New (to me) Brown Bess: deeper into the abyss

[Tumbledown]

So my forray into shooting began with a Henry .22lr lever, then a few Winchester levers, then a detour into military surplus bolts before discovering the world of muzzleloaders. I started with a used CVA Frontier, then built my Kentucky Rifle kit.

Well, I've gone off in the deep end and got a flinter. I now have a repro Dublin Castle 1st Model Long Land Pattern Brown Bess. Wow! Darned thing is almost a piece of artillery compared to everything else I've had. Looking forward to shooting her. Already have powder, ball, and flint on the way!

 

[Grenadier1758]

That Dublin Castle (1728) 1st Model Long Land Pattern King's Musket is the musket I use for reenacting. Mine was distributed by Loyalist Arms and was made in India. This musket has been reliable while mostly for shooting blanks at reenactments, but I also use it for live fire at events such as the October F&I competition and the November Woods Walk at Fort de Chartres, IL. If your musket is like mine, your bore will likely be close to 0.780 in diameter.
For live fire, I use a 0.710 diameter round ball in a paper cartridge and pushed down range by a charge of 120 grains of Jack's Black Reenactor grade powder. Even with all the fouling created by that normally very dirty powder, the reliability is good. On the Woods Walk, I need to wipe the bore with my damp ball of tow with the linen string to pull the tow out if it pulls off the button. The paper wrapping and the quick build up of fouling takes up a lot of the windage and accuracy is good enough. Accuracy would improve with a larger ball and a better tallow grease on the paper cartridge. Most of the time we don't lubricate out paper cartridges so I spit on the paper cartridge to moisten it.

You will

really enjoy shooting your new to you musket.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Now your in trouble. It won't like being left behind!

 

[Tumbledown]

That Dublin Castle (1728) 1st Model Long Land Pattern King's Musket is the musket I use for reenacting. Mine was distributed by Loyalist Arms and was made in India. This musket has been reliable while mostly for shooting blanks at reenactments, but I also use it for live fire at events such as the October F&I competition and the November Woods Walk at Fort de Chartres, IL. If your musket is like mine, your bore will likely be close to 0.780 in diameter.
For live fire, I use a 0.710 diameter round ball in a paper cartridge and pushed down range by a charge of 120 grains of Jack's Black Reenactor grade powder. Even with all the fouling created by that normally very dirty powder, the reliability is good. On the Woods Walk, I need to wipe the bore with my damp ball of tow with the linen string to pull the tow out if it pulls off the button. The paper wrapping and the quick build up of fouling takes up a lot of the windage and accuracy is good enough. Accuracy would improve with a larger ball and a better tallow grease on the paper cartridge. Most of the time we don't lubricate out paper cartridges so I spit on the paper cartridge to moisten it.

You will View attachment 18838 really enjoy shooting your new to you musket.

View attachment 18837

I don't know who made mine. I read that Loyalist had octagon to round barrels, while The Rifle Shoppe's are all round (like mine.) I see no markings other than the lock. As best I can measure, the bore mics out to 0.728

How long are your cartridges? I have stuff to make a cartridge box, but I don't know how deep the holes in the block should be.

 

[Grenadier1758]

My bore is 0.780" The holes in the cartridge boxes are 7/8" in diameter (0.875") to give my cartridges plenty of room. The depth is 2 1/4"

The barrel of mine is round from breech to muzzle. Don't believe the rumors of a Loyalist Land Pattern having an octagon to round barrel.

This picture shows the lock with the Dublin Castle Stamp with the unbridled lock for 1732

​

pattern. As you can see the barrel is round.

View attachment 18875
There's my Bess with its baby sibling, an NCO model.

 

[Grenadier1758]

My belly box cartridge container is painted red as described for the equipment issued to the First Royal Regiment of Foote. The most common belly box will be painted black.

 

[spudnut]

I dont shoot one anymore, but the bess is my favorite

 

[FlinterNick]

Muskets with Octagon to round barrels would be the 1717 series Charleville Muskets and Pre-Land Pattern English Muskets (James Musket and Queen Ann Musket). I don’t believe that Loyalist or any Indian made gun makers are offering a Pre-Land Pattern Musket.

The Rifle Shoppe barrels are by Ed Rayl or Colerain, possibly some left over’s by Getz... they are full round, tappers at 1.475 to .900 at the muzzle calibered at .78.

I have a 1756 Long Land by the Rifle Shoppe, compared to the Indian gun, its about 1.5 lbs lighter because of the Walnut vs. Teak and the barrel is not nearly as heavy as some Indian guns I’ve seen.

Indian made Brown Bess Muskets are oversized to say the least.