Brown Bess — the gun that charmed America; Musket saw use in Revolutionary War Brown Bess — the gun that charmed America Musket saw use in Revolutionary War Gary Lewis Published Mar 25, 2015 at 12:08AM “You might have guessed from my accent I’m not from around here.” I had guessed no such thing. I wasn’t from around there either. In Emmett, Idaho, last week, my wife, my father-in-law and I went to the Gem County Rod and Gun Club to shoot bolt-action rifles and semi-auto pistols. We chanced to talk to one of the club officers, a Greg Kershul, and he had brought a couple of interesting items out for exercise on a Saturday morning. Guns, like people, tend to stay in the areas of the country in which they came of age. For instance, out here in the West, we are familiar with blackpowder mountain rifles and lever-actions such as the Winchester 73 and the Model 94. We were also early adopters of the Winchester Model 70 and the Remington 700.

In the Rocky Mountains and south, and east into the plains, there is a tendency for gun collections to run to single-shot buffalo guns and old U.S. Army breechloaders. The Eastern seaboard was settled by flintlock rifles of the vintage used in the Revolutionary War. A lot of Civil War guns are in collections in places the victors returned to. But guns travel, too. “I’m from Michigan, and back there we have a lot of the rifles that were used in the Revolutionary War and in the Civil War,” Kershul said. He hadn’t brought original guns to the range, but replicas, well-used, in the conditions they might have been in after three or four years of hard campaigning. Kershul handed me a Brown Bess Musket by Pedersoli. The British Army’s Land Pattern Musket, nicknamed Brown Bess by the men who held her tight, was used by the British in the Revolutionary War in the 1770s and in the War of 1812. It also saw action in the Mexican-American War.

A smooth-bore, 75-caliber, it is fired by flint and steel, tips the scales at 8¾ pounds and measures almost 5 feet long. The Brown Bess was both admired and scorned by a young America. She was reliable and packed a fearsome punch, but she was not accurate. Americans wanted rifles that were accurate and could be put to use from long range. The British tended to fight battles in rank and file, their troops ordered and brave, standing to fire and load, fire and load, in the face of hostile muzzles on the other side. And they used the Brown Bess. Americans used the Brown Bess, too, but they put it aside when they could get a gun with a rifled barrel that fired a stabilized projectile with greater accuracy at long range. And the Americans won the war, and the flintlock rifle began to march across the continent. A lot of those Brown Bess muskets ended up in the hands of Native Americans, too. Though it isn’t venerated like the Kentucky or Tennessee long rifle, or the Hawken of a later age, the Brown Bess is an American artifact.

Kershul carried his loads in a pouch, each individually wrapped in paper. He primed the gun by tearing away a bit of the paper wrap and sprinkling powder into the pan, then he poured the rest of the charge down the barrel, followed by the bullet, which, of course, was seated with the ramrod. He handed me the musket. Two hundred yards downrange stood a man-sized target. Back in the 1700s, the average Britisher stood about 5-foot-6 and would have carried a musket, too. I found the front sight (the Brown Bess didn’t have a rear sight), held head-high for bullet drop and squeezed. The flint snapped into steel, the sparks ignited the powder in the pan. The gun belched smoke and fire, and a puff of dirt signaled the ball’s strike. I like to think the lead ball tugged at the sleeve of the imaginary soldier on the other side. This particular musket, Kershul said, had accounted for 37 deer back home and had participated in numerous re enactments. He has also carried it for elk hunts in the West.

It was easy to picture the Brown Bess packed in a wagon headed into Oregon Territory in the 1840s. Its owner entrusted his life to it and sometimes held it tight on lonely nights. Brown Bess wasn’t from around here, but she certainly made her presence known. It can happen anytime we go to the range. There could be a slice of history, a glimpse into the past we get when we pick up an old gun and let it speak again. Rudyard Kipling wrote, “In the days of lace-ruffles, perukes and brocade, Brown Bess was a partner whom none could despise / An out-spoken, flinty-lipped, brazen-faced jade, / With a habit of looking men straight in the eyes / At Blenhieim and Ramilies, fops would confess / They were pierced to the heart by the charms of Brown Bess.” — Gary Lewis is the host of “Frontier Unlimited” TV and author of “John Nosler — Going Ballistic,” “A Bear Hunter’s Guide to the Universe,” “Hunting Oregon” and other titles. Contact Gary at .

