Old original Brown Bess at my locak LGS

GaryED50 · December 13, 2020, 05:21 PM

Hi

I found a original brown Bess at my local LGS its from 1796 and is a 3rd pattern I believe. The cock spring is broken but other wise in good condition. They want $1,100.00 Is that a good price? is the broken spring easy to replace?

mehavey · December 13, 2020, 07:36 PM

While originals always make me misty-eyed,
that one looks pretty rough.

GaryED50 · December 13, 2020, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mehavey

While originals always make me misty-eyed,
that one looks pretty rough.

The wood looks good very few dings no scratches no obvious attempts to repair anywhere. The metal patina is very dark on the barrel, but no pitting or metal damage.

ligonierbill · December 14, 2020, 09:05 AM

Track of the Wolf will sell you a whole reproduction lock for $180, and I'm sure you can find a mainspring. There are a number of very good smiths who specialize in these old locks. Any one of them could repair it for you. Seems like a fair price to me, but "condition is everything".

Hawg · December 14, 2020, 10:15 AM

The spring shouldn't be too hard to replace if you can get the screw out or it isn't stripped.

**4V50 Gary** · December 18, 2020, 02:08 PM

I'd buy it and make a new spring. NRA Bench Metal class (Summer School) at Trinidad state should be teaching it. NMLRA also offered a class at Friendship, IN. Make you own.

BJung · December 18, 2020, 02:40 PM

Can you still shoot those old muskets? Can you shoot a miniball through it or do you have to shoot only patched round ball in them?

**4V50 Gary** · December 18, 2020, 02:43 PM

Xray and magnaflux it to see what condition that barrel is in. You don't want a kaboom and ruin an antique.

Don't shoot minie balls. It's a waste of lead as they won't be accurate in them. Minies are undersized for quick loading and when fired expand to fit the rifling in the bore. There is no rifling in a musket. So stick with patched round balls.

December 13, 2020, 05:21 PM	#1
GaryED50 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2012 Location: Dawsonville Georgia Posts: 542	Old original Brown Bess at my local LGS Hi I found a original brown Bess at my local LGS its from 1796 and is a 3rd pattern I believe. The cock spring is broken but other wise in good condition. They want $1,100.00 Is that a good price? is the broken spring easy to replace? Last edited by GaryED50; December 14, 2020 at 11:39 AM.

December 18, 2020, 02:08 PM	#6
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	I'd buy it and make a new spring. NRA Bench Metal class (Summer School) at Trinidad state should be teaching it. NMLRA also offered a class at Friendship, IN. Make you own. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

December 18, 2020, 02:43 PM	#8
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	Xray and magnaflux it to see what condition that barrel is in. You don't want a kaboom and ruin an antique. Don't shoot minie balls. It's a waste of lead as they won't be accurate in them. Minies are undersized for quick loading and when fired expand to fit the rifling in the bore. There is no rifling in a musket. So stick with patched round balls. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

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December 13, 2020, 07:36 PM	#2
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,883	While originals always make me misty-eyed, that one looks pretty rough.

December 14, 2020, 09:05 AM	#4
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,448	Track of the Wolf will sell you a whole reproduction lock for $180, and I'm sure you can find a mainspring. There are a number of very good smiths who specialize in these old locks. Any one of them could repair it for you. Seems like a fair price to me, but "condition is everything".

December 14, 2020, 10:15 AM	#5
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	The spring shouldn't be too hard to replace if you can get the screw out or it isn't stripped.

December 18, 2020, 02:40 PM	#7
BJung Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2019 Posts: 773	Can you still shoot those old muskets? Can you shoot a miniball through it or do you have to shoot only patched round ball in them?