Fired my Bess today!

My other mistress is black powder arms. I picked up a Partisan Arms First Pattern Long Land Musket (Brown Bess) last year pretty cheap. I had heard there were some besses that had breach plug issues (read, Ka-Boom). So I finally got around to pulling my breach plug today, and she's a fine, strong breach. I also happened to pick up some punkin' balls at Cabella's yesterday. (you can't find .715 round balls at Walmart, what up wid dat)?

My first shot was with 70 grains 2F black. Fired fine, just dropped like a rainbow. I tried 80 grains 2F and now we are talking! Very nice power, hit what I was "pointing" at. I just got to dope it in a bit better now. I am thrilled!

Them deer better be watching out for me!

Just thought I'd share.

Ian

If you hit a deer with a .715 round ball travelling at any velocity worth mentioning, you won't have any meat fit to eat left, just a hole in a deer you can drive your truck through!

Did you buy it as a tunneling machine?

(I kid, I kid, nice going!)

Sounds cool!

Lets see the old beast.

How come you aren't casting your own?
Let's see a picture of the musket.

If you hit a deer with a .715 round ball travelling at any velocity worth mentioning, you won't have any meat fit to eat left, just a hole in a deer you can drive your truck through!

Did you buy it as a tunneling machine?

(I kid, I kid, nice going!)


I got a deer that was hit by a Ford Mustang traveling at a high velocity and it was good eating. Best thing was that the Mustang wasn't mine. The deer was still kicking when I threw it into the trunk. Got hit in the head and shoulder leaving the good parts alone.

My other mistress is black powder arms. I picked up a Partisan Arms First Pattern Long Land Musket (Brown Bess) last year pretty cheap. I had heard there were some besses that had breach plug issues (read, Ka-Boom). So I finally got around to pulling my breach plug today, and she's a fine, strong breach. I also happened to pick up some punkin' balls at Cabella's yesterday. (you can't find .715 round balls at Walmart, what up wid dat)?

My first shot was with 70 grains 2F black. Fired fine, just dropped like a rainbow. I tried 80 grains 2F and now we are talking! Very nice power, hit what I was "pointing" at. I just got to dope it in a bit better now. I am thrilled!

Them deer better be watching out for me!

Just thought I'd share.

Ian

I have to say that I've always wanted one of those things. Every time Cabela's sends out a new catalog, I drool when I see it. I've never been able to throw the money down that they want for them. I'd have to have the tricorn bayonette they sell with it (another 125 clams).

I must say though: DOPE??? That thing doesn't even have a sight... just a bayonett lug, if my memory serves me correctly. But that in no way detracts from their coolness.

From what i've read on them, they were the AKs of the 18th century. Rugged and reliable. Expend your ammo and you have a tricorn bayonette over 1 1/2 feet in length, dull it and you have a club that would make a caveman drool.

You need to post some pics of that smoke pole!!! (Preferably in action)

BTW, if you hit a white tail deer with that beast, you won't have to track it far (unless you are hunting for the pieces). :wink_smal

Festus, I want to cast my own. I had hoped I could pick up a mould at Dixon's yesterday when I was down there, but they didn't have one. I did pick up a Parker Hale pattern mould for my original PH made Enfield. Dixie may have one for the Bess.

Goodoleboy, There's always dope!!! Right patching material, right load, consistent grouping, figuring out how to "point" it... Always dope.

I'll try to get a pic up tomorrow.

Here she is. I wish the pictures were clearer.

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll134/IanMor_50_63/BrownBess1.jpg

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll134/IanMor_50_63/BrownBess2.jpg

Lookey there at that ole smokepole.

All ten feet of her!

Nice shooter, Ian!

Now that`s a boomstick!

If you hit a deer with a .715 round ball travelling at any velocity worth mentioning, you won't have any meat fit to eat left, just a hole in a deer you can drive your truck through!

Did you buy it as a tunneling machine?

(I kid, I kid, nice going!)


He will just have to take a basket or bag along to gather the pieces up:)Just think of it as a .715 BP tenderizer

Thanks for the nice comments, boys. I am quite fond of the old girl. It is quite a thunderstick. It is the first flintlock I have ever owned, so I am as giddy as a freshly fingered schoolgirl about it all. Quite a departure from my normal firearms.

Nice!

I like to see someone else using a old style muzzle loader. I think sometimes I am the last hunter in Michigan who still uses a Hawken rifle stoked with real black powder for muzzle loader season. All the "cheaters" I hunt with have switched to scoped in-lines with black powder substitute.

Scope inlines are the devil's work. I hate them with every fiber of my being.

We were out banging away today with the Bess, my .58 Hawkin and my 1858 Enfield. This Bess was putting them right in there consistently at 45 yards! Most impressive. It certainly held its own against the more evolved rifles.

I am in awe of BP guns. If I wasn't so afraid of having to fight the 2nd civil war soon, I could totaly go retro and leave smokless behind!

I hear ya IanMor there is just something about BP guns. I really think the "Cattleman's Carbine" in the Cabela's catalog would be a fun toy (I already have a Cabela's Rem 1858 pistol). The Kodiak Express Double rifle is pretty sweet to, I looked at one in a Cabela's store and was impressed with the way it handled. It was much lighter than I figured for a double barrel but it is an awful lot of money for a muzzle stuffer.