Original Item: Only One Available. This is a particularly appealing early British Short Land Pattern Brown Bess flintlock musket with several desirable early features, including the pre-1777 style lock with only one visible screw behind the cock, a full regulation 42" barrel, four ramrod pipes, handrail or "bannister rail" butt profile, and correct brass furniture. Dating from approximately 1770, this is the pattern of British infantry musket associated directly with the opening years of the American Revolutionary War. Adding considerable individual character is an old modification to the left side of the butt, where a cheek rest was cut into the original handrail profile during the musket's working life.

This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The British Short Land Pattern developed from earlier Brown Bess designs and adopted the handier 42" barrel that had already proven successful on specialized Marine and militia arms. The Board of Ordnance approved the new Short Land standard infantry pattern in 1768, with issue beginning in 1769, which accounts for the use of both Pattern 1768 and Pattern 1769 terminology among collectors. The design retained the approximately .75 caliber smoothbore, steel ramrod, four ramrod pipes, brass furniture, and characteristic British military lockwork of the preceding generation while reducing overall length compared with the earlier 46" Long Land Pattern.

The Short Land Brown Bess became one of the principal British infantry muskets of the American Revolutionary War. Early examples of this configuration were already in British service by the opening fighting of 1775, while both Short and Long Land muskets continued in use as wartime demand increased. Later versions of the Short Land pattern remained in British service into the Revolutionary and Napoleonic era before the shorter India Pattern became predominant. Please see The Brown Bess: An Identification Guide and Illustrated Study of Britain's Most Famous Musket by Erik Goldstein and Stuart Mowbray, published 2010, pages 92-101 for more information.

This example retains its full regulation 42" smoothbore barrel, measuring approximately .75" at the muzzle, and the musket measures 57 3/4" overall.

The barrel bears an unidentified marking that appears to consist of an oval containing a cross, together with the number:

5

We have not identified the meaning of these markings and therefore leave them unattributed. Considerable powder residue corrosion is present around the breech area, and any original British proof or inspection markings once present there may have been lost or obscured through corrosion and subsequent cleaning.

The stock retains the correct four ramrod pipes associated with the Short Land Pattern, along with the proper all brass furniture. It also has the characteristic handrail, sometimes called the "bannister rail," butt profile associated with earlier Brown Bess stocks.

Most interestingly, the left side of the butt has been modified by cutting a cheek rest into the original handrail profile. This is clearly not part of the regulation British configuration and appears to represent an old working modification made during the musket's service or subsequent sporting life. We do not know when, where, or by whom the alteration was made, but it gives this particular musket an immediately distinctive appearance.

The early lock plate is very faintly marked at the center with:

CROWN
G.R.

for King George III, while the tail retains a faint:

TOWER

marking. The use of TOWER on British government musket locks was well established by this period and is entirely appropriate for a Short Land Pattern arm of the Revolutionary War era.

The lock itself has the earlier rounded or curved surface profile associated with pre-1777 Short Land production. Only one screw end is visible behind the swan neck cock, another feature consistent with the earlier lock configuration. In 1777, wartime simplification introduced a less expensive lock pattern with two visible screw ends behind the cock, making this earlier arrangement an especially desirable identifying feature.

The swan neck cock is also characteristic of the earlier Brown Bess lock tradition and remained in British service well into the flintlock era.

The lock remains mechanically active but has important condition issues. It is somewhat stiff, and although the cock can be placed at both half and full cock, the lock will release from either position when the trigger is pulled. The half cock notch therefore does not provide a secure safety position. This condition is disclosed exactly as observed and should not be interpreted as indicating that the musket is safe to load or fire.

The lock plate shows considerable evidence of old oxidation and past cleaning. This has softened the surfaces and made the original CROWN / G.R. and TOWER markings quite faint, although both can still be discerned.

The walnut stock is especially attractive and retains the correct swell immediately behind the first ramrod pipe, another characteristic feature of the Brown Bess family. Aside from the intentional cheek rest modification to the butt profile, the stock remains in very good condition. It shows only relatively light handling marks, scattered dents, and small chips in the expected high wear areas.

We do not see any major structural cracks or obvious stock repairs. The walnut has developed a particularly pleasing red brown color and displays attractive natural grain throughout.

An original period ramrod remains beneath the barrel. It shows considerable surface rusting from age and exposure. Both sling swivels have been removed and are no longer present.

With its full 42" Short Land barrel, approximately .75 caliber smoothbore, early pre-1777 style lock, faint CROWN / G.R. and TOWER markings, four ramrod pipes, correct brass furniture, handrail butt profile, surviving period ramrod, and distinctive old cheek rest modification, this is a particularly evocative early Brown Bess. Its combination of regulation Revolutionary War era features and obvious working life gives it considerably more character than a heavily restored example. It would make an excellent addition to an advanced Brown Bess collection, a British Revolutionary War display, or a collection devoted to the infantry arms carried during the struggle for American independence.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1770
Maker: Tower Armory
Model: Short Land Pattern "Brown Bess"
Caliber: .75" Musket - worn to 0.81"
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 41 3/4 inches
Overall Length: 57 3/4 inches
Action: Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

"Brown Bess" is a nickname of uncertain origin for the British Army's muzzle-loading smoothbore flintlock Land Pattern Musket and its derivatives. The musket design remained in use for over a hundred years with many incremental changes in its design. These versions include the Long Land Pattern, the Short Land Pattern, the India Pattern, the New Land Pattern Musket, and the Sea Service Musket.

The Long Land Pattern musket and its derivatives, all 0.75 inches caliber flintlock muskets, were the standard long guns of the British Empire's land forces from 1722 until 1838, when they were superseded by a percussion cap smoothbore musket. The British Ordnance System converted many flintlocks into the new percussion system known as the Pattern 1839 Musket. A fire in 1841 at the Tower of London destroyed many muskets before they could be converted. Still, the Brown Bess saw service until the middle of the nineteenth century.

Most male citizens of the thirteen colonies of British America were required by law to own arms and ammunition for militia duty. The Long Land Pattern was a common firearm in use by both sides in the American War of Independence.

In 1808 during the Napoleonic Wars, the United Kingdom subsidized Sweden (during the period when Finland was under Swedish rule) in various ways as the British government anxiously wanted to keep an ally in the Baltic Sea region. These included deliveries of significant numbers of Brown Bess-muskets for use in the Finnish War of 1808 to 1809.

During the Musket Wars (1820s–30s), Māori warriors used Brown Besses purchased from European traders at the time. Some muskets were sold to the Mexican Army, which used them during the Texas Revolution of 1836 and the Mexican–American War of 1846 to 1848. Brown Besses saw service in the First Opium War and during the Indian rebellion of 1857. Zulu warriors, who had also purchased them from European traders, used them during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. One was even used in the Battle of Shiloh in 1862, during the American Civil War.

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.