Hunting with a Brown Bess Musket?

Question

Can i do hunting with a Brown Bess Musket?

For example can i shoot deers dead with it?

Cheers

Josey

Answer 1

You could, but they are so inaccurate you would have better luck with a rock.

Answer 2

The Brown Bess has plenty of power for killing a deer.  The problem with it is that it has a smooth bore.  A smooth bore lacks the accuracy to kill a deer much beyond 50 yards max.  However, if you will not attempt to shoot a deer that is over 50 yards from you, the Brown Bess will do the job.  

I'm sure that someone will tell you about how people have hit targets at long ranges with a Brown Bess but what they cannot tell you, because it is not true, is that anyone had consistantly hit a target at long range with the Brown Bess.  If someone hits a 10 inch circle at 100 yards with a Brown Bess, it is pure luck and they cannot repeat the feat three or more times in a row.  A smooth bore is just not that accurate.  The heart/lung killing zone of a deer is only about 10 inches in diameter so any gun that you use must be capable of hitting a 10 inch circle.  To do that consistantly with a Brown Bess, you have to keep your target within 50 yards.

Answer 3

I have done it, So I highly recommend it. I also HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend that you listen to the people that have posted before me. My shot was right about 75 yard and I had practiced at this distance enough to know it was an questionable shot. In hind sight I would not have taken the chance, but I did and I was very lucky. I hit him in the spine and broke his back. I was aiming at the heart lung area. I will never take a chance like that again. Because I want to be an ethical hunter, part of that is knowing when to say when or in other words to know you and your equipment's limits. My poor excuse was a nice 10 pointer and youth. I hope this helps.

Answer 4

If you use a full load, this musket is very powerful. It lacks accuracy and range though. Muskets are smoothbores, so you may not be able to hit the kill zone of a deer at 100 yards. Test your own musket to see how it does at various ranges. Some shoot well at 100 yards, but some don't.

Answer 5

Can i do hunting with a Brown Bess Musket? YES YOU CAN

For example can i shoot deers dead with it? IF YOU HIT THE DEER IN THE VITALS IT WILL DROP DEAD ON THE SPOT.

The question is my friend; Can you hit the deer in the vitals?

I would offer this: if you can hit a basket ball twice in a row at 50 yards with a Brown Bess, I'll take you hunting and I'll use my slightly more modern 1853 Enfield, 3 band, 58 caliber rifled musket.

Answer 6

Lots of scholarly answers, but freecc got to the point.

Being a smoothbore , maybe a heavy load of buckshot up close?

If  the deer had made rude gestures at your mother , might consider bashing it over the head w/ the bess.... much better chance of making a kill than any long range shot.

The brown bess was used for volley fire in the early version of spray & pray.

Would not want to be the one to catch a lucky shot though

Best regards