9480007 Brown Bess | Gun Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit The Brown Bess was among the first firearms to become the standard weapon for an army. As a 'pattern' rifle (which meant that a single copy of the weapon, stored in a 'pattern room' within the barracks, was used by gunsmiths as a template to make sure that their muskets had the same dimensions as the original) the Brown Bess was among the first to be produced on a large scale. Most components were made from iron, particularly the barrel , lockwork and sling-swivels, however the mainly aesthetic components such as the trigger guard , ramrod pipe and butt plate were made from brass, although early Brown Bess' had these components made in iron. The bayonet was made from iron was a triangular cross section in shape and fitted to the underside of the barrel. It measured 17in (430mm) in length. The ramrod (used to push the shot down the barrel) was originally manufactured from wood, keeping cost of maunfacture down, however the Brown Bess would be quickly issued with iron ramrods instead.

The smoothbore barrel meant that the Brown Bess' accuracy, like most muskets, was reasonable. As the gunpowder used during the Brown Bess service usually caused the barrel to become clogged enough to prevent another shot being reloaded in a few shots, the Brown Bess usually shot a .71in (18mm) musket ball , depsite the barrel being bored to .75in. Ammunition Edit The Brown Bess was issued with .71in musket balls, despite the .75in bore of the barrel. This was done for two purposes: to reduce powder fouling the barrel and to improve the rate of fire (as a result of the reduced fouling through smaller calibre ). The Brown Bess' rate of fire was based on the user, however a serviceman was expected to fire 3 to 4 shots a minute. As the musket was muzzle loaded, using a paper envelope to hold the powder and ball, the capacity of the Brown Bess was limited to a single shot, which was compacted in the chamber by the ramrod .

Percussion caps were first designed for the Brown Bess in 1839, replacing the flintlock mechanism (which was prone to misfire, particularly in wet conditions) and signalled the beginning of the end for the musket as the main rifle of combat. Variants The Brown Bess was developed and specialised for different roles and units, with special/unique versions developed for use by the cavalry and the navy. Long Land Pattern Edit Brown Bess Long Land Pattern The original issue of the Brown Bess, used from 1722 until the release of the Short Land Pattern in 1768 and the standard for all infantry. It was 62.5in (1.58m) in length with a 46in (1.17m) barrel and weighed 10.4lb (4.7kg). Short Land Pattern Issued from 1802 until 1854 to the Foot Guards (and 4th Regiment of Foot).

Marginally longer than the India Pattern at 55.5in (1.41m) and heavier at 10.06lb (4.56kg) but used the same 39in (0.99m) barrel. Brown Bess New Land Pattern New Light Infantry Land Pattern Edit Indentical to the New Land Pattern in length and weight, but with more ornate features such as a scrolled trigger guard. It also featured a notch back sight which, although a basic sight, made the New Light Infantry Land Pattern marginally more accurate, with other models requiring the bayonet to be use as a sight. Origins of the name 'Brown Bess' Edit It is currently unknown how or why the British Land Pattern Musket acquired the nickname Brown Bess although several theories currently exist. The most popular theory at present is that the name Brown Bess is derived from the German term 'brawn buss'/'braun buss' which translates as 'strong gun'/'brown gun' due to King George I of Great Britain, who commissioned the Brown Bess, was originally from Hannover, Germany and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hannover).

Other explanations suggest that the Brown Bess was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England (upon the 150th anniversary of her death in 1753), whilst other explanations suggest that the name is a reference the Brown Bill which was a halberd (spear). There are also potential links to the older Blunderbuss . Usage Edit The Brown Bess, as mentioned previously, was famed for its use by the British Empire as it expanded, and is generally considered to be the first firearm to be officially 'patterned' or commissioned as a standard for an army. Nations that used the Brown Bess were: Great Britain American Revolution: "Brown Bess" Musket American Revolution: "Brown Bess" Musket American Revolution: "Brown Bess" Musket Brown Bess Musket. Public Domain By Kennedy Hickman Origins: Though firearms had become the predominant weapon on the battlefield by the 18th century, there was little standardization in their design and manufacture. This led to increased difficulties in supplying ammunition and parts for their repair. In an effort to solve these problems, the British Army introduced the Land Pattern Musket in 1722.

