Brown Bess: Fine Tuning the lock: Part 2 of Refurbishing a Brown Bess | FRONTIER LIFE | MUSKET |
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- Опубликовано: 30 ноя 2023
- Peter demonstrates how to refurbish the lock on a Pedersoli Brown Bess military musket.
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Featuring - Peter Kelly
Cinematography - Catherine Wolfe
Producer & Editor - Catherine Wolfe
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The amazing music in this episode is graciously provided by our friends, Richard Fortier and Al MacDonald.
#americanhistory #canadianhistory #1700s #pioneers #pioneer #muzzleloader #britishmilitary #reenacting #reenactors
This was wonderful ! Your production values are through the roof. I had to quit reenacting many years ago. Your channel lets me revisit those happy times.
Wow, thank you but, the credit goes to my wife Cathy with the production part. Appreciate your interest.
You explain things so well. I love your explanation/demonstration of how those notches work.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video Peter! Thank you as always.
My pleasure!
Great video once again. Excellent tutorial there. I'm definitely keeping this one handy as I'm sure my new (to me) Brown Bess Carbine lock could use some tuning. Thanks for posting info on the spring vise in the comments. I'll need to invest in one. Would be good to find a source of spare hardware for the Pedersoli as well. I seem to have problems with having small screws occasionally going off into a parallel universe somewhere when I disassemble things.
Most gunsmiths will have an assortment of screws but, things like springs usually need to be ordered from the manufacturer p, in your case, Italy. Stores that sell Pedorsoli will order parts but, usually not until they are ordering other items. I try to keep an assortment of all springs for all my flintlocks. I a pinch I can make one in the shop.
Excellent job as always Peter!! 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Thanks again Peter.
Our pleasure.
That was a lot of GREAT info about the lock! Thank you for sharing it!
Thanks for watching!
thank you for all the information, and for the quiet dignity of the video. It was a pleasure to watch
Glad you enjoyed it!
Good afternoon from Syracuse NY USA brother and everyone else thank you for sharing your live history videos
Thanks yet again, Earl.
Yes my friend
Another great video. I sat in my dinning room and watched the video, after making your receipt for bannock bread. Watched you refurbish your lock while eating bacon, bannock, and coffee. Couldn't think of a better combination of food, learning, and entertainment. Thank you for the work you and Cathy do. Merry Christmas.
Sounds like a lovely experience, we’ll at least the food part, lol. Thank you for the kind words and a Merry Christmas to you and your clan.
Now that's how you clean and setup a lock! Well done sir! And that shower of sparks makes me smile. Cheers Peter!
Thanks 👍Al. Coming from an ex sergeant, I musta done something right, lol.
I bought a Pedersoli Brown Bess at an Antique Arms show last Sunday. It was a reenactor gun, rusty and neglected. Great price,though. When I took the lock off, it was packed with some sort of red grease that had turned to a wax. After a complete disassembly and cleaning, It's a beautiful musket now, and a good sparker.
Good for you and I suspect it will give you years of service.
Damned fine spark!!
Fireworks!! 🎇🎇🎇
She is a shooter now!
@@TheWoodlandEscape Fantastic!
Peter, once again you’ve proved that you are a true craftsman! I wish I could be your apprentice and learn a WEE bit of your knowledge.
Thank you!!
Many thanks! If your ever in our neck of the woods, do drop in.
I see you are a talented mechanic also. Gunsmithing, love it. Soon you will be building flint lock rifles in your shop, or have you done that already? As always, I am very impressed by your energy and intelligence. A man once said that only accurate rifles are interesting. To me, only intelligent people are interesting. Sorry, the stupid ones can just be culled. Keep up the good work.
Jack of all trades master of none. Kinda like it that way. I’m actually working on a scratch build of a North West Trade Gun now.
Thank you so much. I foolishly took my lock apart and had no idea what to next!
Glad I could help!
Your not alone! 😂
16:25 for the time stamp of reassembly.
Peter, As an avid history lover, please look up the history of Fort Osage along the Missouri River near Sibley, Missouri, North of Independence, Missouri, (Kansas City Area). This site is located not far from us in SW Iowa (2 hours south). Very rich history, Established by William Clark (Of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) in 1808. It was one of 3 forts to help regulate the Newly acquired Louisiana Purchase The fort contained a trading post for trade and protection of the friendly Osage Indians in the area. It was visited by Daniel Boone in 1816 on one of his last hunting trips at age 82. Its history may give you some inspiration for Kelly Station, such as setting up a trading post. There are many sources on this Fort on the internet. Cheers.
