cobbling a cheap musket

[Mike Brooks]

And to think we worry about our american produced barrels when the breech plug misses being fully fitted by .005.

[hammer]

Looks as if you have a public safety issue here with these Display Only guns being advertised by the irresponsible sellers as shootable.   Not only harms the reputation of properly proofed and safe arms from India but these convertions are potential pipe bombs.    Is there no legislation that should protect the buyer?

[Mike Brooks]

I'd sure hate to get lawyers involved.....I figure a fella should be smart enough to not buy those guns just because they are ugly if nothing else.

[wattlebuster]

The lawyers are more dangerous than the pipe bombs

[Bob Roller]

Looks as if you have a public safety issue here with these Display Only guns being advertised by the irresponsible sellers as shootable.   Not only harms the reputation of properly proofed and safe arms from India but these convertions are potential pipe bombs.    Is there no legislation that should protect the buyer?

Not only a pipe bomb but a SHOULDER FIRED one as opposed to the planted ones.
I would think if these are resold in a fireable (flash hole drilled)condition then the
seller may be liable. If the purchaser activates the piece then HE wins the bonehead awards.
Daryl's description of the breech plug threads was enough to turn anyone away from them
IF they have any knowledge of muzzle loaders at all.My own comment about making a
floor lamp out of them is still my opinion of such a potential danger.

Bob Roller

[Joe S.]

I know if you take a modern demilled military type weapon and make it workable again your in big trouble. I know there's a big difference in the reasoning why but a safety issue should also apply.Quess its going to take a few folks getting hurt or worse for some action.Folks should know better before letting regulations take care of it for them though.

[JCKelly]

I would never, ever, ever fire an Indian muzzle loader.
Not ever.

The best Brown Bess musket barrels are those made by Pedersoli. They use, at least in their Trade Gun, a low sulfur grade of steel far superior to that used in any American muzzle loading barrel (save Ed Rayl).
May be pricey.

US distributor is  www.flintlocksetc.com   eMail: flintetc@berkshire.rr.com
Forget the gentleman's name but he has treated me very well.
 

[Hungry Horse]

I took apart a trade gun, built by some unknown "gunsmith" constructed back in the sixties, or seventies, and found the plug, and barrel, threaded in national pipe thread, with less than a half inch of actual contact. I guess the smith thought it was O.K. Since he used seamless gas pipe for the barrel. I hate to say this, because some dingbat will take it as a green light to do the same, but the reason I disassembled the gun was to install a touch hole liner. The touch hole was eroded out to almost an eighth of an inch. This was the second owner, and he didn't like it self priming. The plug threads were sealed with some kind of marine anti fowling paint. I suspect this gun shot thousands of shots before I disassembled it. Oh and the lock was an original trade lock marked Lacey.

  Hungry Horse

[Kingsburyarms]

Not to go off track... If someone were to want a "Brown Bess" kit- safe, accurate and as close to the "real thing" what would be the best option? (I know - many variations and styles) But something a British soldier would be carrying on the streets of Massachusetts around 1772 - 1774...

[Daryl]

I would get a Pedersoli and be done with it.

I don't think there is a "kit", per se'.

Taylor had a "Lyman" Bess many years ago - a .75 cal (11bore)- maybe 1981?.  He used 100 2F GOEX, a .715", 545gr. ball and a .022" patch. With that combination, which chrono'd just under 1,200fps, he shot a moose at a range of 100yards. Hit dead centre behind the leg & through both lungs, the moose walked about 20 yards then fell over before he was loaded again. The ball holed it side to side stopping under the offshide hide, almost as flat as a pancake, barely a rounded bump on the back - I have it in my 'stuff' still.
His plinking, non-serious load of 80gr. 2F GOEX produced 1,080fps.

[Mike Brooks]

Not to go off track... If someone were to want a "Brown Bess" kit- safe, accurate and as close to the "real thing" what would be the best option? (I know - many variations and styles) But something a British soldier would be carrying on the streets of Massachusetts around 1772 - 1774...

The rifle shoppe, but good luck getting the parts. Or TOTW also offers one I have built several over the years.
http://www.fowlingguns.com/gunforsale10.html
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Gunmaker/library/317%20Fulton%20Bess?sort=3&page=1
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Gunmaker/library/Pickard%20Bess?sort=3&page=1

[Daryl]

HA! Forgot about Track. A good set of parts will start at just over $1,000.00
The Long Land Pattern is a nice one with wooden rod and a 10 bore at that.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/GunKit.aspx/603/1/1746-BROWN-BESS-MUSKET-PARTS-LIST

[smart dog]

Not to go off track... If someone were to want a "Brown Bess" kit- safe, accurate and as close to the "real thing" what would be the best option? (I know - many variations and styles) But something a British soldier would be carrying on the streets of Massachusetts around 1772 - 1774...

Hi,
Grenadiers would have mostly carried pattern 1756 long land muskets (LLP).  Marines stationed in Boston likely would carry pattern 1757/59 marine muskets with iron rammers.  Rank and file infantry may have had long land patterns but some at least carried pattern 1769 short land pattern muskets (SLP), many of which were marked "Dublin Castle" on the locks depending on when the unit arrived.  The Pedersoli Bess is a pretty good stand in for the 1769 SLP even with the flat side plate but the lock should be marked "TOWER" not Grice. Hardware from Pedersoli and Miroku Besses can be modified and used to make into good marine muskets.  Even the Grice marking on the Pedersoli lock is right except for the date.  This is my preferred route to an authentic musket for the early Rev War because the marine muskets had a bit more drop in the stock than the SLPs and are more comfortable shooters for me and I am interested in what Pitcairn's marines carried. For a long land musket, probably a build from Rifle Shoppe or TOW might be an option.

dave   

[oldtravler61]

No offense to anyone one. But  you can't fix stupid. Have seen two of those guns or similar an neither one came with a touch hole. Both reenators wanted me to put a liner in them. I politely refused. They just don't seem safe IMHO.