I Now Have A Brown Bess - What Do I Do Next?

[starman]

I am not new to firing weapons. I regulary fire M1A, SKS, and Mosin Nagant rifles. I am new to black powder shooting.

I recently purchased a Dixie Gun Works (Japanese) Brown Bess Second Land Pattern. I know nothing about shooting black powder. Can somebody please direct me to any references that will tell me how to determine powder loads, primer load, ball size, how to wrap paper cartridges, and anything else I need to know to fire this weapon? Cleaning information would also be helpful. I am not a reenactor but would like for the weapon to be reasonably historically accurate. I plan on shooting this weapon just for fun.

I am also interested in adding sling swivels and a sling. I have seen white and brown leather slings of different widths. Which one would have been more appropriate for Americans during the Revolutionary War? Where is a good place for look for slings and sling swivels?

What other equipment should I have and where would be a good place to look for it?

Thanks for any help and advice you can give.

 

[Stumpkiller]

You will need blackpower and not a substitute/synthetic powder. They don't ignite with a flintlock.

White sling is generally considered Rev. War and the brown French & Indian War.

You can prime with FFg or FFFg, half a pan (3 gr +/-). You can use a 0.715" ball for a tight fit with paper cartridge or 0.690" for a cloth patch & easier loading. Shame 0.700" balls are hard to find.

Easiest (for us) is to use the search function and hunt up some basics. I'll hunt up some info for you when I get home tonight.

 

[goon]

I think the first thing you should do before anyone else responds is copy your question, paste it into a new thread on the smoothbore forum (because your Bess is a smoothbore) and erase this question here. Not that rifle shooters wouldn't or couldn't help you, but I think you'd be more likely to get more help from smoothbore shooters because this is what they know.

 

[starman]

Goon - Oops! I didn't mean to ask the question on the wrong forum. Because the Bess is a flintlock, I just assumed it belonged here. How do I remove my question from this forum or transfer the question to another forum? Thanks!

 

[starman]

Stumpkiller - Thanks for your offer to help. I will be reposting my question on the Smoothbore forum as soon as I figure out how to remove it from this forum.

 

[Zip]

Starman, welcome aboard. I'm new to the forum as well and interested in your question. I bought my TC .50 Hawken at a gun show an the previous owner had installed front and rear swivel studs. They might not be PC/HC but come in handy climbing in the mountains. I suppose you could go to Uncle Mike website and pick one of those attachable swivel studs that fit on gun barrels for the front and just drill a hole for the rear. Where did you see those brown and white slings? Good luck.

 

[Zip]

Shoulda been clearer. Pick a uncle Mike swivel stud the right size for clampin' on to one of your ramrod ferrules/holder up front. My TC's stud appears to somehow be screwed into a hole in the bottom of the ramrod holder. The other holder also has a hole in the bottom but I've never found a website item like this. I am happy the previous owner chose to equip the gun with them.

 

[matt denison]

Sorry Zip, shouldn't mix modern gun gismos with historical weapons.

 

[Zip]

I know, but he said he wasn't interested in HC/PC. My bad. :v

 

[BrownBear]

As much fun as I've had shooting PRB through my Bess, I actually get more use out of it with shot loads. The 11 gauge wads and shot cards from TOW are just fine in mine, though I understand there is some bore variation among Bess's. We're blessed with snowshoe hare and ptarmigan, and more than a few have regretted being in the same neighborhood as my Bess. I figure the same would be true for small game in your area if you keep the shots to 30 yards or so.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Here're some search results:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/937008/
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/975816/
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...?tid/253822/post/943881/hl/BEss/fromsearch/1/
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...p?tid/256741/post/982089/hl/BEss/fromsearch/1/

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Try track of the wolf for the sling swivels. Most 18th century sutlers should have slings. Some you might try are G. Gedny Godwin, Jarnigan, Smoke & Fire, Flying Canoe traders, The log cabin shop. If you check out the links section there are several vendors listed there that will have what you need. I'm suprised the Bess didn't have sling swivels with it. I have an old Jap model and it came with them. That Jap Bess is a great sparker. Mine has been beat up, refinished and beat up again. It has never failed to spark.

