Baker Rifles

[One Shot]

Are they any makers today of Baker Rifles as apposed to muskets. I have a friend whose young adult fantasy (watching Sharpe's Rifles) was to own a Baker Rifle one day. Well that day has come he says. All I can find is Indian made muskets. It has been said that Colrain has a barrel but requires some fitting. I would like to find something better than that if I can for him. Did the Italians or Spaniards ever make a repro? Thank you.

[Bill Raby]

Maybe this will do it.

http://therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/english_arms/baker_rifles.htm

[Daryl]

Taylor built one from the rifleshoppe parts set, seems to me. Maybe he will chime in.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

There is a Baker rifle made by a company in India and imported to North America, but it falls way short of being authentic  and/or nicely made.  I don't recommend it at all.

However, The Rifle Shoppe has a parts set that makes up into a decent rifle.  Here's a few pics of one I made for the piper who taught me how to play the highland pipes.  This is from TRS's set, as is the bayonette.










Happy to provide any other views requests.

[Bob Roller]

The one from India is made to sell.The one you made was done right and
nothing about it looks cheap.
Bob Roller

[Metequa]

Fantastic job, that is a really nice rifle!

[One Shot]

Thank you for your responses. Taylor, I will have him contact The Rifle Shop.

Thank you

[Hungry Horse]

If you’ve ever done a proctologist’s style exam on a mule, and said oh, that wasn’t to bad, you’ll love shooting English Baker rifle. Just sayin’.

Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

Well, I fired it and it shoots just fine.  The bayonet mounted adds a nice "touch" of muzzle weight.
But - without the bayonet attached, it is a nice shooting gun.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

HH:  what about the Baker makes it unpleasant to shoot? 

[lexington1]

If you can find all of the parts for the Baker rifle from TRS that's the way to go. I built one a while back, but they didn't have a lock or lock castings. That was about a year ago and I'm still waiting. In the meantime I managed to find an original lock and use it. I find the Baker to be pleasant to shoot.

[Daryl]

 Interesting feature of this rifle, I did not find it "clunky" as I thought it would be.
It handled like a short hunting rifle, for me.



 

[smart dog]

Hi,
Beautiful Baker Taylor!  Hungry Horse and you are both correct about shooting your Bakers.  The TRS stock is not historically correct because it has much more drop at the comb and heel that the originals, which were very straight.  They were so straight that the British riflemen constantly complained about them and asked that the stocks be steamed and bent.  An original Baker has a drop at comb of only 1 3/8"  and 1 1/2" at the heel (Bailey "British Military Flintlock Rifles" pages 206-207).  TRS probably would never sell a Baker kit if they had not changed their stocks.

dave   

[lexington1]

I didn't know that about original Bakers, but it makes sense to me. I have a Baker that I built from TRS parts, and it fits me very well. I also collect Brown Besses and have noticed that a similar situation that you talk about with them. Most originals are so straight that you go cross eyed trying to sight along the barrel, but I did build a 1742 pattern Bess from TRS parts, including their stock, and it fits quite well.

[smart dog]

Hi Lexington,
The earlier pattern Besses had more drop than the pattern 1756 and particularly the pattern 1769 and later.  If anyone requests me to build a Bess I always ask if they intend to really shoot the gun or just reenact.  If they want to really shoot it, I urge them to consider an early pattern. 

dave

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I have shouldered original 3rd model Bess's and find that I cannot get my face far enough down on the stock to sight along the barrel.  But these guns were not meant to be aimed like a rifle, but rather fired as quickly as possible to get as much lead toward the enemy as possible.  In fact, soldiers were discouraged from aiming their muskets, as it used too much time, and second, it was akin to murder if you deliberately aimed at a man.

[smart dog]

Hi Taylor,
Plus everyone would aim at the guy on the horse.

dave

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Can't have that Dave...not the British way!  Why, imagine the chaos without leadership.  Totally uncivilized.

[T*O*F]

I have shouldered original 3rd model Bess's and find that I cannot get my face far enough down on the stock to sight along the barrel.

I have the same problem with most Civil War muskets and Lancaster rifles.  I need a 15" - 16" LOP and then have to hunch my shoulder to get down on the stock.

[Daryl]

I have the same problem with most Civil War muskets and Lancaster rifles.  I need a 15" - 16" LOP and then have to hunch my shoulder to get down on the stock.

Wow - Taylor made rifles for a fellow who needed a 17" LOP, but he had the arm length of a gorilla and the neck of a giraffe.

[JTR]

If you can find all of the parts for the Baker rifle from TRS that's the way to go. I built one a while back, but they didn't have a lock or lock castings. That was about a year ago and I'm still waiting. In the meantime I managed to find an original lock and use it. I find the Baker to be pleasant to shoot.

Hey Let's see a picture of your rifle with that fine old lock! 

[lexington1]

I hate to say but that lock is too big for the Baker, so I found another one. That is a really cool lock, but it just larger all the way around. I'm not sure what that would have been used on, but it is exactly like a Baker rifle lock, but scaled slightly larger. This lock is right at 6" and the Baker rifle lock is about 5 3/8". It is still a really cool lock in my collection!