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Sunday, 18 July 2010

The Brown Bess Musket.

The Brown Bess musket must be one of the strongest and most reliable arms ever made. At .75 calibre it does a lot of damage, and there is little chance of ever losing any game. This musket will take anything from buffalo to rabbits, it will shoot buck & ball, or buckshot, or birdshot, making it very versatile. The lock of course can also be used to make fire.
The long land patter Brown Bess came into use in 1722 I believe and remained in use with the British army right into the 19th century.

The short land pattern Brown Bess appeard about 1740.
The Brown Bess musket was used by civilians as well as military, and the woodland Indians captured many of them for their own use. Some of the long land pattern muskets had their barrels cut short by some Indians and white colonials.

BROWN BESS INFO.



Furniture (fittings) Brass


Caliber of bore .75 (.75 inch)


Caliber of projectile .71 (.71 inch)


Projectile One ounce lead ball


Theoretical maximum range 250 yards


Effective maximum range (100 round volley) 150 - 200 yards


Effective maximum range (Single round) 100 - 150 yards


Favored range Less than 100 yards


Weight 9lbs 11 oz


Optimum effect at 30 yards Will penetrate 3/8" of iron or 5 inches of oak


Rate of fire (Optimum) 4 - 5 rounds per minute


Rate of fire (actual) 2 - 3 rounds per minute


 
In the above video it shows the use of a paper cartridge, which the military and the militia favoured because it made loading faster. However, if you do use a paper cartridge yourself, DO NOT prime the pan first as shown in this video. Use your powder horn to prime the pan after the arm has been loaded.
at

5 comments:

  1. Unknown5 April 2016 at 14:50

    I my quest to period correct, I have found reading as much historical texts as i could find, I think the video is incorrect in that the cartridge was NOT turned upside down but pushed into the barrel paper end first to form a sabot around the under sized ball to reduce the barrel windage !!

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  2. Keith5 April 2016 at 16:01

    You could be right Dave, though I think the paper would simply compact below the ball & not wrap around the ball. It would act as wadding though between the ball & powder.
    By turning the cartridge upside down, you would then compact the paper over the ball which would better hold it in place. As I see it, 6 of one & half dozen of the other. Either way would work if shooting immediately after loading, but if you were carrying the musket any distance, placing the cartridge in upside down would be a safer option, helping to stop movement of the ball toward the muzzle.
    Keith.

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    Replies
    1. Unknown6 April 2016 at 14:45

      Hmm. Interesting perspective. I'd always assumed paper end first to serve as wadding. Hadn't ever considered your theory of paper on top to hold everything in place. Definitely worth considering.

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  3. Unknown7 April 2016 at 02:10

    I guess as long as it hits the mark !! I have found though, for some reason, the paper doesn't leave the ball in flight if loaded ball first,especially if tied with string. So it may wobble the ball so to speak ??? don't know. But I have fired ball both ways and always find my paper if loaded paper end first. I want the paper to leave the ball as fast as possible once leaving the muzzel end serving only to seal and steady the ball down the barrel. I think I will expeariment so more with this in the coming weeks and let you know what I see.

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  4. Keith7 April 2016 at 13:58

    I had not thought of that Dave. If you are correct, then your point is valid. Let me know how you go with those tests, & thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated.
    PS. There are a couple of articles on my blog that show some original cartridges with no ties. I have not used cartridges for ages, but I don't recall tieing mine either.
    Regards, Keith.
    http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/search?q=paper+cartridges

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