It is minute of deer accurate. out to 75 yards

EXCELLENT

By looking at the damage to the deer's upper leg bone all the surgeon would have to do if a soldier got hit in the arm would be to use a knife to finish cutting it off. No saw needed

Bob

The Pedersoli Bess always has good reviews so I thought I'd go that route after selling my Jackie Brown Carolina smoothbore. I do miss the lightness of it though. This Bess weighs 9-1/2 pounds.

Bob

I've settled on 100 grains of 2f. The patching I use is the thinner brown or red striped .015 ticking from Wal-Mart. For some reason it seems to do better in this gun than the thicker blue striped.018 size, but I wouldn't swear to it. The wall mart ticking hasn't done well for me in my rifles but it is holding up good in this smoothbore.I've been lubing the patch with Track of the Wolf Mink Oil.

I also load the ball between two lubed fiber wads that I believe is just as accurate. This is the most accurate smoothbore I've owned. It will shoot grapefruit sized groups at 50 yards to the point of aim if I hold correctly.

I use a Lyman .715 ball. 7/8ths black English flint. I put a non removable touch hole liner in and right now it has a 5/64ths hole but I might open it up a smidgen. I didn't like the hole they had as it had a long fuse effect. The liner put the main charge much closer to the pan. Usually people just open up the touch hole on these Bess guns. My goal is to make this a 75 yard gun with more load testing and practice. Probably just more shooting practice with cheek weld consistency. I'll use it this next year at N.M.L.R.A smoothbore competition at the Territorial matches.

Bob

Here is the breast of the beast in the pan half eaten. I always take some seasoned flour and a meat mallet and a cutting board and butter. Usually I have a flattened and tenderized grouse breast sandwich with tomato for lunch if I'm successful. One grouse feeds two guys a nice sandwich each.