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Indian made bess

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Beaver3365

32 Cal.
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
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Ok guys, I know that I will probably get lots of hate replies but here goes. I bought a first pattern 1728 British long land from one of the Canadian importers. Yes, the fit and finish was not of pedersoli quality but neither were the original ones. Today I put about 24 hand rolled paper cartridges with .690 balls and 85 grains of 2f down range at 75 yards. First round ranged steel. After that I went for speed and could get 3+ per minute with about 30 to 35% accuracy. I really never thought I'd hit anything. Wasn't trying to blow her up but did put her through the test.
Your thoughts please
 
Looks like you got a "keeper". To my mind, muskets are like wimmen. They don't have to look good to perform :doh:
 
Hi,
Having cleaned, restored, and examined closely original Besses, the fit and finish of original Besses are better than Pedersoli's or any modern reproduction except the hand made ones. It is unlikely that any modern mass produced reproduction Bess would pass 18th century ordnance inspection.

dave
 
Yes you did. You did it all off hand as well. Even missed sticking yourself with the bayonet attached while loading. It sure sounded different when you shot it. I agree with you, the fit and finish was much better than I expected from reading reviews.

Look forward to shooting with you again.
 
I too have a 1728 dated lock (Dublin Castle) long land pattern from Loyalist Arms, one of the Canadian companies that imports muskets from India.

Our reenactment unit fires hundreds of rounds a year, both blanks and live. We have a mix of Pedersoli, Mirouku (Japanese), Narragansett,(Rifle Shoppe parts), Navy Arms, Loyalist Arms and Middlesex Village Arms. The muskets from India have functioned quite satisfactorily. We do inspect all arms before going to the field as a unit for suitability of use.

Of the India made muskets, the ones from Loyalist Arms have been better performers than those from Middlesex Village.

What we have learned as we add members to our unit is that we do need to carefully inspect all firearms before use. So, while the India sourced firearms are generally heavier and fit and finish are more like a well used firearm than a new from the armory musket, they are serviceable.
 
I went for speed and could get 3+ per minute
You ask for thoughts: Your business to do as you like, but please don't forget "Safety"! An accidental discharge from an ember can be unforgiving.
Flintlocklar :shake:
 
Well said. I did however pour the powder from the cartridge from the side slowly before placing the ball and my hand over the barrel.
 
I'm sure you are correct. Unfortunately, I have only ever had the chance to handle originals that were pretty beat up.
 
I got mine from Loyalist. Nice folks. I have a question for you. Do you ever fire "buck & ball"? I asked Loyalist about it and they said they have no data for this load and it would effect the warranty.
 
I did. Once on a woods walk at a target. It was a 0.710 ball with three 0.310 balls and an over shot card. The results were a widely dispersed pattern. It's not a load I recommend. Most states would not allow a buck and ball for hunting.
 
Ive made up cartridges with buck and ball for the range before. Four to six #6 shot, .715 ball and 80 grains of 2F in a historically correct cartridge. I think I put the buckshot on the end closest to the powder, then ball on top of that. (It all goes down at once in a cartridge.

It was a whopper. It really kicked harder than anything I’d ever experienced in a muzzleloader. I shot at 25 yards and it hit all over the place if I remember correctly, not really any kind of pinpoint accuracy. A company firing it in a volley would devastate stuff in relatively close range

I’d certainly never use it hunting but it was really neat to try. During the Rev War Continentals were known for using it along with split balls, balls with nails sticking in them, and all sorts of infernal things
 
SgtErv said:
During the Rev War Continentals were known for using it along with split balls, balls with nails sticking in them, and all sorts of infernal things

I know that musket balls w/nails in them have been found in AWI site excavations, but I wonder if they were used in cannon rather than muskets? Seems to me an Iron Nail propelled down an Iron Barrel would have done a lot of damage to musket barrels?

Gus
 
Georgia, as long as you are having fun and your India-built Bess is proving to be a safe and reliable companion at the range and in the field, who cares where it was made? If I were in the market for an Indian Bess, I would go with either Loyalist or Veteran as my importer.
 
That’s quite possible, come to think of it. Don Troiani’s book mentioned in his book Soldiers of the American Revolution (a darn good one) that they were .69 caliber, excavated at Fort Ticonderoga. He also says that most of the specimens found haven’t been fired.
 
I don’t know, keeping weapons serviceable was a major concern, especially with such a shortage of them. I’d imagine some NCo saw what the privates had concocted and quickly corrected their idea haha

It’d be effective in a cannon or swivel piece though I think
 
Sitting here thinking about it, what would a few nails hammered thru a musket ball do that would be worse than being hit by just the ball?

IMO, not much. :hmm:

Maybe in the case of a near miss, the nails might cause some lacerations as the ball flew by but nothing that would stop most men.

Being hit by that big ball would sure ruin your day though no matter where it hit you.
 
Just a thought, perhaps someone tried to nail the balls together to form a cannon projectile that would fly apart when it hit. As opposed to grapeshot that would start to separate when it leaves the cannon.
 
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