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Track's 1797 Bess- any reviews?
- Thread starter jchochole
- Start date
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Speaks for itself.
Enuf said.
It would help more if we knew who the importer was who track got it from, than just that it is an Indian made gun. There are Good makers from India, and there are not so good makers from India, if you could find out WHO track got it from, that would give you who the importer was, and then we can give you a better answer as to the quality of the maker of the musket. Just ask track who they got it from.
That would be the model of the bess, or the 3rd model. You would need to call Track and ask them who they got it from, then post who they got it from. That way we would be able to give you an opinion as to the quality of the maker, based on the importer.
I've been wondering the same thing. Just my 2c here, it looks exactly like my 3rd model Bess that I bought locally but was imported by Military Heritage (one of our Canadian flint vendors) earlier this summer.
I had the vent drilled and the barrel proofed by a smith set up through the retailer I bought it from, Spencer's Mercantile.
Since then I've really enjoyed this musket. Goes boom reliably and the frizzen looks brand new, throws good sparks. I fire a .70 ball with paper cartridge, barrel bore is exactly .748
The only glaring downside is the fit and finish off the stock. It is rough, I took some wood filler to a couple spots. These are very hand made
Fyi, it's interesting to note that apparently this is the very same company incorporated in India around 1802 that manufactured the Bess for the British army.... so I'm told!
I had the vent drilled and the barrel proofed by a smith set up through the retailer I bought it from, Spencer's Mercantile.
Since then I've really enjoyed this musket. Goes boom reliably and the frizzen looks brand new, throws good sparks. I fire a .70 ball with paper cartridge, barrel bore is exactly .748
The only glaring downside is the fit and finish off the stock. It is rough, I took some wood filler to a couple spots. These are very hand made
Fyi, it's interesting to note that apparently this is the very same company incorporated in India around 1802 that manufactured the Bess for the British army.... so I'm told!
The British Army weren't in India til 1857 , I think you will find it was the EIC and their main arms were made in England although at a later date arms supplied to Native troops were re stocked and some re barrelled in India FYI I have heard and it's only heresay that the guys that did this work for the EIC are now running these Indian companies .
FYI I have heard and it's only heresay that the guys that did this work for the EIC are now running these Indian companies . 
Actually, the situation is one that only the British bureaucracy could create...,
The British rule or "raj" in India didn't "start" until 1858 after the supression of the Sepoys, but Pitt's India Act of 1784, and the later Act of 1786 (initiated by Lord Charles Cornwallis; the same dude defeated at Yorktown) placed the EIC under the British Crown for political matters, and in '86 made Cornwallis both the Governor-General and the Commander-in-Chief of British forces in India. So the British army was indeed in India long before 1858, commanded by British officers, wearing British uniforms, and paid through British army channels..., though the money came out of EIC coffers and not from the English or Royal treasuries.
LD
The British rule or "raj" in India didn't "start" until 1858 after the supression of the Sepoys, but Pitt's India Act of 1784, and the later Act of 1786 (initiated by Lord Charles Cornwallis; the same dude defeated at Yorktown) placed the EIC under the British Crown for political matters, and in '86 made Cornwallis both the Governor-General and the Commander-in-Chief of British forces in India. So the British army was indeed in India long before 1858, commanded by British officers, wearing British uniforms, and paid through British army channels..., though the money came out of EIC coffers and not from the English or Royal treasuries.
LD
Stand behind what I said Cornwallis was employed by the EIC to update and bring it's officer core more into line with the military standards of the times .At this point in time EIC officer pay was very low ,promotion non existant and the most senior officer a Lt.Col most regts. and battalions were being lead by juniors. So most of their officer core were up for a bit of work on the side , their own empire building . Also at this point in time this was the only job Cornwallis could get .Lots of politics flying around at this point in time , and not a lot of trust of anyone .
Since I'm not EXACTLY sure, does anyone actually know which musket comes from what source?
Like I said the one Track has is detail by detail exactly my India Pattern, right down to the rough looking barrel pins & little dents and pieces of wood missing from the stock.
Ah yes I forgot to mention. The only real work I've done was to carefully file smooth the tumbler(?), as received the trigger pull was akin to a tug-o-war with a pack of angry badgers. It's still tough as heck but at least it's manageable without annihilating 'accuracy' :rotf:
Video of my Bess, loading & firing.
Like I said the one Track has is detail by detail exactly my India Pattern, right down to the rough looking barrel pins & little dents and pieces of wood missing from the stock.
Ah yes I forgot to mention. The only real work I've done was to carefully file smooth the tumbler(?), as received the trigger pull was akin to a tug-o-war with a pack of angry badgers. It's still tough as heck but at least it's manageable without annihilating 'accuracy' :rotf:
Video of my Bess, loading & firing.
I'm a fan of track and would trust its a good qulity piece. I've seen curry popers that wern't worth the shipping cost and some that looked good.At first glance I would give a gun sold by trac a try
Just as a side line you do not have to mix your powder with curry or use ghee as a lube, thats a fish wifes story.
