The short land pattern brown bess was the standard british army musket of the revolutionary war period. History of the term brown bess royal armouries 17 may 2017. Denix 18th century replica of a brown bess musket on amazon. The land pattern musket, better known as the brown bess was the standard infantry weapon of the british army for over 100 years until being replaced in the mid19th century.
For more than 120 years, the brown bess was the british armys principle. It also saw action during the war of 1812 and during the mexicanamerican war. The end of the struggle against napoleon left the british government with thousands of muskets in storage. The brown bess eight amazing facts about the musket that made. Its a little light on the india pattern arms and sadly misses out sea service muskets altogether but still excellent. The pattern 1748 long land pattern 1st model brown bess was one of several variations to the land service musquet of the kings pattern. Click on underlined title to check out the denix on amazon. Brown bess musket national museum of american history. Comparing these to the british land pattern musket brown bess or the french model 1777 charleville that would have been used by the army, and there arent many differences. For more information on the history of the long land brown bess, or if you wish to purchase the long land brown bess musket without the nose cap, please click here.
How were muskets in the napoleonic wars different from the. An identification guide and illustrated study of britains most famous musket. May 05, 2014 the name brown bess, during the 1700s, was a low vernacular for a prostitute. While the british regulars were issued the very fine and widelyrespected brown bess smoothbore musket, american soldiers including militia were armed with early long rifles and it made a. As for the british, the foot guards arrived in north america armed with the long land brown bess, while other regiments were equipped with the newer short land brown bess. Ive been combing sources for information on what type of rifles and muskets the gmbs of vermont were using regularly, but have been coming up dry on specifics. The brown bess flintlock musket came in 3 sizes long land pattern 1720 1760, short land 1760 1790 and india pattern 1790 1815. The problem is that in 1785, a lot of muskets underwent the same treatment, so the brown of the. While the texians were not as adept in its use, they likely employed it. In a later edition of this book, the charge for the percussion muskets is confirmed. So lets say you want to own an antique firearm like a brown bess musket or a.
Brown bess project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Now everyone knows that a brown bess and indeed, any smoothbore musket is the mechanical embodiment of inaccuracy. Revolutionary war brown bess flintlock musket tower short. The brown bess was a roughandtumble weapon that played an important role in creating an empire that eventually encompassed over a quarter of the earths population. The brown bess fired round lead balls, some the size of a quarter. The long land pattern british brown bess musket was the primary weapon of the british soldier throughout the early and mid18th century. Brown bess is the nickname of the british short land pattern musket. Brown bess is a nickname of uncertain origin for the british armys muzzle loading. Veteran of the seven years war, it was used also by wellington during the war in the iberian peninsula and at waterloo.
Brown bess is a nickname of uncertain origin for the british armys muzzleloading smoothbore flintlock land pattern musket and its derivatives. Anyone who actually knows what they are looking at can tell you that the damaged musket in the photo above was caused by a massive overload. Many examples that come to auction have replacement locks and other parts. The shortland brown bess musket was produced in mid 18th century for the british infantry sometimes referred to as the 2nd model brown bess, the overall length was reduced to 42 inches. Brown bess musket of the american revolution revolutionary. It represented a huge technological advance when it was designed nearly 300 years ago and has influenced almost every military long gun that came after it. Google books, osprey publishing, part of bloomsbury publishing plc, 2016. The brown bess by goldstein and mowbray is an excellent starting point, lots of photos and good scholarship. Loaned courtesy of the smithsonian institution, national museum of american history. However on a recent trip to williamsburg they had quite a number of originals in the magazinearmory side by side with these same reproductions. More articles on the usage and history of muskets and rifles in the revolutionary war journal were musket cartridges used during the american revolutionary war. Mar 17, 2019 officially designated the long land service musket, history remembers it best by its nickname.
It was one of the most important military firearms ever designed. Brown bess is a nickname of uncertain origin for the british armys muzzleloading. If you are fortunate enough to own george neumanns 1967 book the history of the weapons of the american revolution. The first model resembled the british infantry musket brown bess, but was rejected as too heavy. Our reproduction 1748 long land pattern 1st model brown bess is faithful to the original in design and functionality. The brown bess is the name for a longserving series of flintlock smoothbore muskets that saw action with the british army from the early 1700s through to the end of the napoleonic wars early 1800s and while traditionally associated with the campaigns in portugal, spain and europe, also saw action in. Ive found the diary of an american militiaman at bunker hill 1775 who was shot by a british brown bess musket at a range of between 55 and 80 yards. Both sides in the texas war for independence were largely armed with the brown bess. A pillar of gun culture is history, and for many shooters, the best way to honor this history is to, well, shoot it. The accuracy of the brown bess was fair, as with most other muskets. The flintlock musket is an osprey weapon series book by stuart reid, with illustrations by steve. Many people today know the british version as brown bess, but where did this.