A flintlock, smoothbore musket, the weapon was produced in large quantities for over a century. In addition, the musket was fitted a socket allowing a bayonet to be fitted to the muzzle so that the weapon could be used as a pike in close fighting or defeating cavalry charges. "Brown Bess": Within fifty years of the Land Pattern's introduction, it had earned the nickname "Brown Bess." While the term was never used officially, it became the overarching name for the Land Pattern series of muskets. The origins of the name are unclear, however some suggest that it may be derived from the German term for strong gun (braun buss). As the weapon was commissioned during the reign of King George I, a native German, this theory is plausible. Regardless of its origins, the term was in colloquial use by the 1770s-1780s, with "to hug a Brown Bess" referring to those who served as soldiers. Specifications: The length of the Land Pattern muskets changed as the design evolved.

As time passed, the weapons became increasingly shorter with the Long Land Pattern (1722) measuring 62 inches long, while the Marine/Militia Pattern (1756) and Short Land Pattern (1768) variations were 42 inches. The most popular version of the weapon, the East India Pattern stood 39 inches. Firing a .75 caliber ball, the Brown Bess' barrel and lockwork were made of iron, while the butt plate, trigger guard, and ramrod pipe were constructed of brass. The weapon weighed approximately 10 pounds and was fitted for a 17-inch bayonet. Firing: The effective range of the Land Pattern muskets tended to be around 100 yards, though combat tended to occur with masses of troops firing at 50 yards. Due to its lack of sights, smoothbore, and usually undersized ammunition, the weapon was not particularly accurate. Due to this, the preferred tactic for this weapon were massed volleys followed by bayonet charges. British troops using the Land Pattern muskets were expected to be able to fire four rounds per minute, though two to three was more typical.

Reloading Procedure: Bite the cartridge. Push the frizzen forward to open the pan and pour a small amount of powder into the flash pan. Snap the frizzen back to position covering the flash pan. Hold the musket vertically so that the muzzle is up. Pour the remaining powder down the barrel. Insert the bullet in the barrel. Push the cartridge paper into the barrel Remove ramrod from pipe under the barrel and use to push wadding and bullet down the barrel. Replace the ramrod. Raise musket to firing position with the butt against the shoulder. Pull back the hammer. Aim and fire. Usage: Introduced in 1722, the Land Pattern muskets became the longest-used firearms in British history. Evolving over its service life, the Land Pattern was the primary weapon used by British troops during the Seven Years' War , American Revolution , and the Napoleonic Wars . In addition, it saw extensive service with the Royal Navy and Marines, as well as with auxiliary forces such as the British East India Company . Its principal contemporaries were the French .69 caliber Charleville musket and the American 1795 Springfield.

In the early 19th-century, many Land Pattern muskets were converted from flintlocks to percussion caps. This change in ignition systems made the weapons more reliable and less apt to fail. The final flintlock design, the Pattern 1839, ended the Land Pattern's 117-year run as the primary musket for British forces. In 1841, a fire at the Royal Arsenal destroyed many Land Patterns that were slated for conversion. As a result, a new percussion cap musket, the Pattern 1842, was designed to take its place. Despite this, converted Land Patterns remained in service throughout the empire for several more decades British Brown Bess Flintlock Musket Contact Us Brown Bess Musket. First in a Long Line of Great British Military Small Arms that Made History. The American War of Independence (aka the Revolutionary War) was the one of the first conflicts where flintlock muskets were heavily used, overtaking hand-to-hand combat with sabers as the primary method of doing battle.

In the 18th and 19th Centuries, when the ranks of soldiers closed in on their enemies, they did battle with bayonets, a strong throwback to previous centuries. Of course, bayonets were still in use well into World War II, at least as a secondary weapon or a last resort. Even after the advent of firearms, using the great ancient contribution to world warfare (and pyrotechnical amusement) of the Chinese, gunpowder. At the time, it was made with charcoal, (hickory is usually considered best, if available) sulphur and saltpeter (the nitrate part of the equation) which when packed or compressed, was highly explosive. The alchemical ingredient for warfare and mayhem that played a major part in shaping world history. There is some uncertainty over where the name "Brown Bess" originates from, but the most likely origin is the German term "Braun Buss" meaning "strong gun" Since the weapon was commissioned during the reign of King George I, a native of what is now Germany, this does seem to be a very plausible origin for the name.

