Brown Besses

[Nate McKenzie]

There's been a lot of discussion about Brown Besses lately so I thought I'd share some pictures of a few I have built. Top one is a 1st model long land pattern from Rifle Shop parts. Middle is a Pedersoli reworked into a cut down 1st model of F&I vintage. Bottom is a private contract officer's model using a Getz barrel, Davis lock, and English walnut stock. All are fitted with bayonets.

























Thanks for looking.

[omark]

thanks fer showin'.  nice guns.  mark

[J.D.]

Nice work. The transformation of the Ped bess is amazing. The LLP and officers fusil ain't bad either.

[cheyenne]

Very nice!

[TPH]

I'll chime in - Nice Work!

[bdixon]

Nice smoothies, I was impressed the first time I loaded my 75 with proper wads and shot.  What a shredder they can be.

[Majorjoel]

Thanks for showing your very fine Bess's Nate! I picked up a bess lock at a gun show a few years back and your pictures are inspiring me to do something with it.

[Artificer]

Nate,

You made my day.  Thank you very much.

I have a few questions because I don't understand something, if you don't mind. 

For the Pedersoli that you re-did as a cut down first model:

I always thought one of the determining factors of a first model was the banana shaped lock.  Did you file/alter the shape of the Pedersoli lock?  Or do you mean this is a first model of the 1756 lock?

Did you use a new stock or reshape the old one?

The reasons I ask these questions are I have thought about redoing my Pedersoli so it might be "correct" for F&I, but I was under the impression (could be incorrect impression of course) that it could not be done correctly.  If it can be done correctly, I may well like to try it. 

Thank you,
Gus

[Burgess_rudy]

I have to ask about the Pedersoli too. I was not aware that they made anything but the Second Model with the Grice 1762 lock stamp. Is this new to their line of firearms or old? I have a Second Model with the Grice 1762 stamp.

[Nate McKenzie]

I've gotten so many responses and PMs about the Pedersoli Bess that I'll tell how I made it. It started out as a regular Ped. 2nd. model Bess. I turned it into a cut down 1st. model. I had a buttplate and side plate that were made for this purpose. I got them about 15 years ago. I think I got the castings from Reeves Goering. I had the second 62 in 1762 tig welded and engraved a 56 in its place. I filed, sanded, and polished off the barrel markings. I stripped the stock and dyed it with LMF maple stain to look more like the originals I've seen, and gave it an oil finish. I did nothing to change the shape of the lockplate. I used a full scale drawing of a 1st. model for placement and put dummy RR thimble inlets, barrel pin holes, and forward sling swivel holes  where they would have been on a longer barrel.

This makes a fair representative of a 1st model Long Land Pattern musket. It is still under sized and not enough drop to the stock and slightly wrong shaped lock but its better than it was. Its most obvious when held next to the Rifle Shop musket. Some of the PMs sent me mention that Dunlop has a replacement stock with more drop for the Ped.

Some might be interested- the last time I was at Dixon's about a week ago, they had two of the old English made 1st. models hanging from the ceiling for sale. I think they're made by Coach Harness Co. I had one once and they a nice. Wish I had it back.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

[Artificer]

Nate,

Thank you for the follow up.  Very interesting.

Gus

[Artificer]

P.S.

"I used a full scale drawing of a 1st. model for placement and put dummy RR thimble inlets, barrel pin holes, and forward sling swivel holes  where they would have been on a longer barrel."

The replacement buttplate and sideplate are great, but the quoted work above that you did really sets your conversion apart from many others for your attention to detail.  These would have been evident in many/most cut down original muskets and that really makes your work correct.

Gus

[Nate McKenzie]

Thanks Gus. You made my day.

[longhunter1757]

Nate,
   Does the Pedersoli have a wood loading rod? I can't tell from the pics? If so did you replace the original thimbles or drill them out?
   All are very excellent!

Thanks!

Rich Baker

[Nate McKenzie]

Rich, Metal rod on Ped.  The other two are wood.

[longhunter1757]

Thank you sir!

Rich