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These threads are interesting. Seems like, when they take a negative spin, folks really pile on. I own an India-made 3rd model Bess; my son has a !st model. Both, with some small tweaking, are reliable firearms. Yes, they are oversize but that's not uncommon in the repro world. As an example - I...

Although called .45 caliber they are in fact .44 caliber barrels, usually a .429 or a .433 ball is a good fit. I own one; the second of two I've had in my lifetime. Both had .44 caliber barrels with a 1 in 48 twist. Wishing you well with this sale.

You did fine. Sorry to hear about that gun store. Unfortunately, that is all too common these days.

About that Bess with the cut rammer - why not just thread it to 10-32 and not need any adapter at all?

Since a new drum and nipple is out, I'd definitely heat and bend that hammer. It will only take a tiny bit of bending to cure the problem and I'm sure that can be done safely. As I look at the inletting for the lock, in my opinion WAY too much wood was removed from the mortice to allow any more...

Here's a thought - Since it's a drum & nipple setup, why not just buy another drum blank from someone like Track of the Wolf and install a nipple where it'll work properly?

The barrel is secured with pins that actually pass through the bottom of the barrel - those holes had to be drilled using a jig of some kind. No dovetailed anything. No stock keys.

Your rifle, recognized from the full length picture posted, is a Hopkins & Allen Minuteman. I own one, that's why I earlier asked you to show pictures of the lock internals. They came in .36 and .45 (actually .44) caliber. Both barrels measure just a smidge under an inch across the flats. The...

Can you remove the lock and show a picture of the internals? I have one that looks the same on the outside but I suspect many others are also similar. An inside view could help.

You can also just fold the gutter ends up and in and not worry about fastening something.

I put together a Traditions St. Louis Hawken kit a few years ago - it's a .54 caliber, not a .50. The barrel has deep rifling with a 1 in 48 twist. Unlike some earlier Ardessa locks, this one has a bridled tumbler. It went together easily; something any 11 year old could participate in and...

All of my firearms are loaded all the time. That's the mindset that I have. Even if I have an unmentionable opened up. that gun is loaded! My Dad drummed that into me from the time I was old enough to understand and from then on. Fortunately I listened to him. Even when I was in my teens and...

Just a passing story from my youth. Back in the mid to late 1960s when I first started shooting flintlocks, flints were in short supply. In another thread I told about using a small wood block that fit in the jaws of the hammer, drilled to hold two or so busted off Ohio Blue Tip matches as an...

I'm holding a similar firearm right now based on your pictures and markings. It's an India-made sort-of copy of an Enfield percussion long arm, modern made. Mine (and I suspect yours) isn't a rifle, but a smooth bore. It's a two-band smoothie with a two piece teakwood stock, joined under the...

I shoot reproductions for a completely different and strictly personal reason. Any mechanical device - from a wristwatch to a car - has a finite life. They wear out or break down or fail in some way. Eventually. When that happens the supply of said objects is reduced by one. If one of my...

Great job on that lock. What sort of firearm are you planning to use it on?

I know that some have faulted your efforts on this thread. I admire your skills. Most locks made in India - and many made in Spain, Italy, or even the U.S.A. - need some work. But I'm starting to wonder if you'll end up like the guy in that old story with the genuine antique Native American...

Even the India-made Besses that I've seen (more than a few) had bridled tumblers. This one does not.

I owned one back around 1965 or so. Two piece stock with the joint hidden under the rear barrel band. 54 caliber. Bought it from Someone-or-Other's Rifle Ranch. Cannot remember the name of the seller but they were in business for quite a while. J&G maybe?

I did the same depth test with my ramrod as you did. It shows exactly the same position relative to the bolster when placed on the outside of the barrel as yours did. Your rifle is not loaded. Without removing that breechplug (requires a special tool, a padded heavy-duty vice and some serious...