Furthermore, at that time German musket design was effective and successful, and being copied by nearly everyone in Europe, including the British. The name "Brown Bess" was not officially used, but was a popular nickname among soldiers who were "married to Bess" or "hugging Bess," slang terms for being a soldier. The "Brown Bess" flintlock musket was made famous, if for no other reason, than that it was used by soldiers on both sides of the Revolutionary War. The official weapon of the British Infantry, it was also exported to the Colonies long before they rebelled against the crown, resulting in the British fighting against a force that had many of its militants using the same weapons. There were also a large number of French Charleville muskets used by the colonists and the Continental Army, having been given as a gift by LaFayette to General George Washington. Others were bought from the French, who at the time were in an on-and-off state of war with Britain, as they had been since medieval times. The Charleville had a slightly smaller ball, but was lighter and more slender.

The Brown Bess was also one of the first weapons to utilize standardization of size and caliber, employing a template, or "pattern", making it easier to supply troops with ammunition that would fit in their weapons. Prior to the use of patterns, the wide range of assorted weapons, each using a different different wildcat caliber of ammunition, made for a supply nightmare in the field. This was no insignificant development, as it greatly aided in the future of warfare that is still standardized. Before this time, many guards and volunteers would show up with their own muskets, in a variety of calibers. There were many different patterns made throughout the lifespan of the Brown Bess. The patterns most commonly associated with the American War of Independence, were the Brown Bess "New Pattern" and "Land Pattern" muskets. The Land Pattern smoothbore musket was 62.5 inches (159 cm) long and weighed about 15 pounds (6.8 Kg) with the bayonet attached, and fired a lead ball that measured a whopping 3/4ths of an inch (1.9 cm) in diameter! Imagine what kind of damage such a projectile could do, especially compared to our modern weapons.

I shudder to think of the suffering inflicted upon any person being hit by one of these things. As mentioned in my other posts, combat tactics were considerably different in those days. Many people today look with curiosity upon rows of soldiers marching towards each other, while firing at each other, though I admit, I certainly wouldn't want to do this. It may seem like certain suicide to be advancing in the front row with .69" or .75" lead balls flying at you with deadly force. What many probably fail to realize is that in the 18th Century, since soldiers were not in radio contact with their battalion and regiment commanders, they had to be within vocal range in order to receive voice commands to fire, advance or retreat. Lacking the benefit of self-contained cartridges and repeating firearms. they had to learn to reload their muskets in a hurry. It has been said that with practice, a good soldier could get off 3 rounds in a minute.

A lot of it was in the timing as well, the idea being to always have a mass of infantrymen with their muskets loaded, ready to fire a synchronized volley to decimate their advancing enemies as much as possible before they closed range, and went at it with bayonets. Since the primary use of the musket ran to volleys of massed firepower, accuracy was not as important as it with today's rifles. Also, a smoothbore generally doesn't allow for accuracy beyond 60 to 100 yards. The Brown Bess musket was designed in 1722, and saw us e clear up until about the mid 1800s. There were modifications made during the 19th century, most notably the "Pattern 1839" co n version from the original flintlock mechanism to percussion caps, resulting in more reliable firing in wet conditions. In addition to the "Land Pattern, there were the New Pattern, Marine Pattern, Sea Service or Navy Pattern, India Pattern and others.

In addition to the American War of Independence, the Brown Bess also saw use in the War of 1812, the Indian Wars, the British Zulu wars, the Napoleonic Wars, and even the Texas Revolution, where General Santa Anna's army marched on the Alamo, the Battle of San Jacinto and other battles, armed with India Pattern Brown Bess Muskets. The Brown Bess is now a treasured collectors item that fetches high prices at auction. Many have exchanged or retooled furniture, which is not surprising being as how some of them are almost 300 years old. Definitely a worthy item of historical significance. Firearm Type: Flintlock Musket British Land Pattern Musket (Brown Bess) - Muzzle-Loading Service Musket - History, Specs and Pictures - Military Guns and Related Small Arms throughout History Authored By Dan Alex (Updated: 11/2/2014): The Brown Bess was the standard musket of the British military during the height of its empirical reach.

It went on to be used by a multitude of parties including the Americans during the American Revolution, the Zulu Kingdom in their war against the British Empire and by Mexico in the battles against America during the mid-1800s. Use of the Brown Bess came at a time when armies began to standardize on various weaponry types, allowing manufacturers to produce mass quantities of a single weapon to assist militaries manage their logistics more efficiently. The Brown Bess - known more formally as the "British Land Pattern Musket" - was in service from 1722 well into the 1860s, a testament to its design and sheer global reach. While early forms were of the widely-accepted flintlock action, later forms were eventually converted to the more reliable and efficient percussion cap firing system which was then becoming the standard worldwide. At any rate, the Brown Bess proved the weapon of choice for the standard military serviceman, the revolutionary, the guerilla fighter, the frontiersman, the sport hunter and the backwoods warrior.

