Firing a brown bess musket.

[IPSC_DRL]

My new obsession. Musket firing

My father won this flintlock in a raffle back in 1976. It hung over his fireplace for about thirty years and then he gave it to me. I fired it for the first time this week.

I did some research and got together all of the "stuff" needed to get this gal firing. I'm still short on balls but am going to order some. (insert your own joke here)

I need to practice the drill and get a bunch more flints. Woo hooo! What fun.

Those are blank loads utilizing traditional paper "cartridges" that I rolled myself with 3FG black powder. You can not use Pyrodex or other BP substitutes with a flintlock since they have too high of a burn temperature.

 

[JohnFH]

Be careful, black powder is really addicting and they multiply with out warning.

 

[Pilgrim]

you left the ramrod on the ground.

 

[Rockrivr1]

Excellent! I bought a Brown Bess in the group buy last year and she's a lot of fun to shoot. I haven't wrapped my powder and ball yet like you did. Still doing it the "old fashioned" way. Measure, dump, patch, ball, ram. Slowwwwwww!

Were you aiming at anything when you were shooting? If so, how was your group?

 

[IPSC_DRL]

you left the ramrod on the ground.

Excellent! I bought a Brown Bess in the group buy last year and she's a lot of fun to shoot. I haven't wrapped my powder and ball yet like you did. Still doing it the "old fashioned" way. Measure, dump, patch, ball, ram. Slowwwwwww!

Were you aiming at anything when you were shooting? If so, how was your group?

I picked the ramord up as soon as I turned off the camera.

Troy, as the post says, these were blank loads, no ball, just powder and three sheets of toilet paper for wadding. I was just seeing how quickly I could get off three rounds after seeing a video of a reenactor in a timed event doing it in 43 seconds. I'm certain I can at least match that with a little practice. The real key is having a good sharp flint to start with that will give you several reliable shots.
As I said, I need to practice the drill so that I do everything smoothly and don't "throw a rod" or have a "flash in the pan".

 

[namedpipes]

I haven't shot BP, so maybe this is how it is done, but...

It looked like you were cocking the hammer/flint before loading the charge. If something had jarred the musket while you were ramming, the flint might have struck and that ramrod might have gone a little further than 4 feet...

If that *IS* the way it is done, never mind. It doesn't look right to me though.

 

[JonJ]

I haven't shot BP, so maybe this is how it is done, but...

It looked like you were cocking the hammer/flint before loading the charge. If something had jarred the musket while you were ramming, the flint might have struck and that ramrod might have gone a little further than 4 feet...

If that *IS* the way it is done, never mind. It doesn't look right to me though.

What you saw was him closing the frizzen. He cocked the hammer when he shouldered it.

 

[namedpipes]

What you saw was him closing the frizzen. He cocked the hammer when he shouldered it.

OK - I see something happening when he brings it to the shoulder. I stand corrected (and relieved!).

 

[jdubois]

I picked the ramord up as soon as I turned off the camera.

Was that a steel ramrod? I'm too afraid of causing a spark to use the steel ramrod on my Bess. I've got a separate brass one I use instead.

 

[IPSC_DRL]

Yep, original steel ramrod.

I haven't shot BP, so maybe this is how it is done, but...

It looked like you were cocking the hammer/flint before loading the charge. If something had jarred the musket while you were ramming, the flint might have struck and that ramrod might have gone a little further than 4 feet...

If that *IS* the way it is done, never mind. It doesn't look right to me though.

You HAVE to pull the hammer back to the half cock notch in order to close the frizzen once the pan is charged. You can pull the trigger or jar the rifle all day and it will not drop the hammer. I tried before loading it.
Once the main charge is rammed home, I pull the hammer all the way back in order to fire.

I made a flue pick for the touch hole and you can see me clearing it before the firing sequence. A common problem people sometimes have with "flash in the pan" failures is due to too much powder in the pan blocking the touch hole. The powder doesn't burn into the hole, it's the air burst of flame that ignites the main charge.

 

[MAPMFF.]

Gotta love the Brown Bess, I did 3 years of Rev War reenacting and they certainly are a blast to fire, both just w/ blanks and actually firing ball. My unit takes part in the Lexington Green battle reenactment each Patriots Day, some of us would get larger cartridges for a better effect, nothing like a double load down the tube!

 

[gerrycaruso]

I think you can use a blackpowder substitute for the main charge but you should be using 4f to prime in any case. I only use real blackpowder. I think the correct granulation for such a large bore is FFG. Be careful with real black powder. It can be set off by static electricity and by concussion.

 

[Mr. Flintlock]

Have you ever heard the term, "Going off Half Cocked"?

I know that the 18th century manual of arms says to prime the pan before you put the charge down the barrel but in my opinion, you take your life into your hands by doing it.

 

[Wildweasel]

Just NEVER use the palm of you hand to ram the rod. (use your fingers wrapped around it.)
a friend was shooting blanks and there was still a hot ember in the barrel he put in the load tamped it with the hand over the rod and WAM shot the rod right into his palm.

 

[Rockrivr1]

I picked the ramord up as soon as I turned off the camera.

Troy, as the post says, these were blank loads, no ball, just powder and three sheets of toilet paper for wadding. I was just seeing how quickly I could get off three rounds after seeing a video of a reenactor in a timed event doing it in 43 seconds. I'm certain I can at least match that with a little practice. The real key is having a good sharp flint to start with that will give you several reliable shots.
As I said, I need to practice the drill so that I do everything smoothly and don't "throw a rod" or have a "flash in the pan".