Other books in the same osprey series, the martini henry, p53 enfield, webley revolver,all follow the basic formula of. A flintlock musket, the brown bess saw service wherever british forces marched. Oct 01, 2014 interested in owning a replica of a brown bess musket. Soldiers knew its shortcomings, but considered it a sturdy and reliable friend. Pristine condition for sale by maharris57 on gunsamerica 952552354. Many variations and modifications of the standard pattern musket were created over its long history. Unlike modern weapons, the musket was slow to load, inaccurate and frequently unreliable. A enfield musket from our canadian competitor that was destroyed by a massive overload in 2011. You could find a rare brown bess musket for sale, an 1860 martini henry rifle for sale, or a japanese ww2 rifle in our exciting inventory of highly collectable foreign military antique long guns.
The name brown bess, during the 1700s, was a low vernacular for a prostitute. While we will never know for sure what weapons were used in the alamo drama, these examples were some of the more common and readily available of the day. Aug 05, 2015 the end of the struggle against napoleon left the british government with thousands of muskets in storage. Yet the brown bess remained a major share of the arms carried by provincial forces through 1783both as complete muskets and as surviving components remounted on the large number of locally. Since rank and file was mainly from the lower classes of england, they spoke of their muskets as hugging a brown bess. The metal ramrod and cast brass nosecap distinguishes the musket as a later variation of the long lived long land muskets. If you are fortunate enough to own george neumanns 1967 book the history of the weapons of. The land pattern, or more popularly known as the brown bess, and its versions were all. The 2nd model brown bess by pedersoli is a faithful reproduction. This musket was used in the era of the expansion of the british empire and acquired a symbolic importance which was at least as significant as its physical importance. The brown bess is the name for a longserving series of flintlock smoothbore muskets that saw action with the british army from the early 1700s through to the end of the napoleonic wars early 1800s and while traditionally associated with the campaigns in portugal, spain and europe, also saw action in north america. In addition to the features of earlier models including brass hardware, stock aprons, and double bridle lock, the 1748 musket was the first to be produced with a metal ramrod as opposed to other. Brown bess was the close companion of the british soldier for almost a hundred.
Although some british line regiments were using the brown bess as late as 1848, many muskets were sold off as surplus around the world, including to mexico. But i keep hearing murmurs from people who shoot quality repos that much of the legendary inaccuracy comes from undersized balls as used in military issue paper cartridges being fired without a proper patch. This made the charleville sturdier than the british brown bess musket, which used pins to hold the barrel in place. There were probably 5 or 6 rounds in it when it went off. Dixie gun works muzzleloading, blackpowder and rare. As a result, the weapon took part in conflicts in nearly every corner of the globe. I have other books on this topic and this is a great addition especially if one is interested in these old muskets or are researching a musket that they own. M1841 us rifle mississippi rifle m1842 springfield musket. I purchased this title with the anticipation of a simple, straight forward history of the development of the brown bess musket and its french rival.
Our community welcomes everyone from around the world to discuss world history, historical periods, and themes in history military history, archaeology, arts and culture, and history in books and movies. It saw extensive use during the american revolution some even seeing. I enjoy informal turkey shoots and use her to hunt with. The history of this weapon is long and illustrious, and full of. The british brown bess flintlock musket is quite simply one of the. This book is loaded with great photos and close ups of the brown bess british muskets. Want to learn more about muskets and their history. A musket is a muzzleloaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder.
These muskets made their way into wars spanning over a century. Other books in the same osprey series, the martini henry, p53 enfield, webley revolver,all follow the basic formula of being a history of the weapon in the title. Brown bess muskets for sale international military antiques. Interested in owning a replica of a brown bess musket.
