1742 Brown Bess Plans

[wayne1027]

Hello all, Are the plans for the 1742 Brown Bess that TOW sale accurate?

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Yes, the plans are pretty accurate as a pattern 1742 King's musket as first issued. If you are trying to make something that was used in the F&I war be aware that many had sheet brass nose bands added and were converted to steel rammers but not all by any means. The name on the lock, Willets, was not a principal contractor for locks at the time so most pattern 1742s have different names on the locks. If you buy components from the Rifle Shoppe, do not buy the lock plate with Wooldridge on it. Get the plate marked "TOWER".

dave

 

[FlinterNick]

Hello all, Are the plans for the 1742 Brown Bess that TOW sale accurate?

The Plans are accurate, however the TOW long land pattern 1742 musket is based on a regimental contract musket design 1732-1748, which is slightly slimmer in all proportions except the barrel. The hardware is small, buttplate is slightly shorter, trigger guard, thimbles are smaller too.

The regimental contract muskets were ordered to fill in supply gaps, a lot of these muskets were used by provincial forces. The New York, and New Jersey 1742 patterns are regimental designs.

The lock as Dave said is not a documented lock, while Wilets was a British lock maker of the appropriate time period. The lock is a special design by the Rifle Shoppe, for CD Jernigan, and Track of the Wolf, (rifle shoppe made the molds), the name on the lock was chosen almost at random from what i understand. There is a very similar lock out there made the same way marked Watkins also, this lock will fit the TOW stock design. The Rifle Shoppe’s lock marked Clinton will also work.

The lock plate is slightly smaller with a cock that has a slightly beefier profile, there is not notch for the top jaw to slide up and down, it is more of a Dutch design, just a ledge. The frizzen spring is fatter with less tapering on the inside. The internals are all modern designed, and are smaller than the original internal parts (except the mainspring).