Trying to decide

[Old Sparky]

So I have decided I'm going to get my first smoothbore. I really really like the long land Brown bess carbine. I love the fact that it is 12 gauge and I will use a lot of shot in it. But I also wanted to be of hunting accuracy with a ball out to 50 yards at least. I like the idea of the large caliber because I am a very large person. But I'm wondering if I would get better roundball accuracy out of a 20 gauge. Like the 62 caliber fusils I've seen. Most of the fusal barrels are a little longer. This is going to be a hunting gun so weight is going to be a factor. I am really in love with the Brown Bess but I don't want to miss out on the potential accuracy of the longer fusil. I would love to hear some opinions on the matter. I plan on getting one from India. Although I am capable of drilling a touch hole I'm considering going with loyalist arms because they are proofed. What do you guys think?

 

[IanH]

My advice it to get an Indian LLP Bess AND an 1801 German "Sharpshooter" musket in .62 cal. and decide for yourself.

 

[Silky921]

What type of game do you plan on hunting? A brown bess is going to be more difficult chasing moving game like squirrel and rabbits.

I think a 20 gauge smoothbore has got to be one of the most universal guns out there. Can hunt just about anything that you'll find out in the woods here.

 

[Rob M.]

Im hooked on 20 gauges but ...get what you want . Youll be good to 50 yards and a bit further ... Wish you was able to shoot a few side by side to make your mind up . Best of luck .

 

[Grenadier1758]

So I have decided I'm going to get my first smoothbore. I really really like the long land Brown bess carbine. I love the fact that it is 12 gauge and I will use a lot of shot in it. But I also wanted to be of hunting accuracy with a ball out to 50 yards at least. I like the idea of the large caliber because I am a very large person. But I'm wondering if I would get better roundball accuracy out of a 20 gauge. Like the 62 caliber fusils I've seen. Most of the fusal barrels are a little longer. This is going to be a hunting gun so weight is going to be a factor. I am really in love with the Brown Bess but I don't want to miss out on the potential accuracy of the longer fusil. I would love to hear some opinions on the matter. I plan on getting one from India. Although I am capable of drilling a touch hole I'm considering going with loyalist arms because they are proofed. What do you guys think?

I think the guns manufactured in India for Loyalist Arms are well built functional firearms. While they are fired, and Loyalist Arms provides instructions for "proofing", they are not proofed. To be proofed, a firearm must be submitted to a certified proofing house such as exist in Europe and are stamped with a certified proof stamp upon passing. What is often called proofing here is a test firing with a larger than normal charge. I have two Loyalist Arms muskets and they have been fired with powder ball and patch (or wads and shot) and have functioned well.

Note: Firearms produced in the US are not submitted to a proof house for testing. They are built to standards that meet the requirements for use as a firearm. The barrels used by Kibler are not proofed but are built to standards that meet the requirements for use as a muzzleloading firearm.

 

[Old Sparky]

What type of game do you plan on hunting? A brown bess is going to be more difficult chasing moving game like squirrel and rabbits.

I think a 20 gauge smoothbore has got to be one of the most universal guns out there. Can hunt just about anything that you'll find out in the woods here.

I would be hunting squirrels maybe a turkey and definitely deer

 

[Sidney Smith]

With the game you mentioned, a 20 gauge is about all you need. You can put decent shot loads for small game, plus a pretty sizable ball for deer.

I went with a 36 inch barrel for my smoothbore because I appreciate it's handiness in thick woods.

 

[tenngun]

So I have decided I'm going to get my first smoothbore. I really really like the long land Brown bess carbine. I love the fact that it is 12 gauge and I will use a lot of shot in it. But I also wanted to be of hunting accuracy with a ball out to 50 yards at least. I like the idea of the large caliber because I am a very large person. But I'm wondering if I would get better roundball accuracy out of a 20 gauge. Like the 62 caliber fusils I've seen. Most of the fusal barrels are a little longer. This is going to be a hunting gun so weight is going to be a factor. I am really in love with the Brown Bess but I don't want to miss out on the potential accuracy of the longer fusil. I would love to hear some opinions on the matter. I plan on getting one from India. Although I am capable of drilling a touch hole I'm considering going with loyalist arms because they are proofed. What do you guys think?

Loyalist comes with a touchhole but not ‘proofed’. They give instructions for proofing.
I spent some years researching it before I laid down the cash for them. I could not find an Indian gun that failed except from bad care or miss loading.
I don’t proof any gun, I don’t believe it’s a good idea

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I'm really starting to have fun with this Chambers 20g .62 PA Fowler I built last year. It's the one on top.

25 yards off hand. 3f Goex patched .595 round ball, spit patch.

 

[Yewbender]

I say .62/20ga is plenty enough for what you want to do with it. Go with a Fusil, Fowler, or trade gun. I love my TVM 42” .62 cal Fowler. From shot to ball it does it all. I have 2 prb loads and they shoot great…no target pic’s as i shoot mostly steel gongs at the range or woods walks. My standard load is 60gr 2F Goex, .600 rb patched with .015 pillow ticking. Couple weeks ago at the range i tried 60gr 2F goex with .595 rb and .020 pillow ticking and ringing 10” steel gong at 50 yards shot after shot! You got to love them smoothies!!!