Origins of the "Brown Bess" name are varied with some believing it to be a reference to Queen Elizabeth I, a reference to the brownish walnut stock color or a translation from the German "Braun Buss" ("Strong Gun"). The title of "Brown Bess" was never formally recognized and historically has gone on to cover all variations of the Land Pattern musket design. Production was undertaken by several concerns including the Tower Armories and H.W. Mortimer & Company of England. All told, the Brown Bess was revered as a fine long gun design and was conventional in its form and function. Wood was highly used throughout the gun and made up the shoulder stock, receiver and forend. Metal furniture consisting of both iron and (later) brass were used for the heavy-duty portions of the design. Characteristically, the long gun was identified by its long barrel assembly. The flintlock action was all contained in the rear portion of the wooden body. The shoulder stock was used as a third point of stabilization when firing, the other two points being the forward hand hold and the trigger hand braced at the position between the receiver and the shoulder stock.

There were no sights fitted to the gun and the bayonet was optional, adding considerable length to the already-long gun. The ramrod was a key piece of accessory and was set within loops under the barrel. Make no mistake, these were large guns and relatively heavy for their collective use of solid wood portions and metal fittings. All Brown Bess forms were chambered for the .705 or .72 caliber ball, a massive cartridge able to affect targets accurately between 50 and 100 yards individually and up to 175 yards when fired in volleys. As a "flintlock" action musket, the Brown Bess made use of a piece of flint stone clamped within the hold of a "bird's beak-type" assembly (hence the firearm phrase "cocking a gun"). The cocking mechanism sat to the right side of the gun body and would, at the pull of the trigger, release against an awaiting metal surface, creating the sparks needed to ignite the gunpowder in the open pan (hence the phrase "flash in the pan").

This would allow further ignition of available powder within the base of the barrel, the resulting ignition eventually forcing the musket "ball" bullet out of the heavy smoothbore barrel. The smoothbore barrel meant that the ball was anything but accurate at longer ranges for physics took over once the ball had left the barrel, open to changes in wind and other battlefield and environmental conditions. As a "musket" long gun, the Brown Bess was loaded from the muzzle end of the barrel and the contents rammed down by way of a wooden or (later) metal ramrod. A trained musketeer could loose off up to three to four shots in a single minute. A standard ammunition load per soldier was about 24 cartridges. In a typical firing action, the musket needed to be addressed at both ends. First, the soldier took his paper cartridge and opened it at one end with his teeth. The first supply of gunpowder was added to the open flash pan (or "frizzen"), the pan then being closed to keep the contents from leaking out. The gun was then stood up on its butt end and the rest of the powder was poured down the barrel to rest at its base near the firing action.

The paper portion of the cartridge was then shoved into the barrel along with the ball ammunition so all cartridge contents were efficiently used. Both were forced down the barrel by the aforementioned ramrod. The operator could now fully "cock" the weapon and make it ready to fire. Historically, the flintlocked proved a revolutionary design for its time - while it was rather complicated to operate, it was easy to maintain, reliable to an extent and easy to produce in numbers. Britain's Brown Bess This India-pattern musket was a mainstay of the British army for almost half a century. By Garry James Britain’s Brown Bess flintlock musket is simply one of the most important military arms ever devised. Beginning its life more than 200 years ago, it created one of the greatest empires the word has ever seen and, among other achievements, helped to win the entire continent of India. The India-pattern Brown Bess, though a simplified form of other, earlier versions, was still an elegant, rugged firearm. It served the British well into the 1830s and other forces considerably later than that. That being said, actually the gun wasn’t just one arm but several, and its name wasn’t really Brown Bess.

Officially termed King’s Arm or Land Pattern musket, this .75-caliber smoothbore made its first appearance in the second decade of the 18th century. Origins of the nickname “Brown Bess,” which first shows up in 1785, have been lost to antiquity. It has been put forth by some that the term came from a combination of the gun’s browned iron parts and walnut stock. The only problem with this theory is that it’s based on a fallacy. All steel parts on a Brown Bess were originally polished bright, and while some early musket stocks had been stained black, the natural brown walnut look was no novelty by the mid-1700s. Others have conjectured that it was named after a pike of the period that was known as a Brown Bill. It could have even been a tribute to some tavern maid or simply an alliterative term of endearment that the common soldier often gives to a trusty sidearm. In any event, by the Napoleonic Wars it was in common-enough usage to merit an entry in the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: “Brown Bess. A soldier’s firelock.