See what happens when you don't read a thread full through before you post!

 

[Fixxah]

If you have a mold I will cast a bunch of projectiles for you. I have hundreds of lbs. of plumbers lead. It'll cost you a cup of coffee.

 

[95thFoot]

Was that a steel ramrod? I'm too afraid of causing a spark to use the steel ramrod on my Bess. I've got a separate brass one I use instead.

Urban legend. Won't happen.

 

[95thFoot]

Have you ever heard the term, "Going off Half Cocked"?

I know that the 18th century manual of arms says to prime the pan before you put the charge down the barrel but in my opinion, you take your life into your hands by doing it.

As did just about all manuals of arms back then. A gun goes off at the half-cock if the gun is worn or poorly maintained. When in doubt, put a hammer-stall on the hammer (Oops- that's leather "frizzen cover" on the "frizzen"), and, heaven forbid, should the cock (what folks nowadays call a "hammer") fall forward, the flint will strike leather instead of steel.

Do it as they did back then, you'll be OK. They respected these firearms, they did not fear them, since they were quite experienced in their use. Live in fear of the gun, bad things will happen.

 

[ArmedMainer]

If you have a mold I will cast a bunch of projectiles for you. I have hundreds of lbs. of plumbers lead. It'll cost you a cup of coffee.

If you ever need a .54 mold you know someone who has two of them.

 

[95thFoot]

Just NEVER use the palm of you hand to ram the rod. (use your fingers wrapped around it.)
a friend was shooting blanks and there was still a hot ember in the barrel he put in the load tamped it with the hand over the rod and WAM shot the rod right into his palm.

Don't even wrap your fingers around it when ramming down. Use the butt of the hand, the fleshy part, backhanded. Then, backhanded, withdraw the rammer using the tips of the fingers and the thumb. Spin it around like a baton when it exits the barrel, then return the ramrod into the thimbles ("pipes", nowadays), and push it in again, with the butt of the hand, backhanded.

 

[95thFoot]

I think you can use a blackpowder substitute for the main charge but you should be using 4f to prime in any case. I only use real blackpowder. I think the correct granulation for such a large bore is FFG. Be careful with real black powder. It can be set off by static electricity and by concussion.

.75 cal flintlock muskets used Fg. I wouldn't bother using fine priming powder- the uneven seal of many pan covers for such large muskets means that FFFFg priming would just fall out when loading. Use the same powder to prime, as you would to fire it. All things being equal, if your musket is well-tuned, ignition should be instantaneous, even with large grained powder. If your gun goes click-swish-boom, something's wrong.

ETA: What kind of BP subsitute do you mean? Pyrodex does not work in flintlocks unless black powder is mixed in. NOT RECOMMENDED! UNSAFE!

 

[95thFoot]

Gotta love the Brown Bess, I did 3 years of Rev War reenacting and they certainly are a blast to fire, both just w/ blanks and actually firing ball. My unit takes part in the Lexington Green battle reenactment each Patriots Day, some of us would get larger cartridges for a better effect, nothing like a double load down the tube!

Nice.

I'm one of the Redcoats on the other side on the Green. We bust our asses to make sure nothing bad happens to anybody out there. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but putting more than 120 grains of 2f or3 f powder down the barrel will really f*** somebody up bad if it goes in the wrong direction.

Does Alex Cain or Jim Roberts know you're doing that?

 

[MAPMFF.]

Nice.

I'm one of the Redcoats on the other side on the Green. We bust our asses to make sure nothing bad happens to anybody out there. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but putting more than 120 grains of 2f or3 f powder down the barrel will really f*** somebody up bad if it goes in the wrong direction.

Does Alex Cain or Jim Roberts know you're doing that?

Yes, it has been done for ever as far as I know there are only 4 rounds of that issued to only 2 select people who are tasked to "kill" "Mr. Harrington". And throughout the rehersal and actual event it has been rehearsed many a time to ensure safety. (it is coordinated with the Lexington Minute Men and as far as I know they are fully aware of it) I am/was/sorta still with the 10th Regt. Grenadier Co'y. The loads may not actually be double loads but they are bigger than the standard. And I completely agree, the Green event is one that, well you know how nuts it gets out there.

 

[95thFoot]

Yes, it has been done for ever as far as I know there are only 4 rounds of that issued to only 2 select people who are tasked to "kill" "Mr. Harrington". And throughout the rehersal and actual event it has been rehearsed many a time to ensure safety. (it is coordinated with the Lexington Minute Men and as far as I know they are fully aware of it) I am/was/sorta still with the 10th Regt. Grenadier Co'y. The loads may not actually be double loads but they are bigger than the standard. And I completely agree, the Green event is one that, well you know how nuts it gets out there.

Sorry, I can't believe Paul O'Shaughnessy, head of the 10th, would ever allow that. I can't believe Ed Scull, sgt. of the 10th's Grenadiers, would either. Both are very safety-conscious individuals. I've known a lot of folks in the 10th for years, I've never heard of such a thing. The only thing out of the ordinary allowed on Lex. Green is bayonets fixed, but only with a LOT of rehearsal. One guy fron the 10th is allowed to pretend to bayonet a member of the Lexington Training Band, and that's it.

Firing "big" black powder rounds at a reenactment, esp. in this crazy state, is an invitation to a lawsuit, just from the loudness factor alone. One such lawsuit in Concord is winding its way through the courts now....