Military Heritage Products

[buck]

If you haven't already placed the order you might want to try Middlesex Village Trading Company. They sell the Bess for less than MH and include the bayonet, sling, flashguard, and hammerstall with them.

Also ,from my personal experience and communications with them, Middlesex personally inspects all firearms he sells and repairs or replaces any hokey looking stuff. :m2c:

 

[All Hell]

Well, I'm trying to contact them. Personally, reading his FAQ area he comes off as a jerk. I sent him an email a few days ago and still nothing.

I can order from MH and use my debit card and get someone who answers the phone after two rings or a guy who is too busy and gets an attitude about ppl calling to check on their order. I'll go with the guy who's there everytime. :imo:

Plus, I can get my musket in a week.

 

[FearNot]

What about Loyalist Arms? I've heard good things about them, but don't have any experience with them personaly.

 

[CrackStock]

You should purchase the bayonet when you order the musket. There are a lot of differences between the various bayonet makers. Also be prepared to do some file work on the lug and the bayonet socket.

I would get the scabbard as well.

CS

 

[All Hell]

Yeah I planned on it. Can't have a Bess without a bayo.

 

[Bill L]

I puchased a Military Heritage Long Land in December.Took it to my gunsmith friend who removed breech plug which checked out OK.He also bent lock to get pan tight against the barrel and welded some metal to back side of hammer so that the descent stop worked properly.I noticed some play in the hammer do to some slop in the bridle over tumbler.I put a washer under hammer and it seems to help.Fired last Saturday .735 with .015 patch over 70 gr. 1F and 4F priming.Perfect ignition fired one foot low (my fault wrong head position)and approximately six inches to left.Barrel was slightly bent to left which I straightened today.I will check accuracy this weekend.Note, musket is rough but functional.I would want to see the products of the other importers before buying another.I am presently working down the stock to make it conform more to the original Long Land Pattern but this can only be partially accomplished unless one is willing to under take a lot of work.Adjusting the barrel is fairly easy.I used a straight edge to see where the bend started,clamped in vice at this point,inserted a 3/4 inch rod one inch into the barrel and gently applied pressure.After checking with straight edge and reappling pressure 3 or 4 times it looked OK.

 

[All Hell]

What do you mean about rough? The wood?

 

[Bill L]

Well,to begin the finish is rough a lot of sanding marks under finish,and then there is too much wood over much of the musket.Much of this is just sloppy finishing of the stock where someone did not take the time to finish the stock properly.For instance,wood between ramrod pipes humps up and will need to be leveled also the inside of the carving in front of the trigger guard was humped out of the correct profile.These can easily be fixed with a little effort.Wrist is too thick and to correct this one would have to reset the triggers and the distance between the barrel and ramrod channel is probably too thick.I am going to leave these areas as purchased.The lock recess and barrel channel are really crude but you do not see these areas and the barrel channel could be glass bedded to make it look better.I have studied pictures of originals to determine the differences in the stock profiles.I hope this helps to answer your question.I feel that when I am finished I will be satisfied with purchase.

 

[All Hell]

Oh okay. Thanks for your reply. I can fix those I think.
What type of finish is it? Shellac? Oil?

 

[Bill L]

Finish is some sort of varnish or shellac.

 

[All Hell]

Cool, thank you very much. I think I will strip it, sand it, and give it a tung oil finish after an alcohol based reddish-walnut dye. :thumbsup: