india made brown bess

[ayetter2003]

stopped in at the gun shop to help out with some gunsmithing. was looking around at the new arrivals on the shelf and on needs to be fixed rack when i found a Bess. at first i was excited a chance maybe to buy another Bess but then i got closer and picked it up. :barf: what a piece of garbage! stock was finished with polyurthane, all the moulding was exagerrated, the gun weighed about 7 lbs., lock geometry was screwed up, the rings on the breach were exagerrated, there is a 1/8" gap between lockplate and barrel, the bayonet lug was close to 1/4" square and when you lifted the "gun" it just felt poorly made. this bess was dropped off at last weekends gun show by a customer who wanted us to drill out a touchhole and proof the gun. the shop after close examination wont have anything to do with it. its hard to believe someone who spend $500 for such a piece of manure :youcrazy: cutomer said he bought from an outfit in Canada. for a few hundred dollars more he could have bought a Pedersoli.

 

[Rebel]

Sounds like one of the Military Heritage ones as they don't drill the vent and once you do it voids any of their warranty. I have heard that most of the ones from Loyalist and Middlesex Village are a lot better. I had one of the Middlesex 1rst Models and it was not bad at all and a friend has a Loyalist and it is real nice.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have one of the Loyalist Arms Long Land Patterns. While it is a bit heavy from the heavy stock wood, it is sturdy. The lock is a good sparker. There is a bit of ease of fit, but nothing really bad.

The really poor quality of the gun that was described in the first post is hardly good enough for hanging on the wall.

 

[Parzifal]

I have one of the loyalist ones myself, Actually 2 I of their carbines and a long land and both are far superior to the piedersoli I have as far as fit and lock, the wood yes is a bit heavy , but still beautiful.




Sounds like a mil heritage musket.

But even those with a bit of work can for the most part turn out well now that I have seen a few.

I have had bad experience with military heritage.
But even their muskets follow standard musket pattern.

But thinking about your description, the bayonet lug was 1/4 a inch!! and square??...Very strange indeed, and its 7 lbs....geeze thats LIGHT for a bess from any company.

I would be curious to know exactly which Canadian "outfit" put out the aforsaid musket, Givin my country a bad name.


Rob

 

[MSW]

well, my tirades against Indian made flintlocks are doubtless well known, so i won't repeat the usual rant, suffice it to say that i agree with the assessment of the gunsmith who declined to have anything to do with the piece.

it's a great shame that someone would ask a good bit of hard earned, God entrusted, overtaxed money for something that's really well organized kindling and scrap iron.

ok... end of tantrum... now i feel better...