Issued with an armory bright finish, this gun was correctly called the King's musket, but it quickly became nick-named the Brown Bess musket, after an English folk song, which lamented "I'm in the King's army, married to Brown Bess". Soldiers spent many hours rubbing their Brown Bess muskets, keeping them bright, ready to pass military inspection. This musket is offered in excellent used condition with a few minor handling marks on the stock. The bore is bright and has been well maintained. It will thrill a 1770 - 1780 period enthusiast whose interest is Revolutionary War era re-enactments and military camps. This musket has a trigger reach of 14-1/4" and weighs 9.4 pounds.

This musket comes with the following accessories:

• a bayonet with black leather scabbard, frog, and shoulder strap
• adjustable black leather sling
• frizzen stall (not pictured)
• black leather cartridge box with rough side out flap

The tapered round barrel is 42" long, with a .750" bore. The bore is bright, clean, and ready to shoot. We recommend using a .715" ball with .018" patch, or a .735" ball in a paper cartridge, using the cartridge paper as a wad, with no patch. The barrel has no rear sight, so this big smoothbore musket qualifies for use in the NMLRA's N. W. Trade Gun match, where round balls are fired at paper targets, and shot is fired at clay birds thrown from a trap. The bayonet lug soldered 2" behind the muzzle serves as a front sight. The left side of the barrel is stamped with the factory markings near the breech.

Stocked in walnut, nicely finished, this Brown Bess musket is correctly trimmed in brass furniture. The stock has a few minor marks from normal handling. The brass furniture has aged to a mellow patina. The wrist is fitted with a brass thumbpiece, and antiques were often engraved with the name and number of the regiment and company on the thumbpiece and buttplate. The bottom view shows the wide butt with rounded toe, classic British triggerguard, and rear sling swivel. The forward swivel is correctly mounted so it rests on the ramrod pipe. This model uses a military style steel ramrod, an advanced feature that became popular during the 1750 - 1760 era. The end of the ramrod is threaded to accept 5-.8mm accessories, and the loading end has a flared tip that has been flattened. This second model has a flat brass sideplate. Earlier versions had a convex sideplate.

The lock is marked GRICE, a famous London maker who supplied Brown Bess muskets to the Crown. It is dated 1762, and bear's the King's crown mark, over a GR (Georgus Rex, i.e. George our King) indicating ownership by the King. Order a dozen of our best English gun flints, 9/8" size, to fit this musket. The direct drilled tough hole is correctly centered well above the bottom of the pan to provide instant ignition. A brass flash guard is installed on the lock, to protect the shooter next to you from overspray vented from the flash hole. The single trigger has a heavy pull, which is typical of military muskets of the period.

The bayonet has an overall length of 21-1/2" and fits securely onto the end of the barrel. A black leather scabbard, frog, and shoulder strap are included. The shoulder strap has an adjustable brass buckle marked 52 in the center. The black leather cartridge box has an inserted wooden cartridge block that holds 36 paper cartridges, 18 on each side, and has an inner flap of leather, to protect the paper cartridges. The box has one inside pocket, and contains a turnscrew, tow worm, and wad of tow. A pick and brush are secured to the leather strap with brass chain, and the strap is adjustable with buckles sewn to the bottom of the box. The flap is sewn with the rough side out, exactly like on originals, and this box is neatly hand sewn.

We recommend this attractive Brown Bess Musket for the Revolutionary War re-enactor. This musket has a bright well maintained bore, and will serve you well. It comes with the accessories shown, and is ready for your next reenactment! Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.