I actually hoping to travel to Missouri next summer and I most certainly will be visiting Fort Osage. I know of the fort and it’s origins but, that’s where the knowledge stops.
Peter , that is an excellent video for newcomers to muzzle loading, it's funny but although I do not live amongst hostiles or grizzlies I'm always relieved when my gun is back together.
Not sure there aren’t a few hostile out there, John. Perhaps not the indigenous ones that come to mind. Thanks for your interest.
if school had only been this entertaining
Are school system and way of teaching needs to be revamped.
Thanks Mr and Mrs Kelly!!
Thanks for watching.
This was a fascinating installment. The guts of an old firearm and how and why and what of them, and the simplicity of the design intrigue me. Thank you for bringing us along on this bit of maintenance on an old-ish piece of history, even if it's a reproduction arm.
Glad you found it useful.
You have covered so much detail. And I bet it’s better than was new.
It is a pretty darn quick lock now.
Excellent video as always, my Pedersoli Brown Bess thanks
you and I thank you. Busy weekend we have a Christmas parade in Shepherdstown West Virginia I’m in the SAR General Adam, Stephen chapter colorguard and then this afternoon we have a open house at the General Adam STEPHEN house for our colonial Christmas, lots of fun!!
Hale Branch SAR in Connecticut Here, 7th CT Militia is our living History regiment (more of a detail since we don't have enough people to for a regiment or Company)
That sounds like a fun event … not much happens in living history in the winter and that is a pity.
SoOOOOoo many parts n' pieces and sooOOOooo many details 2 maintain. I wonder what 'first inspired' the creation of such a weapon...was it hunger, hate, protection? Something 'triggered' someone(s) somewhere. Need is one thing, but greed quite the other. I thank you 4 your time/talents shared, both Emperor and Empress Kelly. There's 'always' something to learn and my delight was in seeing you make sandpaper. Health and blessings dear ones! "An eye for and eye only ends up making the whole world blind." (Mahatma Gandhi). :)
We are getting closer to an entire species being blind. I try to remain the eternal optimist but, must admit it is getting harder.
Another great video! The lock as simple as it is, certainly makes or breaks a musket! I am glad you took it back apart and showed us the proper way to clean, fit, and lubricate one. I LOVE shooting my flintlock but pulling it apart that far has been intimidating. I feel like I can tackle it and speed the old gal up a bit. BTW, did you ever review last week's video to see what went flying? I rewatched it with my wife not telling her what to expect but she asked about it as well. She thought it was broken. It's obvious it wasn't a part of the musket, but something went flying! Thank you for taking the time to share!
Glad to have given you the confidence… a nice way to spend an evening by the fire tuning up your muskets. I strongly encourage you to buy a spring vice . LookupCallahan Bag Molds ,he makes a good one. I’ll have a look again at the unidentifiable flying object.
@@TheWoodlandEscape I will follow your recommendation sir. Thank You!
Another great video Peter and Cathy!
Thanks again!
Didn't wish you and yours a Merry Christmas. I'll rectify that right now. May you have a very very Merry Christmas and many many Happy New Years.
Thanks, Larry and the same to you and your clan.
Yes, amen to that. I learned by experience don’t overtighten the lock screws lol.
Right, that experience thing is out best educator.!
Perhaps there is High Technology; there is also complex technology. This project reveals vital steps in making and maintaining a major piece of Colonial Era technology. I am amazed by the large number of parts, filed parts, cast parts, screws; whatnot, that are necessary for this tool to function.
Indeed, a very complex piece of machinery for that era.
Nicely done.
Thanks for the visit
Howdy Peter
A lot of parts ..... I was looking and wondering how the parts were made back then ? Being a machinist , retired , I have made parts to the space shuttle and submarines used modern day machines . Those parts would definitely would have taken a long time.... And precision filing .
That was a big spark ! You would need safety googles ... or close your eyes .
Great piece Peter ... very interesting
The lock was indeed a complicated device in that era. While they were being mass produced in Europe, no two locks were exactly the same. Gunsmiths followed the armies to be able to make new parts as required and that is do to you say, precision filing. You couldn’t have a barrel full of main springs for example as they’d not necessarily the gun with a broken one.
enjoyed your video.What i also do to my locks .is to file or sand a fine radius on all the outside edges of all parts that might touch each other.note: emory was found as part of ships cargo on sunken centurys old ships in the med sea.
Great tip! Wow, Emory cloth … who would have thought, thanks for sharing.
