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looking for something kinda period correct in smoothbore ( musket ) 69-75 caliber?

4K views 40 replies 8 participants last post by  soundguy 
#1 ·
I'd like to get a smoothbore smoke pole.. maybee something like a brown bess, though that's just a first guess.

anyone making modern repro's of these?

For the 'fun factor' I think I'd like percussion cap, but I'm not against flinters, and I have a 'kentucky' long rifle flinter.

Anyone got sugestions where to look?

seen a few places that make non firing units that can be converted by drilling out flash holes.. but I'd rather have soemthing designed to be fired fromt he get go.

thanks
 
#2 ·
There are quite a few of them out there but they aren't cheap, unless you get one of those made in India repros, and then you get what you pay for.

Most factory made Besses are flinters, I haven't ever seen a brand new repro in percussion, but the old timers converted them so I suppose you could too with a little bit of work and the right parts.

If you want something that isn't a military style there are also several places that sell trade guns, fusil de chaises, and fowling pieces.
 
#3 ·
Only knew a couple of guys with the Brown Bess and French style muskets. None of them liked them at all - the accuracy was completely non-existent even at close range. With the same hold those smooth bores hit left - right - high - low - they just were not consistent in where the ball would fly. It would be cool to have one just for grins and giggles, but I'd think after a time or two out to the range you'd be so sick of 'almost hit the target' that you would end up letting it just hang on the wall.

If you wanted something from the same period, a Kentucky style at least has a rifled barrel and can hit a target out to 100 yards (and more). Good luck!
 
#5 ·
If you wanted something from the same period, a Kentucky style at least has a rifled barrel and can hit a target out to 100 yards (and more). Good luck!
My flinter rifle will easilly hit a gallon milk jug at the 100yrd line. I know that's not an awesome measurement of accuracy.. but.. it is what it is.

That's with using cotton patched, crisco lubed lead balls.
 
#4 ·
Personally I'd go with a 20 gauge (.62cal) fowler or a Virginia style smooth rifle if I ever do the smoothie thing.

Nature Mode of transport Brown Property Infrastructure


I just like that Southern styling and smooth rifles have rear sights, fowlers only have a front . ;)

A friend of mine has a 20 gauge trade gun and out to 50 yards it's amazingly accurate for not having any rifling or rear sights, passed 50 yards, not so much. I had to install a touch hole liner in it recently as it had eroded to the point that anyone standing on the wrong side of him on the firing line was getting peppered with sparks, but man it had a fast lock time!
 
#10 ·
So, smoothbore shooters, what say you?


I see .680 balls but nothing bigger, I assume cotton or paper patch?

Seen son guys saying they had .687 balls and ran unpatched, but I only see .680?

Opinions? also have seen recs of 60-70 ffg.
 
#16 ·
Ya, you gotta go with what you can get, I like 777 better than Pyrodex, Pyrodex seems to need a hotter spark to make it go boom, for me I had more slow or hang fires using it in sidelock guns, it worked well in my cap n ball revolvers but those are inline, the spark didn't have to make a hard 90 to get to the charge.
 
#18 ·
I didn't think you could actually get pyrodex to ignite in a flinter without a 4f priming charge in the pan and about 5 grains of black down bore before you load the main charge.
 
#20 · (Edited)
soundguy, if you are interested I just happen to have an RCBS 16 bore round ball mold I have no use for. I bought it new hoping to use it in one or more of my drillings or combination guns but it is simply too large for all my chokes and I AM NOT opening up any of them. Especially given their dismal performance with Brenneke slugs. Let me check the diameter as I believe I have some cast and lying on the bench.

Edit: I was wrong. The RB's I have cast are .600 for my 20 bore. I did look at the mold and it says .678. That sounds about right from what I remember.
 
#21 ·
It looks like a decent musket and should give you many years of service, enjoy! Interesting fix on the flint using Pyrodex, I suppose 75 % is better than not shooting it at all.
 
#24 ·
Black is listed as an explosive and the subs are listed as propellants, a lot of shops just don't want the hassle of dealing with it, we have to maintain it in a federally approved magazine, log all of it in or out and the logs and what's in the magazine had better be right when the feds come inspect it.
 
#26 ·
RS with the .680 and a .015 patch should work well but a .010 patch may work also. You may have to try different thicknesses to find what works best. The original service charge was 110 grains. Methinks 80 would be pretty weak. I'd start around 90 and go up from there. I use 90 in my .54 with a rifled barrel.
 
#27 ·
Thanks. I've used 80-110 in my rifle.

I'll experiment with patching, I have a few styles.

Shooting patched round balls in my rifle I used lubed patches, Crisco or bore butter.

Do these smoothbore use lubed patches as well?

Thanks
 
#28 ·
My 20 bore does. I really can't imagine shooting a patch without lube. I would think it would load as rough as trying to push a chain down a gravel road. Bore Butter/Wonder Lube should work fine, it's what I use most of the time.
 
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