To hug Brown Bess; to carry a firelock, or serve as a private soldier.” SPECIFICATIONS Muzzle Velocity (100 grain charge): 1,000 fps The first King’s Pattern musket, termed “Long Land Service,” appeared between 1710 and 1720. It featured a 46-inch barrel, iron furniture, wooden ramrod and a French-style flintlock (called “firelock” at the time) with a curved lockplate. As well as other cosmetic alterations, eventually the lock assumed a straighter configuration, the furniture was changed to brass, and the fragile wooden ramrod was replaced with a sturdier iron one. Around 1768 a Short Land Service Musket (New Pattern) with a handier 42-inch barrel appeared, though the earlier Long Land model continued to be manufactured until 1790. Both of these guns were elegant, virtually handmade examples of the military armorer’s craft. Fitting, style and finish were top-notch, and the guns’ ruggedness and reliability soon became legend.

With the onset of the Napoleonic Wars in the 1790s, the British Board of Ordnance found itself woefully short of the 250,000 muskets it would need to equip its forces. At that time the British East India Company maintained it own troops and had contracted with makers to produce a simplified version of the Brown Bess musket with a 39-inch barrel and less ornate furniture and stockwork. It was generally felt that the standard of these “India pattern” muskets was not up to the standard of the earlier Besses, but beggars couldn’t be choosers and authorities convinced Company officials to turn over their stores to the Crown. The Brown Bess lock was based on the French lock, the most sophisticated form of the flint-and-steel ignition system. It was ruggedly built and made for service. After 1809 the cock was given a sturdier reinforced throat. By 1797 the exigencies of war spelled the demise of the Short Pattern, and all manufacture was turned to building the more Spartan India pattern.

For the most part, the gun underwent few changes from its introduction until Waterloo, with the exception of the cock, which was altered from the traditional gooseneck style to a sturdier, reinforced version in 1809. In all, more than 1,600,000 India-pattern Brown Bess muskets were manufactured between 1804 and 1815. As well as British usage, some were also carried by King George’s allies, among them the Russians and Prussians. As mentioned earlier, the Brown Bess employed a flintlock ignition system, whereby a piece of shaped (“knapped”) flint was held between the jaws of a cock, and when the trigger was pulled it was then brought down by the force of a mainspring to scrape against the surface of a combination striker and pan cover to produce a shower of sparks, which would then ignite the priming powder and set off the main charge through a touchhole in the side of the breech. While seemingly primitive by modern standards, the flintlock was a head-and-shoulders improvement over the earlier matchlock.

First appearing in various forms in the early 1600s, it became the preferred form of ignition in less than a century. Flintlocks had the advantages of reliability and relatively low cost of production. If the flint was changed regularly and adjusted properly, weather conditions appropriate to the use of the gunpowder of the period and the touchhole kept clear, reliability was excellent. The Brown Bess, as mentioned earlier, was a smoothbore musket, as were most of the military arms of the period. The reason for this was ease of manufacture and simplicity of loading. Rifles, which were still in their fledgling state for military use in the late 18th century, took far too long to load, required specialized training and were more expensive to manufacture. The British did have some rifle troops, but Napoleon eschewed them completely as being not worth the bother. Tactics of the period called for a soldier to load and fire at massed troop formations as rapidly as possible, the object of the exercise being to get as many balls flying in the direction of the enemy in as short a time as possible. Though styles of deployment (column vs.

line, etc.) might vary from country to country, basically a textbook-style battle would go something like this: A large number of troops, spaced just close enough together to be able to manipulate their muskets, faced each other at a given distance–usually between 100 and 200 yards. They would be placed in several ranks. The order to fire would be given, and this having been carried out, soldiers would reload and advance, firing at increasingly closer ranges until the command to fix bayonets would be given and the contest decided by hand-to-hand fighting. Loading a Brown Bess in the original fashion is not really all that difficult. First, bite off the base of the paper cartridge (1, 2). Next, prime the pan, making sure the cock is in the half, safety position (3). Close the pan (4) and drop the musket, resting the butt on the ground. Pour the remaining powder down the barrel (5), place the cartridge in the muzzle (6), and ram it home (7, 8). Cock the musket (9), present, and fire (10). Both the British and French used triangular socket-style bayonets during the Napoleonic Wars.

