• Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.

    We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.

    Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103

Rajasthan Armory Tower Bess

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Jun 17, 2019
Messages
8,383
Reaction score
9,771
I have an India-made Bess from the 1982 time frame; it came from an estate auction and appears in all respects a much higher-grade musket than most Indian- mades. A very knowledgeable source informed me that it is from the Rajasthan Armory company, one of the better makers at that time in Udaipour. (Hope I've got the spelling right!). Anyway, it's extremely well fit, even the touch hole is exactly where you want it and the perfect size, unlike a Pedersoli Bess I also have, that has a touch-hole off center, and appears too small! I do recall having taken it apart and doing some sanding and staining back in the late 80's on it, and with it's nicely fitted bayonet and the sling I had, it's very handsome at 9.8 lbs. BTW, the person who owned it, did the Geo. Washington impression for many years at Washington Crossing Park in NJ; I can't say the name as I'm not 100% sure about that. Musket doesn't appear to have ever been fired. The pan does have some firing staining, so maybe it was proofed? I Did have the frizzen (hammer) hardened. It's .740 cal., as is my Pedersoli. Rajasthan Armory company was re-organized and re-named back in the 80's. Thanks.
 
Pics please?
Wish I could. I use library computer, don't do the digital photo thing, don't have an "I-phone"; simply not on my personal radar. The musket I mentioned is not for sale, at least not here, as I'm not into the shipping & payment thing. I was interested in, if anyone had heard of the now-re-named Rajasthan Armory. I got info on my musket years back from the helpful guy who owns Veteran Arms. My musket may have been owned by the famous rower and football player John B. Kelly, who did the Washington impression for many years crossing the Delaware. His uniform showed up at an auction near me and the musket was with it. Big dude, all that rowing must have given him some real muscles!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top