Don't worry too much about funny grammar now and then, that's how our language has changed so much since the 18th century!
Love your videos and your production value and frequency of videos have skyrocketed lately, and gives me a good bit of entertainment and information while sitting around the fire in the evening this autumn and winter.
As a Canadian, I would love an old flintlock, plus they aren't considered a gun, currently, but rifles are a whole lot harder to find than smooth bores. Maybe one day! It's amazing that flintlocks went essentially unchanged for centuries, and were simply converted to a caplock for another hundred years before modern firearms really took over.
They are certainly old, old technology but, they worked and both fed and protected our ancestors.
Very enjoyable video, it is always nice to watch someone working on such things who is willing to share their expertise with others. A note on screw heads that have been damaged by an incorrect fitting screwdriver is to lightly peen the head of the screw a little, this is to help move the metal that has been displaced back into position before fixing the slot with a fine sawblade or a file. Take care and watch your top knot. "Don, from Montana"
You’d think a blacksmith would know know that. … its us simple and brilliant, thank you.
If you want the recommendation of a gunsmith, always put grease on the threads of any screw that goes in a gun. I always used Rust Inhibitive Grease (RIG) but any good grease will work. This keeps them from rusting in the threads, making them difficult if not impossible to remove.
I only use bear grease.
@@TheWoodlandEscape animal grease has some percentage of salt in it. Salt can cause rust. , especially in a corrosive environment like black powder which has sulphuric in it. Sulphuric plus humidity yields sulphuric acid.
@@johnclarke6647 never been a problem and it’s documented for the time period.
Good video! Excellent detail! I've never fully taken my locks down like that! But now I can! Thank you
Glad I could help!
Great video. Thanks for doing this.
Our pleasure … given how much we enjoy living in the 18th century, it’s not all that much work!
That was awesome, thank you so much for returning to this aspect of cleaning and tuning up so to speak of this fine weapon.
Thank you ..
My pleasure!
A true delight to watch your videos!
Glad you like them, very kind words, thank you.
Thank you for describing the process so thoroughly.
You are so welcome!
I took my lock apart to blue it .All those little parts were a little unnerving. I got it back together though.
An old timer gave me a pint of whale oil many years ago. It was so old the label was faded. I never used it and felt like a scoundrel for even owning it. Lately , I have been using it sparingly on the flintlock.
Nice tutorial Peter.
Frank
Well Frank you are using what they used, for sure and for certain!
Thank you Peter, I hope to make friends with one of those someday.
Let me know and I’ll see if I can find you one … for you the refurbishing is on the house.
Another top notch video! 🐾🙏🏻✌🏻
Glad you enjoyed it
Very interesting video. Thank you so much.
You are very welcome
Thanks for showing us how it's done!
My pleasure.
Thank you for this. It was very interesting and informative.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent tutorial !
Glad you liked it!
Very good, obviously a much improved firearm thanks to your expertise. The whole setting puts one right in the moment. Perhaps you could show us Novice how to burnish the Barrel sometime.
I will put that on my list, Roger, thanks for the idea.
Firearms and knife nut here. Thanks again for another amazing video and look forward to seeing the next one.
Thanks for your continued interest.
Very interesting. Seems so simple to look at and watch the interaction til one isn’t working just so, then to the lay person it’s 😵💫🤷♂️. Big Thanks from the ‘I just got’s to know-guy!’ ❤
It surprises me that more reenactors don’t delve into the workings of their musket … imagine a company in line having every musket fire, lol. Thanks for watching.
Just a little bit of maintenance goes a long way! We had a downpour minutes before a battle. Our guns fired volley after volley, the British fouled up and barely got a few shots off
@@joshuashope5488 it does indeed.
Top
Nice job, Peter
Thanks 👍
I got a Brown bess Smooth bore flint lock muzzleloader for Christmas
Oh my, what a grand thing to find under the tree.
Peter nice video you could see your breath when you first started LOL. I use petroleum jelly on my frizzen 😂 and yes they would have used if they had it 😮. Also what's there a piece of horse tack doing in your lock🤔 please tell us what it's there for. Tell Cathy I said hey, be safe out there. IIByrds
Hey Larry, you’ve lost me on the horse tack comment, not a glue what you’re talking about!
@@TheWoodlandEscape bridle?
A few comments here. The videography is superb, thank you Cathy. The tutorial is second to none.
I purchased 3 (circa 1850) black powder fowlers less than 100km from where you live. They have a back action lock which is very interesting. Would you know if there was a builder in your area around that time that used these locks?