While the French style had a rotating locking ring to hold the bayonet to the barrel, the standard British 17-inch-bladed pattern employed a simple socket with an angular channel that slipped over a lug on the top of the muzzle. While not as secure as the French version, it could be fixed more rapidly and was still more than adequate to its task. In fact, the British infantryman was particularly feared for his ability with the bayonet. The East India Company added a simple spring catch to its bayonets, which kept them from slipping around on the barrel, but this was never adopted by Crown troops. Over the years, I’ve tried to attach a number of different original bayonets to vintage Brown Bess muskets, with varying results. It seems that, depending upon the maker, period and style of the gun, barrel and socket diameters could vary greatly, and a blade that might be perfect on one musket might not work on another. Basically, it behooved a soldier to make sure he kept his equipment together and intact.

The Brown Bess musket was loaded using a paper cartridge that included about 100 grains of coarse black powder (called, simply, “gunpowder” at the time) and a one-ounce, .71-caliber round lead ball. Caliber of the gun was .75, and the difference in ball and bore diameter, called “windage,” allowed for ease of loading, especially when the musket became fouled. Various manuals had a different number of commands for loading and firing a musket, but the average involved about a dozen separate steps (see photo sequence). Infantrymen did not aim their muskets but more or less pointed them in the direction of the enemy. The Brown Bess did not have sights, and the effect of the bullet caroming down the barrel would pretty have much rendered them useless anyway. Green troops had a tendency to point their guns high and would often shoot over their adversaries’ heads at long ranges, so they were constantly being admonished by their sergeants to fire low. Even if they hit the ground in front of the enemy, there was a possibility of skipping a ball into the ranks, causing some damage.

The Brown Bess bayonet had a 17-inch triangular blade and slipped over the gun’s muzzle, secured only by a single, top-mounted lug. The East India Company introduced a spring clip on its bayonets to help secure them better, but this was never used by Crown troops. Accuracy of the smoothbore musket was acknowledged, even at the period, to be somewhat lacking. In the 1814 To All Sportsmen, Colonel George Hanger wrote, “A soldier’s musket, if not exceedingly ill-bored (as many are), will strike a figure of a man at 80 yards; it may even at a hundred; but a soldier must be very unfortunate indeed who shall be wounded by a common musket at 150 yards, providing his antagonist aims at him; and as to firing at a man at 200 yards with a common musket, you may as well fire at the moon and have the same hope of hitting him.

I do maintain and will prove…that no man was ever killed at 200 yards, by a common musket, by the person who aimed at him.” ACCURACY TEST, 150 YEARS LATER I’ve shot Brown Besses informally over the years, but this time I thought I’d try a little accuracy testing. Taking Colonel Hanger’s comments into account, I set up 2×4-foot target boards with central bullseyes at distances of 100, 50 and 25 yards. Firing was done offhand using a period-style British military-issue cartridge box and properly constructed paper cartridges, each containing 100 grains of FFg black powder and a .715 ball. A new flint, secured by a piece of leather (sheet lead was the more common material used in the early 1800s) was clamped into the jaws of the cock. Our evaluation Brown Bess was an original India pattern from my own collection, which was in virtually unfired shape, having spent the better part of the last 150 years or so as a decoration in a Scottish manor house.

It is unlikely the piece saw much, if any, use, and whatever limited service it might have had was probably in the hands of some Gaelic militia unit. It featured a reinforced cock, placing the date of manufacture at post-1809, its condition indicating that there is a good chance that it was produced so late that it never made it to the Continent. The gun was professionally checked out for serviceability–a practice that is imperative if one is going to shoot old, original firearms. After repeated firing, the black-powder fouling builds up on the exterior of the lock and inside the barrel, affecting loading and ignition if care is not taken. Following original loading techniques, five shots each were fired at the targets, beginning with the furthermost first. One can use the bayonet lug as a sort of crude front sight, and I tried to line it up with the top of the breech in order to get something of a center hold on the boards.

The gun functioned flawlessly, and once you get used to the flash and smoke of the powder in the pan going off just in front of your face and the slight lag between the whoosh of the priming and the boom of the main charge, it’s really easy to manage. As the gun weighs in at some 93?4 pounds and is well designed with a high comb stock and wide buttplate, it’s actually quite pleasant to shoot. During the day’s adventure, including the range testing and later potting at various targets of opportunity at distances up to 200 yards (hopeless, as noted by Colonel Hanger), I probably put around 40 rounds through the musket without cleaning it, and while ramming a paper-wrapped ball became a bit more difficult toward the end, it was still manageable. An inspection of the targets produced some surprises. At 100 yards only three balls struck the board at the bottom, with a spread of 11 1/2 inches–a grouping that was caused more by chance than any other factor.

