For anyone considering an Indian manufactured Flintlock

[Clark Badgett]

I recently showed my India-made Bess to an experienced re-enactor, and he commented on how nice the lock worked; easy to ****, etc. It was mfg. in the late 1970's or so. Just my take on just one musket I got at auction in the 80's.

Reenactors liking something is not always a ringing endorsement. 9 of 10 of them don’t know much beyond what a vendor tells them.

Most reenacting is merely camping in funny clothing.

 

[Historian]

This thread is over 2 years old! Wow! August 31, 2022. Are we bored.

 

[Grenadier1758]

No, @Historian, we are just getting started. The Indian manufactured guns are not built to the top quality standards of the best of the best of the muzzleloading guns available. They do supply guns that are not available anywhere else. While they are often too heavy, parts don't fit, and some the parts that should be hardened are not, for reenactors that demand equipment that is close to being correct for the era reenacted and want to make a presentation that is well above that of camping in funny clothes, they are the only option that can be acceptable.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Reenactors liking something is not always a ringing endorsement. 9 of 10 of them don’t know much beyond what a vendor tells them.

Most reenacting is merely camping in funny clothing.

I wonder how big was your "sample" to come to such conclusions?

I've owned five, all from Loyalist Arms LLC, and still own and operate four of them. Two carbines, a trade gun, and a 1756 Bess. I don't see a reason to drop more than $1500 for an Italian made musket that would NEVER have been used by whom I portray at a living history event. Excellent wood to metal fit doesn't do much for something that did not exist yet. I did get a deal on a Bess that new would've been $1800 having had $300 worth of additional parts changes to make it look more like the Bess of the time period, a Long Land Bess. I got it used.

The only firing problems I've ever had with the India made product (mine were made in Udaipur) have bee remedied with replacing the flint.

LD

 

[Tumbledown]

That is one thing.
From perdersoli you can get a charley, bess,and several WBTS guns. A fair range of styles of rifles.
From India you can get several bass and charley styles German muskets,Spanish ( look a lot like bess or charley but ain’t) blunderbusses, matchlocks, several shotguns,several fusils. A host of pistols
FDC and NWG,

You can't get a Bess from Pedersoli. They don't make a Long Land Pattern, and their SLP is an inaccurate immitation.

 

[Clark Badgett]

I wonder how big was your "sample" to come to such conclusions?

I've owned five, all from Loyalist Arms LLC, and still own and operate four of them. Two carbines, a trade gun, and a 1756 Bess. I don't see a reason to drop more than $1500 for an Italian made musket that would NEVER have been used by whom I portray at a living history event. Excellent wood to metal fit doesn't do much for something that did not exist yet. I did get a deal on a Bess that new would've been $1800 having had $300 worth of additional parts changes to make it look more like the Bess of the time period, a Long Land Bess. I got it used.

The only firing problems I've ever had with the India made product (mine were made in Udaipur) have bee remedied with replacing the flint.

LD

My sample was quite large. 10 years large, multiple eras. Pulling stuff out of my back side really is not my style.

There are much better options than Indian or Italian muskets, and you have been around long enough to know that.

 

[tenngun]

My sample was quite large. 10 years large, multiple eras. Pulling stuff out of my back side really is not my style.

There are much better options than Indian or Italian muskets, and you have been around long enough to know that.

And there cost is?
11Bang Bang channel on you tube discussed this. They were able to get into the sport via Indian arms. They would have never had the cash to go with better, or at least unwilling to lay it out on a sport they may not like
My one Indian gun makes me happy, I could never justify in my economic situation a similar gun from the rifle shop.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

My sample was quite large. 10 years large, multiple eras. Pulling stuff out of my back side really is not my style.

There are much better options than Indian or Italian muskets, and you have been around long enough to know that.

Better?

Depends on what you want to do. BTW my experiential sample is 35 years long, and multiple eras too, and I find your conclusion specious.

The only non-India manufactured muskets out there in production are Italian.

The only other option is custom built. Unfortunately, paying the craftsman for such would put the activity out of the reach of many, and NOT just for the price. There are not enough builders who can build a LLP Bess to a higher standard than Italian manufacture, available to outfit those that participate in Bess Era events, even if price were not a consideration for any of them. The suggestion is spurious.

LD

 

[ZUG]

Better?

Depends on what you want to do. BTW my experiential sample is 35 years long, and multiple eras too, and I find your conclusion specious.

The only non-India manufactured muskets out there in production are Italian.

The only other option is custom built. Unfortunately, paying the craftsman for such would put the activity out of the reach of many, and NOT just for the price. There are not enough builders who can build a LLP Bess to a higher standard than Italian manufacture, available to outfit those that participate in Bess Era events, even if price were not a consideration for any of them. The suggestion is spurious.

LD

Dave - I LOVE your use of the word "specious" ---.

 

[Rudyard]

No, @Historian, we are just getting started. The Indian manufactured guns are not built to the top quality standards of the best of the best of the muzzleloading guns available. They do supply guns that are not available anywhere else. While they are often too heavy, parts don't fit, and some the parts that should be hardened are not, for reenactors that demand equipment that is close to being correct for the era reenacted and want to make a presentation that is well above that of camping in funny clothes, they are the only option that can be acceptable.

Well put . Ime a Reenactor & was heavily into the .US ones each summer. Ive made muskets that ended up in national museums .But my own musket was a much' Got Up 'Indian one cobbled from the wrecks of three damaged ones into some noddingly' Colonels private purchase ' .& it served me very well . Cobblers Kids are traditionally the Poorest shod . Camping in funny clothes ?! . Thats rather unkind and patronising Ive done so many I once did three in a row The Salamanca Mud Eastern then straight to Fair at New Boston with another before or after cant recall & never once went' Porky '
Rudyard's stance