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Posted: 8/18/2003 8:56:16 PM EDT
I am interestead in getting a flintlock like the miltia or patriot would have used in America's first fight for freedom against Bloody England. Ofcourse I cant get one from that era, so I would like to find a new copy for a budget price.

I know nothing about flintlocks and have only shot a few. What am I looking for?

Thanks in advance!!!
Link Posted: 8/19/2003 1:58:52 AM EDT
[#1]
Probably a Brown Bess.  Later there were some French made guns around, but for majority of the guns, it would be the Brown Bess.

VERY few people had rifles.  

Ross
Link Posted: 8/19/2003 5:50:38 AM EDT
[#2]
the 1766 charville was supplied to the patriots by the french at the onset of the war.  the militia men had whatever flintlocks they could get their hands on so if it is accurate for the time preiod it is likely that it was used in the war.  one of the most common though, may have been the shenandoah or kentuky types.







the "brown bess" was actually the rifle used by british troops during the revolution.  altohugh the americans did have a limited number of these because it had been in use before the war started.

i got both of these pictures from cabelas they sell the working replicas for a hefty sum.
i wanted to start a collection of all of the american firearms used in every major war along with a copy of the enemys' weapon starting with the american revolution but i got sidetracked.  i have researched the idea though, if you want more info let me know.
Link Posted: 8/19/2003 11:48:31 AM EDT
[#3]
Link Posted: 8/19/2003 12:54:08 PM EDT
[#4]
I like the look of the "Charleville " a little more. I wonder how much I could get one for. Anyone have an idea?
Link Posted: 8/19/2003 1:26:43 PM EDT
[#5]
Link Posted: 8/20/2003 1:52:57 AM EDT
[#6]
I was figuring that the Brown Bess would have been the most widespread for Milita as they had probably used them in the French-Indian war.  Obivously the French hadn't really supplied anything before they started shooting at Lexington/Concord.  Also the local armory of the colonies would be predominately stocked with British firearms.  It would be intersting to see how available these were though.
I'd have to stick to the Brown Bess for the begining of the war.

The Charville does look alot sleeker though.  I'd go with that as well, and it certainly fits the bill.

What are the flintlocks on the "crossed rifles" Infantry insignia?

Ross

Link Posted: 8/20/2003 10:23:57 AM EDT
[#7]
Link Posted: 8/20/2003 10:29:58 AM EDT
[#8]
Well, my heart is broken.

I cant see spending $850 for a damn flintlock.

Oh well maybe I will see one used for cheap one day.

Link Posted: 8/20/2003 10:38:18 AM EDT
[#9]
Link Posted: 8/20/2003 12:10:04 PM EDT
[#10]
The most common musket in the world was- and is- the Long Land, or later Short Land, Pattern Musket AKA the Brown Bess. It was everywhere, from the Americas to Europe to Asia and everywhere else in between, from around 1717 to at least the 1840s, and seen in local hands in Africa and Asia until sometime in the 20th century. It was truly the AK-47 of the 18th century.

So, I would agree that the Brown Bess is the way to go. BUT I would add that there are some other possibilties of acquisition and maintenance in a repro.

Fisrt, maintenance. The originals were rarely toatlly disassembled- the pins holding in the barrel made it tough to do that, until an arrangement of underbarrel keys that could be easily pushed in and out to remove the barrel were introduced in the India Pattern and third model Short Land Pattern, of Napoleonic era vintage, well past the Rev War era. before that, the underside of the barrel was heavily greased or varnished to obviate the need for total take-down. Most of the time, the stock inletting was greased or varnished as well, and cold water was run down the barrel and out through the touch hole on Besses for cleaning, and then wiped down with linen or flax scrap (tow linen) and oiled with olive oil, inside and out. The metal was then polished.

Half the time the locks (trigger/ignition mechanism) weren't removed, because if the lock retaining bolts were lost, it was impossible in the field to find an exact matching thread on another bolt, since screws and bolts all had individual thread sizes.

This started to change at the beginning of the 19th century with some rough standardization of threads and better training and expectations of men in the army. Even so, the founder of the British Army's first full-time rifle unit, the 95th (Rifles) Regiment of Foot, Coote-Manningham, still cautioned in his Rules and regulations for the Rifle Corps, 1800, not to let the men take the locks of their rifles, since they might mess them up- and the rifleman was on average a smarter soldier than his redcoated counterparts.

Possibilities of getting repro muskets: once in a while you might find a deal and get a used Pedersoli Bess or old Jap Bess, but be very careful of how it looks- if it's rusty, and you don't get a shower of sparks when you pull the cock back, push the hammer forward, and then pull the trigger, then you might have some problems. I'd sooner buy a new one, if I could, but even they sometimes need some fine-tuning from a competent gunsmith. expect to pay at least $500 on up for one in good shape, probably more, since they are in such demand. The Japanese Besses are getting hard to find parts for, though- haven't been made for years.

The best ones are available in parts kit forms from The Rifle Shoppe. Have a competent gunsmith in your area build one for you- expect to pay at least $1500 or more, and be prepared to wait a while. I'm saving up to have a couple made. They are truly the best shooting, best feeling, most authentic repros out there- they built my Baker rifle and I've been very happy with it.

If you just want something inexpensive and functional, and are not concerned with authenticity, some of the  repros from India are coming in and cost around $500.00 or less. Try www.loyalistarms.freeservers.com/ or www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/ Always make sure you get these with the touchholes drilled, locks tuned (working properly) and a warranty.

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