Steel shoot in a Brown Bess

[bbuck]

I've got a friend who uses modern 12 ca. plastic shotwads and steel shot in a Brown Bess. (.75 cal) to hunt goose.

What ga. of wads can you use in a .69 cal. if any :: ::


He may be selling me his .69 cal. trade rifle.

 

[Stumpkiller]

16 gauge is .662 cal, so .69 is about a 14 gauge. I know of no plastic wads or cups available in that gauge.

The good news is that with a Bess you at least have no choke to worry about. I don't personally know anyone who has used steel shot in a m/l, so I can't offer much advice. I'm hoping upland regulations don't squeeze me out.

You don't want that steel touching the bore. If it were me, I'd fold tongue depressor size strips of cereal box cardboard over a .68" dowel and form "X" shaped cups with just a bit of overlap at the edges, maybe even using a drop of white glue where they cross at the bottom to hold them together so the petals open evenly past the muzzle. You'll have to play with the dimensions to get the cup size figured out. I'm guessing just under 3/4" x 3-1/2" strips would be about right.

I've done similar cups for a Bess, so I know they work, but that was with lead shot. You still need the wads and cards as with a normal shot load.

 

[RussB]

I'm also thinking 8 Point will have to make a "shot cup" to satisfy the need for a .69 cal.

8 Point, Please be aware that Shot Cups are very simple, and easy to make. At first, I was intimidated by some folks making such a big deal out of it, They used descriptions and measurements that would have made a Rocket scientist dig out his slide[url] rule......Ain[/url]'t nothing but a thang!

I believe there is a "sticky" here on the form that talks a lot about this very same subject.

Everytime Old Stump talks about his "Bess", I feel that funny stirring in the blood...a feeling that I recognize all too well.
I don't like that feeling! It normally means the kids will have to go to school again this year with no shoes, and that new dress I promised the wife back in the 70's?..... Well she just better get use to those Bib Overalls! :crackup:

This must be the worlds worst addiction!

8 Point.....Good Luck with that .69 Trade Rifle...I shore be wishing you had a picture of that thang. :crackup: Thats "Mountain Talk" for....Please post a picture

Russ

 

[Stumpkiller]

Everytime Old Stump talks about his "Bess", I feel that funny stirring in the blood...a feeling that I recognize all too well.

Me too. :cry: In a fit of madness I sold my cherished Bess last summer to fund a custom flint rifle. She will be replaced as the next order of business once the cookie jar is replenished. There is just something about a flintlock musket that is so . . . I don't know. Primal and life affirming, I guess. All that history, and a lot of smoke. ::

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Just to make a point. Steel shot cups are constructed of heavier walled plastic, some come with only two slits, or none.

I use the largest shot capacity 20 ga. (.62) steel shot cups I can find for my fusil, they are hard to start and tighter than heck.

In .69 caliber, if push came to shove, I would use an over powder card and lubed felt wad under a 20 ga. steel shot cup enclosed by a paper jacket (would give even more protection for bore) to take up the approximately .070" diameter difference.

 

[bbuck]

Ahh....The sturing of the blood; I know the feeling; and yes it is addictive.

As soon as I can pin my friend J.D. down to sell me the Smoothy I'll post a picture fer ya. I would Post a Picture Of my Tennesse Poor Boy that I just finished. But its work can hardly compare to some of the people here.

Thanks fur the advice guys :thumbsup: :master: :master:

 

[weirdjack]

In .69 caliber, if push came to shove, I would use an over powder card and lubed felt wad under a 20 ga. steel shot cup enclosed by a paper jacket

I used to make paper cartridges for my Charleville with a 16ga plastic shot cup wrapped in brown paper. The layers of paper made up the difference between 16ga cup and 14ga bore. They always seemed to work very well.
WJ

 

[Rat]

Yes, undersized cups can be paper patched for a perfect fit. A Bess is actually an 11 guage, 12 guage cups with one post-it-note wrap makes a perfect fit in my bore.

I love military muskets like Bess because everything is "BIG"! BIG LOCK, BIG FLINT, BIG FRIZZEN, BIG PAN, BIG BORE, BIG BUTT!!! YEAH BABY!!!

RAT

 

[weirdjack]

I love military muskets like Bess because everything is "BIG"! BIG LOCK, BIG FLINT, BIG FRIZZEN, BIG PAN, BIG BORE, BIG BUTT!!! YEAH BABY!!!RAT

YEP!! I don't have to worry about no spark on my Charleville....it whams that big flint into that big frizzen and showers the pan! Self knapping too....I just shoot until the flint is down to the nubs, then flip it around and shoot until the other end is nubbed. No muss no fuss. And I get a lot of shots per flint. A couple weeks ago I shot 40 roundballs and 5 shot loads....it still has still plenty of flint left on side one.
WJ

 

[RussB]

Guys! You do realize I'm a man of very moderate means, And you also know that I have the will power of a huge Canadian Nigh Crawler....so why do you keep saying these things?

A Bess, A Bess, ....My kingdom for a Bess! :crackup:


I will have me a Bess! You mark my words!


Russ

 

[musketman]

16 gauge is .662 cal, so .69 is about a 14 gauge. I know of no plastic wads or cups available in that gauge.

What if you tried a pillow tick patch around that 16 gauge wad, it would be like patching a long round ball... :hmm:

Patch & wad, shot, over-shot card... :hmm:

 

[Rebel]

Hey Russ, i think we got a gal here in town name of Bess. Maybe we can work ya out something. Just how big is your KINGDOM? :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:

 

[RussB]

Hey Russ, i think we got a gal here in town name of Bess. Maybe we can work ya out something. Just how big is your KINGDOM? :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:

Rebel! You stinker!

That Bess is probably right in line with what Wierd Jack was saying, Big frizzen, Big Flint, Big....... better not say that!

Anyway, thanks, but no thanks....my kingdom is rather small after all.

Russ

 

[Rebel]

Well heck, and here i thought i was gonna inherit a Large Kingdom in Western Wash. :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: But that BIG part fits Bess real well. :crackup: :crackup:

 

[Keith]

You could laso try using bismuth. It is softer and usable in guns not fit for steel shot. Bismuth costs more but how many shots are you really going to take? :m2c: