Tried a new Bess today.

[Keith]

I got a deal on Pedersoli Bess.
I took it to the range today. I ussed .690, .715 and .735 balls. I loaded all types with an overpowder wad and an over shot card on top of the whole thing. Accuracy was okay with all. Truthfully I need to work on my flinch before I can make any real comparisons, (off to the Flintlock shooting types thread :redface.
I only had patches for a .50 cal rifle. Except for some big cleaning patches. So I tried a couple of the cleanin patches with the .690's spit lubed. Even with the wad underneath the patches were not sturdy enough.
Fouling wasn't a problem I lubed the over powder wads with bore butter.
I think if use patched balls I will probably use .715 and with wads the .735 balls. You guys who have shoot a Bess more is this what you use?
Ramrod contacts the front lock screw and is a little tough to get in and out. The lock sparks good but, the flints, Tom Fullers, seem to need knapping quickly. Does anyonne else notice that?
I thought the finish on the gun was good. I tdoes seem to be wearing quickly on the wood around the lock and wrist. Does anyone know what kind of finish Pedersoli uses? I am thinking about putting some oil or something on it.
Last, just for the heck of it, does anyone know how these compare to original Besses PC-wise? I know some of the Indian guns are known to be a bit thick and heavy compared to the originals.I am not sure how these Pedersolis compare in that department. :thanks:

 

[mikee51848]

think if use patched balls I will probably use .715 and with wads the .735 balls. You guys who have shoot a Bess more is this what you use?
Ramrod contacts the front lock screw and is a little tough to get in and out.

I've only shot my Bess once, so I'm no expert on this, but I used a .715 round ball and .015 patches. Accuracy was
so-so at 50 yds, but again, this was my first effort. I put together the kit version and the ram rod was difficult to remove. Could be humidity is the problem, or oil on the rod. I rubbed the ram rod with some sand-paper and it helped.

Last, just for the heck of it, does anyone know how these compare to original Besses PC-wise?

Nah, lets not go there . Someone will always say "the stock's too thick or too thin, the barrel is too long, the lock is wrong, the thimbles are wrong (should be three and not four). But from what I've seen in pictures and in museums, there were many variations due to useage and age. All are called Bess. The Pedersoli model is a good representative of a Bess, maybe not the Bess, but good none-the-less.

 

[thomas]

Good answer & your right about the Pc thing,we shouldn't go there. I have one from Italy, one from Japan & neither is right for some people, but I like & shoot both.

Thomas

 

[Stumpkiller]

The Pedersoli is a credible rendition of the Second Model Long Land Pattern. I used a .012" undersize ball and 0.018" patches in my Bess.

This model was officially introduced for use in 1769, for the British Infantry. This was Basically and adoption of the Short Land Pattern for Dragoons with the exceptions of the ramrod pipes and steel rammer. It is similar to the 1755 with the exception of it

 

[Grenadier1758]

I had a Pedersoli Second Model. It shot well when I did my part to keep it clean. I mostly shot blanks for reenactments and ball occaisionally. I do admit to winning the Scheutzen target at the October F&I, but that was more by luck than skill.

The Pedersoli is not correct for the F&I impression I portray, so I bought one of the Loyalist Arms First Model. It is quite heavy and far more bulky looking than the Pedersoli. It could stand a bit of thinning out and it would be quite good. I have just started shooting it to see how accurate it is. Mine has a tendency to shoot to the left. I think I can hold it so I can get good groups. For me its practice, practice, practice!

Take a look at the picture and decide for your self.

 

[Keith]

Even in the picture that Loyalist gun looks thicker than mine. I read that they were to heavy and needed to have some would removed to be really right. Not a terrible sin in my book.
In my limited shooting I noticed that it seemed easy to have the gun canted slightly left. This also seemed to put my shots left, just something to be aware of. :results:

 

[Keith]

I believe the Pedersoli has the lock with the second bolt end showing behind the hammer, which would put it as doubtful in the Americas during the Revolution, but that is a very minor flaw, to be sure.

<SNIP>

Gonna have to introduce her to Cherry soon. :front:

Nope, only one screw showing behind the cock. Lock is stamped "Grice 1762". Not that that means anything.

Yes, we should get together and make some smoke! Maybe, when it is cooler though. You haven't posted any updates on Cherry Girl in a while have you? You'll have to bring us up to date.

 

[Grenadier1758]

To be sure its a lot easier to take some wood off than to add any. Now I have to gather my courage and get the rasp.

 

[Keith]

Remember go slow. Rasps work quick and leave a rough finish. So, don't forget to leave some work for the file and the sandpaper you'll need to clean things up.
If you do tackle it with a rasp let us know how it went. :redthumb:

 

As to flint life---My friend gave me a flint spall( he makes lots of stuff from flint) to display in my old 3rd model. I took the gun out to shoot some light loads at clay birds and that spall did the trick. I've since made (knapping is only a loose term for what I seem to do) a couple more, sort of round cornered squares. This way you have four sides to use up. And---they might even be PC?! Bill in Oregon

 

[riarcher]

In my Persoli second land Bess I'm finding it loves powder. Plain and simple.
110-130 Gr. FFg, .715 ball with a .032 denum patch, cut in squares and baked with Bore Butter.
Had bad luck with thinner patch/bigger ball, 3Fg, light loads, and Moose Milk.
Nice shot loads are 92 gr 2Fg and 1 1/4 shot up close, 1 1/2 for out-there shots. If you use Bismuth check the weight that your measure throws. Bismuth is lighter and can use more volume than lead to keep the weight (and shot count).
For flint, only ones used so far are 9/8 from TOW. I set them in Bevel on top, shim to 1/16 from frizzen on half cock, and "kick" a little angle with the flint across the frizzen face. When the strike area gets all the way across, I'll flip it over and angle again but without the shims. Seems with bevel on the bottom it likes to be set back about 3/16. Keep going bevel up/bevel down for the most life. I can get over 30 "sparkes" on a new flint before turning. I've gotten over a 100 fires off good flints (gotten as few as 20 too, but that flint was satonic to begin with).
"PC?"
Don't know, don't care. I like it. :m2c:

 

[Wes/Tex]

They might even be PC

Actually they are but were not used in large numbers, or so it appears. For whatever it's worth, the Pedersoli Bess is basically a Short Land Pattern musket and would be correct for the mid 1760's on. There are some small differences between the Pedersoli and the originals but not enough to wory about.

Have used several different Besses over the years, my favorite being the British-made late Long Land Pattern sold by Dixie back in the late 70's. Have used several different ball sizes including paper cartridges in which I lubed the paper around the ball...not PC but who cares? Have found most muskets do well with loads of about 75-80 grains of FFg. Have even used Fg with good results when it could be found. Just shoot and experiment...what's better than being able to say, "Have to go back to the range again dear, still haven't found the right ball/powder combo.

 

[musketman]

I got a deal on Pedersoli Bess.
I took it to the range today. I ussed .690, .715 and .735 balls. I loaded all types with an overpowder wad and an over shot card on top of the whole thing. Accuracy was okay with all.

First off, old blue jeans make a good cotton patch, cut them about 1 3/4 to 2 inches wide...

What I ended up doing is using a .715 roundball and a .020 patch for the first two or three shots, then a wax-dipped .735 round ball/over-shot card from thereon without cleaning the fouling...

The fouling will work as a crude patch and eliminate the need to clean between shots in the field...

I dip the .735 balls in regular red candle wax or bee's wax and stand them on their flat top to cool...

 

[Keith]

For flint, only ones used so far are 9/8 from TOW. I set them in Bevel on top, shim to 1/16 from frizzen on half cock, and "kick" a little angle with the flint across the frizzen face. When the strike area gets all the way across, I'll flip it over and angle again but without the shims. Seems with bevel on the bottom it likes to be set back about 3/16. Keep going bevel up/bevel down for the most life. I can get over 30 "sparkes" on a new flint before turning. I've gotten over a 100 fires off good flints (gotten as few as 20 too, but that flint was satonic to begin with).

I noticed there is quite a big space between the flint and frizzen at half cock. I normally like the flint ot be about 1/16" from the frizzen like you describe. You must be using a thick shim. I'll try to place it a little differently thanks for the advice. :thumbsup:

Hopefully, I'll post some more next week after I shoot it more. I just bought 25#'s of #5 shot to try some shoot loads in it. Unless I get a chance to roll shot capsules I'll put a couple of over shot cards or a split over powder wad. I'll start with equla volumes of shot and powder. Probably 70 gr and work up to 100 or so. Depends on how much time I have when Iget to the range. eace:

 

[riarcher]

Leather works good for the shims. :redthumb:

 

[rschissler]

I fired my brown bess for the first time today. I did have some pan misfires, and it was determined by the more experienced help around me, that the flint was striking the frizzen too high up. Yes the bevel was up. I removed the lead sheet wrap and tried it with the flint bare in the jaws. I didn't have any trouble after that, except once when the flint came loose. Maybe the flint was too long, or the wrap made it too high, I don't know.