Short Bess's One More Time

[thomas]

A couple of weeks ago, I went to an antique show and auction. The show part ran from Fri-Sun with the auction on Sat. It was called the NW Territories Antique Show and Auction. They had a cut-down Brown Bess (on the tag, it said "used in the movie Jeremiah Johnson") and a 12-bore flint fowling gun. Not many people showed up for the auction, so I got the cut-down Bess for less than what a pair of 501 Levi's and a pair of Reebok tennis shoes would have cost. I also ended up with the fowling gun for a little bit more.

I got the Bess because of reading several threads here on short Besses and how well they shot. You guys that like these short Besses are right. They shoot excellently.

While I do not believe for one instant that the gun was used for the making of the movie, you know I had to come home and slap the DVD in the player and run it through twice on fast forward, looking at all the guns to be sure. All my wife could do was laugh at me. Btw, you know I was sitting in my chair holding that Bess the whole time I was watching!

Thomas

 

[thomas]

Btw, both of these flintlocks come from a place called Overland Trail Gallery, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Does anybody know if this is an antique shop, a gun shop or what?

Also, on the barrel of the 12-gauge fowler, is engraved the name Keith T. Callis. I'm presuming the guy's name is the maker, but I've never heard the name. The gun is fairly high quality. It has a swamped barrel and the stock has some stripe, but is loaded from the butt to the muzzle with birdseye.

:thanks:Thomas

 

[Rat]

Now what kind of pre-vert wouldn't have his rifle, musket or pistol in his lap when watching a mountain man movie?

Well I've been trying hard, but CANNOT find anything wrong with how my Bess Shorty works, shoots, or carries. I doubt that they give up much velocity to the longer guns.

So, is this an original Brown Bess? That's pretty cool. Hey who knows, some extra in the background somewhere's in the movie could have had it. Or it could have been in property, and never actually used on film, or been nn film that was cut. Ya never know and it makes a great story anyhow.

Have fun with her. My next mission is to try .690" balls with .037" denim patches. That was the "traditional" ball size for the Brown Bess, back in the day.

Rat

 

[thomas]

Rat,

You're right! No, not an original. It's a Miroku. The lighting where they had the auction was really bad (dark), so I didn't notice that somebody had carved bone rod pipes and an entry pipe. It's 31" and it's stocked to the muzzle-end and had a hickory tapered ramrod. I'm pretty sure the wood is cherry. At any rate, it has a decent piece of wood on it. All the parts aren't pc, I'm sure, but it is well made and it just so happens that I do have a spare lock. You know, we never get rid of anything! I've shot it, and I think you're right about that, too. I don't think you lose that much, either. It did not have a front sight on it, but I happen to have one of the brass turtle sights laying around. Having grown up here in the Columbia Basin or some people know it as the Tri-Cities, most of my hunting was bird (ducks, geese, pheasant, chuckar, quail, etc.), so the lack of a rear sight doesn't mean anything to me. I'd had a long Bess (Italian) and I couldn't bring myself to cut it off, but this one - that's the way it was and I had nothing to lose. I noticed we're from the same state. Cheney is really not that far from where I live, if I remember correctly.

Thomas

 

[Rat]

I have an old Miroku Zouave and it's as good as any Italian rifle. But it sure is beat, been cut down into a 24" half stock carbine. Good bore and lock though, and shoots great.

Cheney is a ways North of you, but not too far...20 miles from Spokane.

Sounds like a nice musket actually, with wood all the way to the muzzle. One of these days I'm gonna put on one of them-thar turtle sights too.

Rat

 

[thomas]

You're right again. Yes, Miroku makes some pretty decent firearms. I've had a couple of the modern ones they made for Browning and many, many years ago, I had an over and under 3" mag, which I'm pretty sure they copied from the original Browning.

All I had to do to the Bess was pull the lock off and clean about 2 pounds of dried and tarry-like grease out. It's not much of a surprise to say that it really improved it. The innards of the locks are pretty high quality, too. And the thing sparks like crazy!

Well, I guess I did remember right. I was sure that Cheney was on the way to Spokane, as I go up to Spokane enough times during the year and remember the turn off to Cheney. I used to have to go up there to get my black powder at the White Elephant on Division, and even then I'd have to call ahead, as they wouldn't keep more than 3-5 pounds in the store at one time. Down at Wallula Junction, they now have a cowboy action shooting place that sells black powder, so I'm kind of in luck there.

Well, with your short Bess, you keep the Northern part of the state safe and I'll cover the southeastern corner! I'll assure you right now that I'll let no wooly mammoth pass by me(if they should come back).

Thomas

 

[Rat]

That's right...we had mammoths not too long ago around here. (realitively speaking!) They are still finding bones in Latah Crick.

I think the White Elephant stocks more powder now, they seem to be doing a pretty brisk trade in the black powder market. Not too long ago it was the only place in town that I could get fg. Then I discovered that fg does not work very well in Bess.

Does that store at the Junction have Swiss black powder? I would gladly jump on the bike and go that far for six or seven pounds. (heck of a deal if I had a crash on the way back!!)

I guess Bess has the state covered! Might have to poke a little more than 110 grains of Swiss down my barrel before I take on the Wolly Mammoth though.

rat

 

[thomas]

I think they do carry swiss, but let me check it out to be sure. I'll get back with you in a day or two on it.

Thomas

 

[Rat]

Ok thanks, just PM me. It's either that or run over to Montana. That would be very great if they have it.

Rat

 

[Stumpkiller]

so I got the cut-down Bess for less than what a pair of 501 Levi's and a pair of Reebok tennis shoes would have cost.

Well, I guess congratulations are in order??? Talk about a tough conversion factor. :hmm: I take it's that's more than the $65 I would spend on jeans and a pair of sneakers but less than $500. :haha:

 

[thomas]

Guess that would be a tough conversion, for me it comes to about $100. :agree:

Thomas

 

[Smokin6Gun]

Hell Tom that's less than the price of the L/H Lock I'm lookin for on My Dixie Tenneessee .50 made in Miroku, Japan also. Shortly after I got it I was then shooting siloutte competition. Wasn't doing as well as was with my T/C Hawken. But I wanted to be more period correct so, after cutting off 8" I was winning High score of the day and over all years end once. Anyhow I like the shortened Bess idea, and will look around for a deal one or one to shorten. For now I'm an Akwesasne Warrior with a shortened Tennessee Poorboy that I aquired from a more southern tribesman that crossed my path. Good ta see ya Tom.

 

[thomas]

Yes, my luck was good that day. The more I shoot that short bess the more I like it! Those Dixie Tenn. rifles are not bad either, one of these days I'm going to find a deal on one & it'll go home with me.

Thomas