Correct size ball for Brown Bess?

[Stumpkiller]

The Pedersoli will shoot a .735" ball with a thin paper (rolled cartridge), or 0.010" or less cloth patch. If you are firing for speed use the 0.715 and it will be snug enough after the first shot.

11 gauge wads will work better. 12 gauge is 0.729 vs. 0.750 for the DP Bess.

HEY! I beat Musketman in on this!

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by Stumpkiller:
HEY! I beat Musketman in on this! LOL, I gotta sleep sometime...

I use 90 grains of FFg and a .715 round ball with a .020 pillow tick patch for my hunting patched/ball combo.

My Lyman Black Powder Handbook shows 20 thru 150 grains of FFg with a .715 round ball and a Crisco lubed .020 pillow tick patch for the brown bess.

(It does not state if its regular or butter flavored Crisco)

When I use wads, I use a thick over-powder card, followed by a 1/2 felt wad, shot, thin over-shot card...

 

[Darryl]

What is the correct size round ball for an unpatched load for a Pedersoli Brown Bess? I've seen .715 and .735 mentioned. I want to shoot the musket with only the paper cartridge or with a shotgun type wad. I've also heard that the proper shotgun wad size is 11 gauge not 12. Is this correct?