 

[Mickc01]

Hello Starman and welcome to a very additive hobby.

You've already got LOTS of great advice but let me offer one or two more suggestions....I too have a Japanese Brown Bess, albeit an old one, and suggest that you verify the caliber. Mine is actually .69. Most original Besses were .75 or there abouts. If yours is like mine, it will take .675 or .68 balls. I prefer .675 with a thick patch. Also to make it feel better in your hands and look more authentic, you may need to remove a little wood along both sides of the barrel but be careful not to remove too much of the swell where the ramrod enters the stock. I did this and was much happier with it.

You have a very versatile piece there. It’s great fun to shoot skeet with it as well. I have never had a lick of trouble with mine, sparking or shooting. It is rugged and dependable.

Oh, one more suggestion. I too added sling swivels. Be very careful when drilling for the upper one that it is lined up straight and that you don't nick the barrel. This is a very easy mistake to make. Also be sure that you locate the sling swivel in a way that when it rotates against the gun that it rests on the middle ramrod thimble, not in the ramrod channel.

Most of all have fun!!.....Mick

 

[starman]

Zip

While searching the internet, I found white and brown slings at:
http://www.gggodwin.com/cartgenie/prodList.asp?scat=73

Hope this helps.

Do you know what width would be more accurate for the Revolutionary War?

 

[starman]

Thank you all for your great relies! I think I am going to like black powder shooting with my Japenese Brown Bess.

 

[Steve Blancard]

I have the same Japanese made Bess and its a great musket! (I've converted mine to a reproduction of the Fredericksburg musket, but its nearly identical) I added the orginal type swivels to mine. I can't recall now, but I got them from GG Godwin or TOTW. A little more work to add them than modern swivels, but well worth it. Measure very carefully and then double check before you drill.

For the upper swivel, there is a barrel retaining pin already in the correct location. You need to remove the pin and drill out the hole to fit the swivel screw.

For the lower swivel, you need to very carefully mark the spot in the center of the part of the trigger guard where it goes. Use a new sharp drill bit and cutting oil.

Here some photos of mine:

Japanese Bess/Fredericksburg musket

Hope this helps. They are great muskets.

 

[starman]

Where can I purchase black powder on line and what brand do most people use in a Bess?

 

[Stumpkiller]

www.powedrinc.com
I use Goex. Swiss is probably better but costs much more.

 

[Grenadier1758]

You really don't need to everload these muskets. Its the large ball that provides the effect. You will never get high velocity and heavy loads will only make shooting this gun unpleasant. Since we don't want your experience to be unpleasant, lets stay away from these heavy loads. Suggested loads can be as simple as going to your sporting goods store and taking a look at the loads printed on the 12 gauge shotgun shells. The loads are referenced to a 2fg black powder load in drams and weight of shot in ounces.

Your bess will be an 11 gauge for purposes of cards and wads. I like to just use over powder cards and over shot cards. You can get these from Dixie Gun Works, Track of the Wolf and lots of other places.

Clean up is easy with a 10 gauge brush and mop. Black powder cleans up easily with a little bit of soap and water. Use a good oil after you clean up to protect the metal.

Use only black powder such as Goex, Wano or Scheutzen. Get our there and enjoy your Bess.

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Zip

While searching the internet, I found white and brown slings at:
http://www.gggodwin.com/cartgenie/prodList.asp?scat=73

Hope this helps.

Do you know what width would be more accurate for the Revolutionary War?

It honestly depends upon the unit. Most Brit troops had buff leather, sometimes black. I have to admit since I do a loyalist unit, I haven't studied what the patriots had. My guess and it's just a guess is whatever they could find.