A bayonet was standard issue and used with the brown bess and other military muskets. Loading and firing a brown bess musket in the eighteenth century. The dublin castle brown bess musket history ireland. Dixie gun works was formally founded in 1954, but it could be said that dixie gun works actually began many years before. The brown bess is a nickname for the british short land pattern musket. Official brown bess powder charges british militaria forums. Jan 19, 2016 i purchased this title with the anticipation of a simple, straight forward history of the development of the brown bess musket and its french rival. If youd like to read more about the brown bess, two books are recommended. The barrel length of short pattern musket had been reduced to. Other books in the same osprey series, the martini henry, p53 enfield, webley revolver,all follow the basic formula of being a history. The brown bess was the musket used by the english troops during the empire extension and consolidation in india and america. Hi, for a book im writing im interested in what your thoughts are about the following. Best musket of the 18th and 19th colonial and history. Brown bess rifles for sale, historical brown bess rifles by.
Brown bess is a nickname of uncertain origin for the british armys land pattern musket and its derivatives. This musket has seen a lot of service and its date gives it a good chance of being at many major battles. The earliest mention of brown bess in america was in a hartford newspaper, the connecticut courant. Mar 11, 2011 founded in 2006, historum is a history forum dedicated to history discussions and historical events. Brown bess the story of historys most famous musket. The brown bess eight amazing facts about the musket that. Firing demonstration of the british long land pattern musket, more commonly known as the brown bess musket. The british brown bess flintlock musket is quite simply one of the most important firearms ever made. We offer a range of muskets, rifles and carbines from several periods of history. I know typical american weapons of the time were battlefield pickups, usually british brown bess muskets, or if it was american made it would be the pennsylvania rifle.
I have other books on this topic and this is a great addition especially if one is interested in these old muskets or are researching a musket. Official brown bess powder charges official brown bess powder charges. Large numbers of the m1777 were either destroyed, damaged or converted. Many bess muskets,along with the french chareville musket, are found with a brown finish causes by rust. Original antique muskets for sale at international military antiques. The meat of this book is about 74 pages long, and it is an interesting read. Mar 25, 2015 gary lewis for the bulletina replica brown bess musket and a paper load that contains powder and a lead ball.
It was the standard arm of the british soldier during the american revolution. Want to learn more about firing muskets and their history. This article by is a history of where the term brown bess comes from. What type of silver finish was on the brown bess musket. History question muskets entry and exit wounds the. Original french and indian wars british 1742 pattern long. In 1931, turner kirkland paid seventy five cents for a dug 1849 colt pocket pistol, which began a lifetime of buying and trading antique guns and parts. I am not as schooled in the originals as i wish i was.
The brown bess was one of the most common and effective muskets. The flintlock or firelock musket is one of the most iconic weapons in history. It was not a very effective weapon, firing only three or four times a minute, very inaccurate and liable to foul up. Griffith in his book, forward into battle, as noting that his mens guns. There is no agreement on the origin of the namemaybe from the colour, perhaps a corruption of the german word for gun buche or simply a soldiers nickname. Ne good in working condition, wear on working surfaces, finish 40% 79%, no broken parts, no corrosion or pitting that will interfere with proper functioning, but may have some minor surface pitting. American revolution how to load and fire a musket youtube.
The brown bess was used by british troops during colonization of american territories. This type of musket was used by the british and the colonists in the revolutionary. An interesting musket for the napoleonic collector and cheaper than a brown bess. Best musket of the 18th and 19th colonial and united states military trying to decide which is the best musket design used during the french and indian war and american revolution. Dixie gun works muzzleloading, blackpowder and rare antique. Brown bess flintlock musket watch brown bess musket. The standard ball sizes were always smaller than modern shooters want to use. The brown bess bayonet was by far the most popular gun of the.
Mar 04, 2020 these muskets made their way into wars spanning over a century. Featuring specially commissioned fullcolour artwork, this. Aug 02, 2017 in this video, we will take a look at pedersolis brown bess musket which is a copy of the 2nd model brown bess or short pattern land musket. There is just the right amount of written history as well. The brown bess is recognizable as one of the worlds first modern firearms. Types of vintage muskets for sale include the british brown bess, the french charleville and the u.
A patternbypattern, fullcolor guide to the muskets of the red coats. According to the 1785, dictionary of the vulgar tongue, the definition of brown bess means to hug a brown bess, or carry a firelock. Want an antique rifle that costs less and actually shoots. This musket was used in the era of the expansion of the british empire and acquired symbolic importance at least as significant as its physical importance. The forerunner of the brown bess made its first large scale appearance at the battle of blenheim in 1704, though it wasnt standardized until the 1730s. Ive shot long land pattern brown bess muskets, and french muskets. They were the standard weapon of the british army and colonial provincial militia troops during the frenchindian war in america and many were used during the american revolution. Brown bess simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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