Just as a side line you do not have to mix your powder with curry or use ghee as a lube, thats a fish wifes story.
Mate, probably a mob called" Curious House "located in Jaipur India. they did have a website but it no longer works. they make a large range of historical replicas, of European patter, from ma
They made the Baker rifles, in smooth bore for the Sharpes Rifles Series some years ago. My gunsmith in South Australia had to rework a lot of the locks for reinactors of the 95th rifles. He had a ver poor opinion of them. That said , I don't think TOW would be getting in junk either. So good luck
Cheers
Gordon
They made the Baker rifles, in smooth bore for the Sharpes Rifles Series some years ago. My gunsmith in South Australia had to rework a lot of the locks for reinactors of the 95th rifles. He had a ver poor opinion of them. That said , I don't think TOW would be getting in junk either. So good luck
Cheers
Gordon
If it is, they have some of the worse reputations of all the Indian guns.They went by another name, of which I cannot remember at this time, but it was not "curious house" but by another name. The quality was absolutely terrible, lock fit to barrel was bad, to the point where you risked blowing the lock off the musket because powder would get behind the lock! If the importer was Middlesex Village Trading Company you could be sure you are going to get a gun that the quality was going to be as good as it gets from the Indian makers. I would steer clear from the Discriminating General from Canada. I have heard bad things about them.
jchochole
36 Cal.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2005
- Messages
- 69
- Reaction score
- 0
I sent Track an inquiry about the manufacturer and here is there prompt response:
The Brown Bess Musket is made by Delhi Gun House, with gunsmithing by N. V.
Sikligar.
Modern metallurgy is far superior to the original. The barrel alloy is known as
1026.
The Brown Bess Musket is made by Delhi Gun House, with gunsmithing by N. V.
Sikligar.
Modern metallurgy is far superior to the original. The barrel alloy is known as
1026.
That company N. V.
Sikligar, is the one that is going by the name of
"curios house" When they were known by N.V.Sikligar their quality was absolutely the bottom of the barrel! That is the company that I could not recall the name of, and once I saw it, I remembered them.I had their old website bookmarked but my old computer crashed, and lost it. As I told you, the locks would have huge gaps between the lock and stock where powder could potentially get behind it and blow the lock off the gun! lock function was iffy at best! barrels were nothing more than pipes. STAY AWAY from a N.V. Sikligar musket, AT ANY PRICE!
If you want to go with an Indian musket, look into Middlesex Village Trading Company They use a proprietary builder in India and the quality is the best you will find from an Indian musket. I have owned two of them with no problem, and the shoot very well.
Sikligar, is the one that is going by the name of
"curios house" When they were known by N.V.Sikligar their quality was absolutely the bottom of the barrel! That is the company that I could not recall the name of, and once I saw it, I remembered them.I had their old website bookmarked but my old computer crashed, and lost it. As I told you, the locks would have huge gaps between the lock and stock where powder could potentially get behind it and blow the lock off the gun! lock function was iffy at best! barrels were nothing more than pipes. STAY AWAY from a N.V. Sikligar musket, AT ANY PRICE!
If you want to go with an Indian musket, look into Middlesex Village Trading Company They use a proprietary builder in India and the quality is the best you will find from an Indian musket. I have owned two of them with no problem, and the shoot very well.
MacRob46
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2007
- Messages
- 643
- Reaction score
- 36
Sikligar has traded under the Curious House name. My only experience with them was through an acquaintance who paid them to make a pair of Scottish "Murdoch" pistols with special engraving, finish, etc. That was maybe three or four years ago. The last I heard he had not received them but we have been out of touch for some time. He paid in advance, by the way.
Ike Godsey
45 Cal.
come down guys!
i got a Long Land Pattern that i bought some month ago here in Germany. this musket is made in india. the barrel ist stamped with "N.V. India" on the part hidden by the muskets stock.
the gun is proofed by a official german proofhouse with 12 GRAMM(!) black powder and a 50 GRAMM (!) lead ball - this it has to fire five times in a row - then the barrel is measured and must have the same measurements as before firing.
i have an official certificate of proof that comes with this musket.
so cool down!
if one would buy this musket frm TOW and anything on it does not meet his reuirements, i am sure TOW will take it back.
what would be my concern is, for what kind of historic impression one would consider to by a 1797 issued Brown Bess? is it the war of 1812?
ike
i got a Long Land Pattern that i bought some month ago here in Germany. this musket is made in india. the barrel ist stamped with "N.V. India" on the part hidden by the muskets stock.
the gun is proofed by a official german proofhouse with 12 GRAMM(!) black powder and a 50 GRAMM (!) lead ball - this it has to fire five times in a row - then the barrel is measured and must have the same measurements as before firing.
i have an official certificate of proof that comes with this musket.
so cool down!
if one would buy this musket frm TOW and anything on it does not meet his reuirements, i am sure TOW will take it back.
what would be my concern is, for what kind of historic impression one would consider to by a 1797 issued Brown Bess? is it the war of 1812?
ike
