 10-32attachments could be used. I also turned down a 6-1.0 metric rod to run my 10-32 die for threads that could be used with common attachments.

 

[Rifleman1776]

My BB was built from a Navy Arms/Pedersoli kit in 1976. Good, solid shooter and, to my eyes, looks like something from the Revolution. I realize it is not a perfect hc/pc replica of any of the original Besses. But, it is representative of them. To me, it is one of the mostest funnest guns to shoot I have ever had. I have hunted squirrel and quail with it. Well......I hunted deer with it but never bagged one. After much use the frizzen wore through the hardening and rehardening is on my 'to do' list.

 

[BEP]

About that Bess with the cut rammer - why not just thread it to 10-32 and not need any adapter at all?

 

[Grenadier1758]

I did that for one member of my F&I unit. All you need is the 10-32 die and the die handle.

 

[Ranger 1755]

The original powder charge for a land pattern musket was 6-8 drams ( 27.3 grains ) of gunpowder. Bear in mind it was not as chemically efficient as today's powders. The issue ball was a .690-.695 diameter. Original barrels had to accept a .765 pin and refuse a.785 pin making the nominal caliber .775, that is why most component packages from Track and the Rifle Shop have .775 bores. While we are on the subject, I have many copies of French and Indian War journals, orders and quartermaster issues and the gun is referred to as musket, land pattern musket with either single or a double bridle lock and almost always with a wooden ramrod. The term Bess does not appear once. For hunting, I use a .695 ball with a paper cartridge of 75 grains of FFG and prime with the same. So about 70 grains goes down the barrel. The gun can be made to shoot better with a .715 or a .735 ball with wadding or a patch but that is not what they used back in the day. I carry a horn, loose ball and un-rolled paper cartridges for wadding. Many journals state the Ranger and Provincial troops disassembled their paper cartridges and put the powder in a horn, loose ball in a shot pouch or shot bag and carried the papers as wadding. No mention of priming horns is ever stated. My accuracy is good at smooth bore ranges, I opt for shot placement over power. Photos show my equipment and targets at 25 and 50 yards

 

[springfield art]

There are a couple auctions in my area that hold regular gun sales; whenever a Peder Bess comes, there's usually spirited bidding for them, considering the "new" retail price...sometimes I've seen ones that are obviously unused, but have been sitting around a while with a few dings and light rust; perfect for cleaning up and firing back up into service! Many people really like the Besses! BT, the Royal Armouries web site has a short history you can print out covering the origins of the name Brown Bess. I printed it out for reference and friendly argument purposes!

 

[springfield art]

The original powder charge for a land pattern musket was 6-8 drams ( 27.3 grains ) of gunpowder. Bear in mind it was not as chemically efficient as today's powders. The issue ball was a .690-.695 diameter. Original barrels had to accept a .765 pin and refuse a.785 pin making the nominal caliber .775, that is why most component packages from Track and the Rifle Shop have .775 bores. While we are on the subject, I have many copies of French and Indian War journals, orders and quartermaster issues and the gun is referred to as musket, land pattern musket with either single or a double bridle lock and almost always with a wooden ramrod. The term Bess does not appear once. For hunting, I use a .695 ball with a paper cartridge of 75 grains of FFG and prime with the same. So about 70 grains goes down the barrel. The gun can be made to shoot better with a .715 or a .735 ball with wadding or a patch but that is not what they used back in the day. I carry a horn, loose ball and un-rolled paper cartridges for wadding. Many journals state the Ranger and Provincial troops disassembled their paper cartridges and put the powder in a horn, loose ball in a shot pouch or shot bag and carried the papers as wadding. No mention of priming horns is ever stated. My accuracy is good at smooth bore ranges, I opt for shot placement over power. Photos show my equipment and targets at 25 and 50 yards

27 grains? Are you sure that's not a misprint?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I read that and thought the same thing...27 grains sounds a bit light, by half.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Its 27.3 grains per dram so the 6 to 8 dram charge would be 164 grains to 218 grains.