Brown Bess for first ML?

[Russ T Frizzen]

It isn't just the weight itself, although that is an important factor. It's where the weight is. Balance is affected to a degree that I would not want to live with. After handling a Bess or most muskets, a fowling piece or officer's fusil will feel like a magic wand by comparison.

 

[tg]

I would take another path and choose a lower level Fowler such as one of the English or French trade or hunting guns in .62 or .58 for ease of handling, and economy of lead, the Fusil ordinare or a Carolina gun or early English are all of a type that could see militia use or be traded, for a strict military gun one of the earlier French guns as the 1728 would be a smaller gun as well, just looking at the need/desire to toss huge chunks of lead around... :hmm:

 

[Grenadier1758]

Listen to tg. He just said about what I am going to say, so I will have to add some additional comments.

I have both a fowler and a Brown Bess. My first Bess was a pedersoli Bess and It was reliable and well made. However, since I reenact as a soldier during the F&I war, the second model wasn't right. I sold the Pedersoli and now have a Loyalist Arms 1728 Long Land Pattern musket, a first model Brown Bess. It is well made, a reliable shooter as long as I do my part. I have been a serious competitor in reliability contests. Up to about 20 shots with no cleaning of the pan or picking the touch hole. It is heavier.

I have a late Jack Garner American fowler. That gun is now sold by Matt and Toni Avance of TVM. That gun is a joy to shoot. The 20 gauge choice is good for most hunting needs and is a good shooter of round ball. The lock was well tuned by Jack. The fowler will cost about the same as an Indian made Land Pattern musket. It will be much lighter in weight and will be a reliable gun. TVM has a good reputation for service and I highly recommend them.

My choice for a military flintlock would be either Loyalist Arms or Middlesex Village trading.

 

[kb466]

I owned a Pedersoli 1777 Charleville Musket made in the late 1980's as I recall. The lock and barrel were fine and adequate. However the buttplate and bands were stampings and looked like stampings. The woodwork and wood to metal fit was not good-- in fact the wood was over-sanded, and this musket was new. For me the worst part was that it just did not look right-- historical accuracy-wise. I think the barrel was oversize-- probably in an effort to fend off lawsuits by fools who load their muskets with smokeless. Anyway, I was never satisfied with it and finally peddled it off. I remember a Pedersoli Bess owned by a friend did not look right either in my eyes. However, both the Charleville and the Bess would shoot reliably. The only issue seemed to be the frizzen needed to be rehardened after a short time. I have also examined a Middlesex Long Land Bess. I can't vouch for its safety or its reliability (though I have not heard of any problems), but it looked pretty good to me. It also looked to me like a long land pattern should look. I do believe the owner had reworked and refinished the stock, so that may have helped some with the reported bulkiness. Anyway, I was impressed with it.

I have acquired the skills and capability to build my own muskets and now have a M1816 I built from original parts and a Dunlap stock and Whitacre barrel. I certainly don't recommend going this route for everyone, but for me, I am very satisfied with the result.

 

[mike alexandre]

Agree with RusT, the Bess is a good gun and Pedersoli make a good one but I think its a big gun to start ml with. Also to get some accuracy when you start you will probably need a decent powder load. If you want a flinter to start with how about an Officers Bess and they dont come any better IMO than NSW. The ball is smaller, you will need less powder and the gun is lighter.

 

[bebloomster]

NSW ???

 

[Rebel]

North Star West

 

[mr.fudd]

I'm on a waiting list with MVT for a long land pattern as soon as they get their next batch in. I've been reading over every Bess related post on this forum, starting from the very beginning and it appears that most people have a favorable impression of these guns. Apparently the stock is too thick, the barrel isn't tapered enough, if at all and everything has been buffed to an unnatural shine, but aside from the barrel taper, those are easily fixable problems.

It does appear that the Pedersoli and other custom made Besses are superior, but this is a purchase that leaves me financially strained as it is.

I'm guessing that this won't be my last muzzleloader. I've already got a thing for old milsurps and this just takes it to the next level.

Conserving lead shouldn't be an issue for me either, as I have a sailboat keel weighted with 450# of lead that I need to get rid of.

 

[Rebel]

Have you checked the classifieds here? There are some smoothbores for sale and you wouldn't have to wait. And most likely would get a Better gun for about the same price.

 

[mr.fudd]

I have actually, and even had a few links PM'd to me, (unfortunately the links did not work. Tried using both Firefox and IE). Currently there aren't any for sale there.

One problem I have with used muskets is that this is somewhat of an unusual purchase for me. Namely, it's not being made with my own money. It's a 40th birthday present from my mother. She asked what I'd like and I told her, but since she's the one ordering it I have to make it as easy and simple for her as possible and that means auctions and a lot of second hand sales are out. I wish they weren't, but heck, I'm darned if I'm going to complain about getting a gun for my birthday.

 

[Rebel]

Boy, a mother that buys ya guns. Can't complain about that. You said the links didn't work and there were none for sale there. For sale where? If you mean here you should check again. There may be No Besses for sale, but there are at least 2 smoothbores i know of. Good luck on the buy.

 

[mr.fudd]

There are some smoothbores for sale here, but to be honest, I've got my heart set on a Bess right now. Now if I were to go over to Gunbroker, I'm sure I'd find quite a few, but I'm guessing that you know what Gunbroker is like. You have to be patient and careful when you buy there.

This will be the first gun my mother has bought me. The fact that it's a flintlock and historical seems to make it more palatable to her.