SOLD 1720 Iron Mounted Long Land Pattern Brown Bess

[Glenn Osborne]

This is an early Indian musket that has never been fired. Bought originally from Loyalist Arms and in new condition. There are several outfits in India that make muskets, some much better fit and finish than others. This is one of the good ones. Lock works fine. Nice wood looks remarkably like walnut. I have a TRS iron mounted musket and this one needs to go. I’m asking $500 and I’m throwing in a bayonet and will pay shipping.

 

[Columbus]

Pictures please

 

[Glenn Osborne]

Here you go

 

[Boatncamp]

What is the length overall? ( don't find a good description their website, this one same as 1728, but look at 1728 and the musketoon comes up ). Also, what does the bore measure as there are sometimes some variances to what they actually measure. It is fine looking piece. I see that you have never mounted a flash guard to it, any thoughts on how to do that with the frizzen being bridal-less?

 

[Glenn Osborne]

The barrel length is the standard 46" of the long land pattern BB and the bore is .75. As far as a flash guard is concerned, I know there are folks who make iron flash guards so a better appearance but other than a tight fit with the hammer (frizzen) screw, I don't know. I imagine Loyalist Arms has addressed this questions numbers times and may have an out of the box solution.

 

[Glenn Osborne]

http://www.loyalistarms.freeservers.com/1724Bess.html

 

[Columbus]

Is the touch hole drilled? Can't tell for sure in the pictures but it looks like the buttplate is proud of the wood at the toe, is that correct?

 

[Glenn Osborne]

I had to feel at the butt plate for any overlap as it wasn’t apparent but there is just a hair. The touch hole is not drilled shiva permitted it to be shipped from Canada.

 

[Boatncamp]

It is a nice looking piece. I may be interested but am concerned that the vent is not drilled. From their website they say that they are drilled and ship the lock separately to pass customs. Sure this came from Loyalist and not Heritage Arms? They say that they ship not drilled.
I know the process and have done it on another musket that I acquired where the seller failed to state that it was not drilled and said all sales final. I am glad the question was asked and you answered honestly. Anything else that should be disclosed? Has the bayonet been fitted to the musket?
Not sure about getting another musket with a single bridle as I have not been able to mount a flash guard on my other piece which precludes me from using it at re-enactments until I do get one mounted.

 

[Glenn Osborne]

Absolutely sure this is from Loyalist Arms but this is one of the very first ones they brought over and were shipping with vents undrilled to pass customs. I would think drilling out the vent would be a simple process, especially is you have or can get access to a drill press. Just mark the position for the vent with the lock in place, remove the barrel, use a drift punch to indent the location, and drill out the hole. Obviously, I have never fired the piece. It was bought because - back at that time - an iron mounted, pre-1732 model was just neat! Here is a source for the flash guard you are looking for

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Flash Guard - for the Brown Bess musket and made of plain steel to match the lock. Like other flash guards, this mounts with the hammer (aka frizzen) screw, but this flash guard has an extension at the rear that rests on the top of the lock plate right behind the pan. This prevents the flash guard from swinging down and exposing the pan. If your musket is like mine, if I tightened the screw enough so the flash guard wouldn't pivot up-and-down as I fired and reloaded, the hammer wouldn't open when struck by the flint. With this flash guard you can keep that screw loose enough so the hammer will open, and the flash guard will stay in place. If your musket stock wood touches the back of the lock pan, you will have to remove a sliver of wood to make room for the flash guard extension so it can rest on the lock plate. $8.00 each.

I never had to remove any wood on a bridle-less flash guard I installed. I imagine Roy Najecki (the source) is just doing a little pre-emptive explanation.

 

[Boatncamp]

I realize that it is unfired as the you have not drilled the vent hole and I see that you do not have a flint in the cock. Have you ever put a flint in it and tried it to see if she at least sparks well? I ask because I just received a project that I was not expecting when I purchased a Tower pistol as unfired only to find out that the lock needs tuning as it has been unfired for 30 plus years because the cock drives the flint into the frizzen and the frizzen doesn't move. Frizzen spring appears way to strong compared to the lock spring and the tip open point is off. I have never tuned a flintlock and so I am now going to have ask a lot more questions before buying anything. Also, was there a specific reason that you never drilled the vent?
I understand you now have a nice custom gun and that is why you are looking to sell this one, but other concern I have learned is that the breech plug could be off / too long on some India guns making it very difficult to drill the vent. Have you ever checked to see where the face of the breech plug falls on the barrel ie is behind the pan? Thanks for any additional information you can provide. I guess the other thing ...is it still for sale?

Woody

 

[Glenn Osborne]

Woody....sorry but this one sold a while back. I just couldn't figure out how to change the 'For Sale" to a "Sold" tag. Would be happy for an admin to educate me!

 

[Boatncamp]

simply adding a post that it has sold and they will see it and mark it as sold so this should do it.