I use 2000 grit sand paper to polish the lock parts, and use a fine gun oil as lube. Wouldn't have a clue where I could find bear oil. You seem to use a liberal amount of lube, how does it work in sub zero weather?
Thanks again for a great video.
The back action locks were actually used in the early stage of the invention on the percussion cap action, I believe around 1821. They quickly changed to having the main spring in front of the hammer. Don’t know why as it is a known fact that the spring behind the hammer was a faster action. I do no know of any builders in this part of the world but, it would not surprise me if there were. As to the bear oil, the cold doesn’t seem to have any negative effect on its operation in really cold. This oil was rendered 4 times, just like the viscosity of sewing machine oil.
Beautiful work Peter! Any plan to build a lock from scratch?
Not yet but, if you want to partner up it might be doable! I lack your expertise, sir!
Well I was planning on stopping by but my trip up here got cut short. Maybe next time!
I look forward to it , Rob.
This is my second time visiting your Brown Bess series. Your wisdom would help with the following. I have recently purchased an Indian Trade Gun. The lock, stamped Wilson 1826, was changed to a percussion lock. If I were to refurbish the gun in the same manor as what you did with the Brown Bess would it affect the value or would it be better to leave it in it's antique state? I will be cleaning up the interior parts of the lock. Two of my antique (circa 1830) are shooters, and I would like to think that this one could be a shooter as well.
It mostly definitely nock the value way down to a collector. Collectors will pay much more for an original non working item than a working refurbished one. Man you’re lucky to have such a collection… a wee bit of gun envy here, lol.
Hola Peter,
this was a wonderful and perfekt tutorial. Even I am more than 30 years now in this "hobby", or better said way of live, I've learned here again something important new.
The camera was absolutely 👏🏼 too.
I like your videos so much and this is the first one that I wrote a comment, but the thumb is always up.
On my little channel I've a three or for videos about our Reenactment live with my wife in different epochs.
Thanks so much again 👌🏻.
Best wishes from the 🌞🏝.
Michael
P.s.: I've forgotten one question please. We live en Europe/Spain and we can't get bear fat here so we use olive oil. What do you think about it because of the authenticity?
Thank you and could you send me a link to your channel?
Appreciate your efforts and dedication! When installing the flint was that lead you used to help hold it? I have seen this before. You didn't mention this and I know a lot of people use leather. I would be interested in your thoughts on the subject. As to which you prefer and which is more historically accurate. Thanks again and keep your powder dry!
Both are historically correct. I use both but, on the bigger locks requiring 1” flints I find lead works best. Lead ones were quickly made in the field by simply taking a ball and with one’s belt axe, flatten it on a rock. Watch yer top knot!
I have already written to you several times, but this program is great. You are not an ordinary reenactor, but a genius of this era. I have a little question for you: how many meters long and wide is your log cabin? And one more thing, what kind of wood does Ban use to build the block and the blacksmith workshop? You're great
I am very flattered, thank you. I used limestone all harvested from the huge pioneer fence rows they build while clearing fields for agriculture.
That's a really great video. You really did an excellent job of explaining a flintlock. There's only two points That I'd like to mention. Early on you say that there weren't many one screw lock/side plate combinations. You are overlooking the new fangled caplocks (I don't figure they'll catch on) which tend to be one screw only. The only other point would be for someone new to flintlocks is the need to wrap your flint in either lead or leather to give the cock jaw a firmer grip on the flint.
I live in 1750’s so that new lock you speak of hasn’t been invented, lol. You bring up some good points about sandwiching the flint.
I would love to see you do this to a Charleville lock. I have read that the Charleville lock was superior to the Brown Bess lock. Although I did enjoy this video very much.
I’ve never actually had one apart. As to being better, perhaps historically they were but, the modern made one I would think are pretty comparable.
On all the flintlocks I build, I always pulverize TUMS and heat the screw heads cherry red and dip them in it the TUMS. keep heating them and the quench.
Well sir, that is interesting… what the heck does the thumbs do?
It case hardens it just like KASENIT.@@TheWoodlandEscape
Dad always put coarse lapping compound on his screwdriver blade to spot it from slipping on a hard to remove screw. 45 years ago had I seen this video I would not have traded my flint lock for an old pick up truck.
That’s funny. I’ve made a few trades in my past that I too regret, lol.
I find that flints between 3/4” to about 7/8” work best in my Pedersoli bess
I like the 7/8” one my self, I find I get a few more shots.
