Regarding the Long Land Brown Bess with Steel Ram Rods.
1. Several of the older stores of 1740 pattern long Lands were ‘upgraded’ to use steel ram rods with sleeved rod pipes and a very long retaining spoon / spring. These designs were considered poor improvements and most of these muskets were placed in storage for militia use in Canada and the American Colonies.
2. After 1746 contracts Wilets, Smith and Edge did design a ‘transitional’ long land Brown Bess; the muskets had earlier curved locks (banana shaped so the rammer channel would clear the front lock bolt, wood rammera were about 5/16.). The stocks were designed for steel ramrods; this enables the contractors to reduce the forestock size to accomodate the steel rod and pipes. These muskets were not used in F&I War some were sold off to arm the newly acquired Canadian colonies.
3. American Contract Brown Bess Muskets made between 1750-1760 were designed by NY gunmaker Wilson. They were similar to the 1748 transitional Brown Bess but slightly slimmer In size. These muskets had steel rammers and the later funnel front pipe. These muskets were carried by provincial troops that laid siege to fort Carrillon, Montreal and Possibly Other battles. These guns are very rare; Tower, Willets, Farmer and Edge produced maybe 10,000 of these, the lowest production of any Brown Bess.
3. The 1756 pattern long land was predominate British Arm throughout the Revolutionary War; it has a steel rammer and straight(Er) lock plate to accommodate the smaller diameter steel rammer. The forestock was also increased to accomodate the lower part of the steel rammer channel.
One thing to consider regarding a F&I War musket is that most of these muskets were 1740-1746 pattern Brown Bess Muskets; these would have been in storage and over the years revamped and upgraded to take a Steel Rammer and Cast Brass nose cap, some have been found with the later funnel shaped upper thimble. The ramrod pipes that were set up for the wooden rod were sleeved or filled and rebored. The steel ramrods were slightly larger than the 1756 Steel Rod in order to compensate for the larger rammer channel. Most of these muskets were also cut down to 44 or 42 inch barrels, by the time the Revolution came, the muzzles were woren down from excessive use.
Regarding changing the Pedersoli; I wouldn’t there’s not enough wood and it will not likely clear the front lock bolt leaving it about 1/2 inch past the muzzle.
The rifle shoppe sells several period correct pattern muskets for F&I.
Pedersolis Bess is more or less a very standardized commercial compilation of the 1756 and 1769 muskets; however neither original pattern had raised lock carvings.
Nick