 

[LongWalker]

I had a cut-down Pedersoli Bess for 20-25 years or so, before giving it to a friend. In that time I managed to take a few dozen deer, 50 or so wild hogs, a black bear, a bison, various birds including ducks and geese, etc, as well as winning a few matches (and a few guns in "range bets"). Loaded properly, 6" ten-shot groups at 50 yards were doable if you held it steady. I could usually hit a 12" gong 2-3 times out of 5 at 100 yards.

Generally speaking, larger bores tend to give better patterns with bismuth shot and some of the other non-toxics; this is increasingly becoming a concern.

 

[waksupi]

If you are going to shoot round ball much, you will find the 12 bore runs out of fun real quick.

 

[Darkgael]

I was in a similar position a few years ago. I went with a 20 gauge fowler made by Matt Avance at TVM. After a season or two in the PA uplands, I wanted something lighter and so I turned to Mike Brooks who made for me a very faithful copy of the New England #9 in Switlick’s book. It is a 16 gauge six pound gun.

 

[LongWalker]

If you are going to shoot round ball much, you will find the 12 bore runs out of fun real quick.

The Bess fit me very well. I never noticed any difference in the recoil between ball loads and shot loads.

I'll admit I didn't typically shoot more than 50 or so rounds of ball in a day, but I shot it a lot--often more than 50# of powder in a year. At current prices, I couldn't afford to do that!

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

So I have decided I'm going to get my first smoothbore. I really really like the long land Brown bess carbine. I love the fact that it is 12 gauge and I will use a lot of shot in it. But I also wanted to be of hunting accuracy with a ball out to 50 yards at least. I like the idea of the large caliber because I am a very large person. But I'm wondering if I would get better roundball accuracy out of a 20 gauge. Like the 62 caliber fusils I've seen. Most of the fusal barrels are a little longer. This is going to be a hunting gun so weight is going to be a factor. I am really in love with the Brown Bess but I don't want to miss out on the potential accuracy of the longer fusil. I would love to hear some opinions on the matter. I plan on getting one from India. Although I am capable of drilling a touch hole I'm considering going with loyalist arms because they are proofed. What do you guys think?

We have an old saying in the Corps, "It's not the dope on the gun, it's the dope behind it". As far as caliber goes, whatever suits you. Blair and his wife are great people. Semper Fi.
1717 French Military Musket, .69 cal. Loyalist Arms.

 

[French Colonial]

I recommend trying a Brown Bess and a French type "C" or "D" before actually buying one...

I had a Brown Bess first and never ever did the gun fit me well enough to enjoy shooting it, sold it. I later bought a Caywood type "C" and love it.
Shoots round balls exceedingly well and shot also (although if going hunting with shot I will take my original William Moore double)

All our bodies are different and what works for some doesn't work for all.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I'm really starting to have fun with this Chambers 20g .62 PA Fowler I built last year. It's the one on top.

View attachment 232691
25 yards off hand. 3f Goex patched .595 round ball, spit patch.
View attachment 232692

Jack, That’s a nice looking PA Fowler, and nice shooting too. I use the same size spit-patched round ball in my FdC and finds it loads well and get good accuracy. I’m using 90 grains of 2f. What powder load are you using ?

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Jack, That’s a nice looking PA Fowler, and nice shooting too. I use the same size spit-patched round ball in my FdC and finds it loads well and get good accuracy. I’m using 90 grains of 2f. What powder load are you using ?

Thanks Bob! I am using 80g of 3f with Joann fabrics #40 drill cloth and spit patch or Murphy's and water. The patch is .018 thick.
2f shoots low with 80g. Funny I had noted down last time I shot that I should up it to 90g 2f.

 

[sturmkatze]

I thought a Bess was 11 gauge…

 

[Brokennock]

So I have decided I'm going to get my first smoothbore. I really really like the long land Brown bess carbine. I love the fact that it is 12 gauge and I will use a lot of shot in it. But I also wanted to be of hunting accuracy with a ball out to 50 yards at least. I like the idea of the large caliber because I am a very large person. But I'm wondering if I would get better roundball accuracy out of a 20 gauge. Like the 62 caliber fusils I've seen. Most of the fusal barrels are a little longer. This is going to be a hunting gun so weight is going to be a factor. I am really in love with the Brown Bess but I don't want to miss out on the potential accuracy of the longer fusil. I would love to hear some opinions on the matter. I plan on getting one from India. Although I am capable of drilling a touch hole I'm considering going with loyalist arms because they are proofed. What do you guys think?

You've gotten quite a few suggestions, and bits of advice, on your dilemma. Some good, some questionable (not necessarily bad, just questionable).
The only advice/suggestion I'll offer, given all that has already been thrown at you, is to be careful who's advice and suggestions you take. Or at least how much weight you guve them. Maybe go through some people's other posts and topics and decide if their words are credible, or at least do they carry the weight of some of the others?