❤😊😊
I have but one question. How does one harvest bear oil? I can’t imagine the bear being very happy to oblige. Lol. Nice work as always. Always enjoy spending time watching your videos. Takes me to a place and time I enjoy being at.
The first step is to harvest the bear, remove the fat and over a slow heat render it down to a liquid, strain and let cool. It turns into a pure off white paste the consistency of butter. Store in clean masonry jars. It will last for years. Glad you enjoy stepping back in time with us.
I try to ask as politely as possible and tread lightly. Usually the ‘no’ sounds like rapid wood knocks. Move on to the next.😊
did they have ready made flints back then ?
They did indeed, ledgers show flints coming from Europe by the thousands and thousands. They did also knap their own, but store bought ones were cheap and readily available.
I have a question, maybe I missed a video in the past but do you make your powder or do you just use a black powder. Great video
I have but, can never get the quick ignition of the factory made stuff.
Good morning. I can understand the ignition issue. I was just curious as to if you had a video of you making your powder. Have a great day
Is there any danger from bears where your homestead is located? Or how about wolves?
Well, we do have lots of bears but, I’ve never felt threatened by time. We have lots of coyotes and the occasional cross between wolves and coyotes.
Peter, I've used a 54 Leman trade rifle, in percussion, that I built and have used for years. Now I'm trying to put together my first flinter in a Southern poor boy style out of parts I've picked up here and there, good parts but I'm having to make adjustments. I'm not intending to use a vent liner at this time but would like to leave enough room forward of the breech plug so that I might fit one in later. What is the usual width of the vent liner threading into the barrel? If I could figure that I'd drill my 1 sixteenth hole leaving enough on each side for a later vent liner, should I need it. Any advice would be appreciated. By the way, I bet that old musket could be depended on now. I once read that one of Boones fellow long hunters carried a bess and after charging it with powder liked to stuff snakes over the charge before pulling the trigger. I do believe a flying rattlesnake might cause some consternation on the receiving end, hit or miss.
I personally think vent liners unnecessary. There are a number of sizes available and a common one would be 1/4 -28 thread. Regardless of the size you choice the position of the vent hole itself does not change. If when installing a vent liner and you find it interferes with the breech plug simply use a round file to put an angled cone if you would the top surface . Make sure you file this in the proper location by marking it with on the side of the breech plug with it properly centered and seated in the barrel.
@@TheWoodlandEscape I will center the sixteenth hole a shade over 1 sixteenth ahead of the breech plug. Does that sound about right? Thanks for the advice.
That should work.
I know flints are all different, but on average, how many shots would you get before it would have to be re-napped, or replaced?
And do you use real imported flint, or chert from around?
I use both English and French flints. The French ones most certainly give the best spark but, dull quickly and chip. Good English ones are my go to. As to how many, well, a flint has as many characteristics as people. I’ve had ones with occasional knapping that gave me upwards of 40 to 50 shots.
@@TheWoodlandEscape Thanks. It was an interesting video. They seem to be more complicated than I thought. Certainly more complex than my 130yr old SxS trigger. 🙂
How many years have you spent learning and working on these guns?
Been shooting flintlocks for about 40 years. I’m old, lol.
this is a Skill I do Not Have YET? I do DIY case hardning on my frizzens, and my own bluing, DIY butters and oils, for leathers or metals, have made springs, and repurposed a few. got the polising down, I need the Spring ratios! "I Think?" for Better reliability and speed
With those skills under your belt you could definitely do scratch builds.
1st at 11 yrs old in 76? Still looks GREAT and Runs Great! puck and corn too! Hook Line and Sinker!
Still could be better with Locks! and BP Speeds! and consistency? Chasing the Dragon!
Keep Your Smoke Poles Smoking!
@@TheWoodlandEscape
"Promo sm" 😻
Having corresponds with you for some time. Took my woods runner when elk hunting in eastern Oregon you got a real really nice 5 x5 and my black bear well of a brown color. How do you render bear fat down to that fine oil. You have. What is used to stran it.
Congratulations, Larry, awesome hunt I suspect. Heat it slowly in a pot over coals, skim off the fat, let cool and repeat. I store mine in masonry jars. To get bear oil you simply render it over and over again … 3 to 5 times. Hope that helps.
Ive always been told not to hunt critters around you living space... because you'll drive them away but man when you have a herd of whitetails bouncing around..... it most be hard not to pop a couple of them 😂😂😂😂
We are blessed with an abundance that’s for sure and for certain!