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Pedersoli to CoS conversion

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CurleyGrimes

32 Cal
Joined
Nov 9, 2023
Messages
14
Reaction score
16
Location
Colorado
Good afternoon,


I figured I would document my attempt at turning a Pedersoli Bess into a Committee of Safety musket. Aside from a Jukar derringer kit, I haven't done much gunsmithing, so this will certainly be a challenge. I purchased this Bess used back in 2015 and it was my first flintlock firearm. I enjoy shooting it, however I was always irked by the undersized buttstock and incorrect lock plate markings. After reading about the various committee of safety muskets produced in the colonies, I decided this conversation would be a good fix. Specifically I wanted to do a Maryland CoS musket as I was stationed there in the army and I really liked the area. I found four examples online of original Maryland muskets with high quality pictures. One from ilovemuzzleloading.com, one from Rock Island auction house, and two from Morphys. I decided rather than make a 100% accurate clone of any one musket, for simplicity's sake I would draw features from all of them to make something representative of the muskets being produced at the time.

The first step was to scrub off the incorrect pedersoli lock markings. I did this with flat and round files, a Dremel sanding drum, and lots of elbow grease.

Once I got the majority of the engraving off the the cock and lock plate I polished them with 60 grit all the way to 3000 grit sandpaper. There are still a few small file marks, but I can live with those. Given the conditions these muskets were made under, a fine grade finish was probably a low priority. This part took me about two weekends to complete. Luckily one of the originals had the same double engraved lines around the frizzen and top jaw as the pedersoli, so I decided to leave those. Next I will try to recontour the stock to look more like the originals.
1123_RIAC_ILoveMuzzleloading_01-041.jpg

Original lock plate
Screenshot_20240922-142246~2.png


Original engraved top jaw
IMG_20240920_161409621.jpg

Removing the markings
IMG_20240922_130031012.jpg

Original frizzen spring
IMG_20240922_141201212.jpg


All back together!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20240920_161409621.jpg
    IMG_20240920_161409621.jpg
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  • Screenshot_20240922-142445.png
    Screenshot_20240922-142445.png
    843.4 KB
  • 1123_RIAC_ILoveMuzzleloading_01-041.jpg
    1123_RIAC_ILoveMuzzleloading_01-041.jpg
    58.5 KB
  • Screenshot_20240922-142246.png
    Screenshot_20240922-142246.png
    1.2 MB
That lock cleaned up very nice! Good work. I'm looking at the front, and it's likely just different lighting, but I can see a gap between the frizzen spring and the front of the lock. Was it that way before or is it just nice and shiny now and noticeable?
 
That lock cleaned up very nice! Good work. I'm looking at the front, and it's likely just different lighting, but I can see a gap between the frizzen spring and the front of the lock. Was it that way before or is it just nice and shiny now and noticeable?
I think it's just the light and the angle the photo was taken at. The stock reshaping is done, I just need to sand and re-stain it next weekend
 
Hi CG,
Good project! Double check the thickness of your lock plate where the slot for the sear spring is located. Often, they cut the mortise too deep such that there is almost no thickness left to the plate. If you do any engraving on that outside surface you may break into the slot particularly after you ground off the "Grice 1762".

dave
 
Good afternoon,


I figured I would document my attempt at turning a Pedersoli Bess into a Committee of Safety musket. Aside from a Jukar derringer kit, I haven't done much gunsmithing, so this will certainly be a challenge. I purchased this Bess used back in 2015 and it was my first flintlock firearm. I enjoy shooting it, however I was always irked by the undersized buttstock and incorrect lock plate markings. After reading about the various committee of safety muskets produced in the colonies, I decided this conversation would be a good fix. Specifically I wanted to do a Maryland CoS musket as I was stationed there in the army and I really liked the area. I found four examples online of original Maryland muskets with high quality pictures. One from ilovemuzzleloading.com, one from Rock Island auction house, and two from Morphys. I decided rather than make a 100% accurate clone of any one musket, for simplicity's sake I would draw features from all of them to make something representative of the muskets being produced at the time.

The first step was to scrub off the incorrect pedersoli lock markings. I did this with flat and round files, a Dremel sanding drum, and lots of elbow grease.

Once I got the majority of the engraving off the the cock and lock plate I polished them with 60 grit all the way to 3000 grit sandpaper. There are still a few small file marks, but I can live with those. Given the conditions these muskets were made under, a fine grade finish was probably a low priority. This part took me about two weekends to complete. Luckily one of the originals had the same double engraved lines around the frizzen and top jaw as the pedersoli, so I decided to leave those. Next I will try to recontour the stock to look more like the originals.
View attachment 350444
Original lock plate
View attachment 350445

Original engraved top jawView attachment 350446
Removing the markings
View attachment 350448
Original frizzen spring
View attachment 350447

All back together!
Cool project! Thanks for sharing!
 
I got the stock reshaped and am just waiting for the stain to dry. I used a rasp, files, and sandpaper to reshape the stock nose, foregrip swell, lock plate finials, and beaver tail. I then lightly sanded and restained the whole stock. I also used a small dowel to plug the hole for the orginial escutcheon screw, as this will use a small wood screw through the top of the escutcheon
IMG_20240924_124655428.jpg
IMG_20240924_150227975.jpg
 
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