Brown bess dor migratory bird hunt

Big_red_truck

Big_red_truck

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Labrador , the big land
Following my last thread i've decided to pirchase a brown bess grom pedersoli to use for ducks and geese hunting. I'll be using bismuth or nice shot. From the research i've dome online it seems a few people have been successfully hunting migratory birds with one. If anyone has any final advice before i make the purchase i'm all ears.

*darn i jist noticed the title in my title ... oh well it's the internet after all
 
It should work just fine but remember it is only a cylinder choke so test your pattern density on paper or cardboard to determine your maximum effective range which will likely be about 30 yds. Your Bess is 75 caliber so almost 10 ga and you should easily handle 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz of shot with an equal VOLUME of Fg or FFg black powder. If you haven't bought bismuth shot recently then get ready for a shock: a 7 lb canister sells for $200 in these parts and I doubt it is cheaper anywhere. That's about 75 of 1 1/2oz loads or close to $2.65 per shot just for the pellets! Regardless, it should be a blast...
 
Ol' Flinter said:
It should work just fine but remember it is only a cylinder choke so test your pattern density on paper or cardboard to determine your maximum effective range which will likely be about 30 yds. Your Bess is 75 caliber so almost 10 ga and you should easily handle 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz of shot with an equal VOLUME of Fg or FFg black powder. If you haven't bought bismuth shot recently then get ready for a shock: a 7 lb canister sells for $200 in these parts and I doubt it is cheaper anywhere. That's about 75 of 1 1/2oz loads or close to $2.65 per shot just for the pellets! Regardless, it should be a blast...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. Wow 200$ for 7lbs. How about nice shot?
 
Ol' Flinter said:
It should work just fine but remember it is only a cylinder choke so test your pattern density on paper or cardboard to determine your maximum effective range which will likely be about 30 yds. Your Bess is 75 caliber so almost 10 ga and you should easily handle 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz of shot with an equal VOLUME of Fg or FFg black powder. If you haven't bought bismuth shot recently then get ready for a shock: a 7 lb canister sells for $200 in these parts and I doubt it is cheaper anywhere. That's about 75 of 1 1/2oz loads or close to $2.65 per shot just for the pellets! Regardless, it should be a blast...
Click to expand...

Where do you buy that shot? I have a heck of a time finding it in any volume.
 
I've hunted birds with different muzzleloading smoothbores, cap and flint. Keep in mind that a cylinder bore gun will have reduced range.
There is a process called jug choking. The bore is enlarged back from the muzzle, thereby creating a constriction as the load reaches the muzzle. A musket barrel should have enough wall thickness to permit this to be done.
A large musket lock may have slower ignition than a smaller sporting lock. This doesn't make wingshooting any easier. There are touch hole liners that can speed up ignition.
 
Big_red_truck said:
What kind of luck and range do you have?
Click to expand...

Havent even tried shooting shot yet. I have all the gear. But havent bothered implementing it yet since its been so dry. My plan is to use my cartridge box to hold preloaded quick charges. the Quick charge will be made from brass .75 ID tubes, rolled in on one end, cork in the other. Loaded with FFg powder, then an 11ga lubed cushion wad with undershot card glued to it, then #5 or #6 lead shot, then a over shot card/wad.

Hopefully the plan works.
 
ComradeVlad said:
Havent even tried shooting shot yet. I have all the gear. But havent bothered implementing it yet since its been so dry. My plan is to use my cartridge box to hold preloaded quick charges. the Quick charge will be made from brass .75 ID tubes, rolled in on one end, cork in the other. Loaded with FFg powder, then an 11ga lubed cushion wad with undershot card glued to it, then #5 or #6 lead shot, then a over shot card/wad.

Hopefully the plan works.
Click to expand...

I always tried to figure out how to make a paper cartridge. I never understood how one would ram everyrhing down the barrel maintaining the layers .I was going to make a paper cartridge of powder only then maybe make some paper or cardboard shot tubed pre-filled with shot. I have read where someone would pre load their shot in cut up pieces of pantie hoes. I could also see this perhaps improving shot pattern. Just drop the small sac of shot wrapped in pantie hoe then ram an over shot card over the works of it. There is so little infprmation on smooth bore shot loads. There's so much to experience with. I'm certain with a bit of ingenuity and experimenting i can get my 40-50 yards from the cyl bore
 
Yah I could see the pantie hose or a closed paper cartridge maybe keeping the shot together longer.

For upland ive been hunting for years with a full choke. Started realizing my pattern was waaay to tight for the close ranges I was engaging pheasants at. So with the added size, volume, barrel length and cylinder bore of the Bess, im almost expecting to hip shoot the close birds lol


As for info I noticed the same thing.... all the avid BP bird hunters seem to use dedicated BP shotguns.
 
The guy is using only a 20ga in the video...... but it gives us an idea. Not sure though as to whether or not the 11ga bore of the Bess will serve better or worse.

 
you might try making up tubular packets of shot with a melted soft wax poured in to keep the shot together for the first little bit. Important that the wax is fairly soft so that the charge can break apart a short distance from the gun. Try a variety of mixtures of lard and beeswax to see what gives the best pattern at 40 yards. Probably have to use different mixtures depending on the temperature of the day

cheers mooncoon
 
I think that paraffin by itself would be to hard and not release the shot. You could try mixing paraffin with lard or perhaps Crisco in different ratios and patterning it

cheers mooncoon
 
I have hunted birds both migratory and upland with my muzzle loading shotguns.
Cylinder bore works good over the decoys.
I just pre-measure my charges in little plastic bottles, but also use my pouch and horn at times.
Don't overthink the choke thing, bring them in over the decoys ( 20 yards max) , lead for the head for a target and they will go down.

Same as pheasants, my main cartridge bird gun has only 26" barrels and is cylinder/cylinder, and I have also used it for geese.
Cat
 
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