Bess Makeover 1

[Swampman]

Here's the Jap Bess I reworked

 

[Swampman]

Here's the lock side. Thanks to all who offered advise.

 

[musketman]

Looks like a Bess to me...

Never get tired of viewing muskets, thanks...

 

[fatboy]

Is that one you just got recently ? Looks real good like it alot!!

 

[Swampman]

Yes, I found it on an auction site for $650.00. It appears to be unfired and I hope to remedy that soon. :winking:

The stock was blond and very thick esp. in the forearm. The steel parts looked like the bumper on a new 1956 Buick. The lock sparks like the 4th of July, and it has an excellent trigger pull.

 

[flash pan blue]

Hello Swampman,
I have recently aquired the same make of Bess, and would like to make mine look as nice as yours. Could you explain what steps you went through. I especially like that great dark rich color on the stock.Do you plan to add sling swivels?
Thanks Pete

 

[Swampman]

The wood finish is Dangler's Dark Brown stain with just a little Cherry added. It has 7 coats of Formby's Satin Finish Tung Oil that is lightly steel wooled with 0000 between coats. The wrist of the stock looks thinner in the pics than it actually is. I did do quite a bit of reshaping on the forearm to make the profile look more like an original Bess. Even from the factory these reproductions are petite compared to an original Tower spec. musket. The metal was finished with Birchwood Casey's cold blue and then bleach from a spray bottle. Be careful if you use this method, it's fast. Don't get it on bearing surfaces, the frizzen face, or inside the barrel. LMF Browning solution is more controlable. After the metal gets nice and rusty, I Scotchbrite it back to the color I like. 0000 steel wool sees some use too. I rubbed some black water based stencil paint into all the nooks and crannies, and wipped it off before it dryed.

 

[Swampman]

http://www.angelfire.com/vt/milsurp/slbess.html
[url] http://www.11thpa.org/Bess.html[/url]

Here's some pics of originals that might be helpful.

 

[Swampman]

I forgot to mention I thinned the tung oil finiah 50/50 with turpentine. I also used some white glue after reassembly to fill some inletting flaws. The back paint covered the white glue.

 

[Story]

The stock was blond and very thick esp. in the forearm.

FWIW, I just stripped down a Jap Bess stock and it's blond - like an Eastern European Elm blond. Anyone have an idea what wood the Japanese used for this?

 

[Swampman]

http://www.aaawt.com/html/firearms/f45.html

It's hard to tell in the pictures but the stock wood color on mine is a dead ringer for the wood on this original.