Brown bess experience?

[quietmike]

I'm looking at getting a shortened version of a Brown Bess called a ship's carbine.
Admittedly I have no need for it except that it will be a blast to shoot.

Anyone have any experience with a brown bess either full size or shortened?
Especially looking for buck and ball loads or full shotgun type loads.

[DaveS]

I don't own one but have shot a friends. They are a blast to shoot!

 

Dave

[1gewehr]

I have an older Pedersoli Bess with MANY ball and blank loads through it!  Use a .715 ball patched with the cartridge paper in front of 100gr of FFg for a reasonable facsimile of the original British load.  British cartridges were 120gr, but the first 20gr was used to prime the pan.

Modern muskets are reasonably accurate with that load.  Hitting a man-size silhouette is pretty easy with practice.

 

I would imagine that a reduced load was used for the 'carbine'.

 

Buck & Ball is definitely a short-range load.  I've never gotten a load that was worth shooting past about 30 yards.  The original British load works well on deer out to 100 yards, BTW.  Past 100 yards, accuracy and velocity decrease rapidly.