At 50 yards we had a 100 percent hit rate with a grouping of 20 inches, and at 25 a deadly eight-inch spread of all five balls. Basically, up to 50 yards, if someone were firing at you with a Brown Bess it looks like you were pretty much toast. Our evaluation India-pattern Bess was fired at (left to right) 100, 50 and 25 yards. Accuracy at the farthest distance was pretty much catch-as-catch-can, but at the closer ranges the results were impressive and potentially deadly. A few years ago I worked on the “Boston Massacre” segment of the Unsolved History television show. We fired a Brown Bess musket at a side of beef from a distance of about 20 feet and photographed it with some sophisticated high-speed equipment. The destruction caused by the ball was jaw-dropping. At that range the bullet ripped right though flesh, gristle and bone, tearing out huge chunks of meat, barely changing direction along the way. It can only be imagined what damage it could do to a human target, especially when one considers that it would be taking bits and pieces of uniform and equipment along with it into the wound.

If a soldier was not killed outright by the trauma, there was a good chance that he would die of infection later on, even if not hit in a vital area. Given the mayhem caused by this heavy lead ball, coupled with the primitive, haphazard battlefield medical attention of the period, it’s amazing that the survival rate was as high as it was. British surgeon Dr. Adam Neale summed it up well: “[A] simple inspection of their wounds with a few words of consolation or perhaps a little opium, was all that could be recommended; prudence equally forbids the rash interposition of unavailing art, and the useless indulgence of delusive hope.” After 1815 the British introduced the more sophisticated New Land-pattern smoothbore with a 42-inch barrel. Issued solely to Guards regiments, the New Land, along with the India pattern, still in the hands of most infantry units, was retired in the late 1830s, when the percussion system was introduced into in British service. Many older Besses were relegated to reserve or colonial use, and some were sold surplus to countries like Mexico, which used them against gringos during the Texas War for Independence and in the Mexican War.

Firing an original or replica Brown Bess musket is both an instructional and enjoyable pastime. Perhaps the simple fact that you really don’t expect to get great accuracy out of the thing allows the shooter to relax and become involved more in the techniques and nostalgia of the exercise rather than trying to get minute-of-angle groups. I’ve seen some enthusiasts fire their smoothbores with patched ball, and once one eliminates the windage and effects a tight bullet-to-bore situation, it really is amazing just how well the old warhorses can do. I’d say accuracy increases by at least 25 percent. Being a purist, though, I’ll stick to the old paper-cartridge method. If it was good enough for Wellington’s troops, I suppose it’s good enough for me. It certainly made the Froggies run. Brown Bess Tweet The Brown Bess is the name for a long-serving 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.

The name 'Brown Bess' was used at the time as a term of poetic endearment, rather than a proper name, just as we might call a car an 'Old Banger' or a 'Dagenham Dustbin'. While the exact origins of this nickname have been obscured over the years, it may have been due to the colour of the walnut stock as prior to this weapon, stocks were generally painted black. The widespread use of the name seems to have arisen in the mid-1800s when large numbers of flintlocks were retired from active service and bought by gun collectors who used the term as a generic name for a variety of weapons such as the long land, short land and the even shorter India pattern models. This misuse continued into the 1960s when re-enactors were collecting weapons in preparation for the Bicentennial Anniversary of the American War of Independence. Long Land Musket 1742 During the Seven Years War at the start of the 18th Century, the British Army's standard firearm was the Doglock Musket.

This was superseded by the Long Land Pattern Flintlock Musket that was developed during the late 1720s and was the first British musket to fully adopt Brass hardware. It went through a number of design changes, the main ones being in 1742 (including an addition of a double bridle to the lock) and 1756 (including a new straight lock design, a brass nose cap on the end of the stock, new pipes for the rammer and the standard issue of a steel ramrod). Long Land Musket 1756 The primary differences between the Long Land and Short Land were the length of the barrel (42in verses 46in) and the metal ramrod as opposed to a wooden one. Even though production of the Long Land Pattern Flintlock Musket did not stop until 1790, the majority of muskets in use by the start of the Napoleonic Wars were of the Short Land variety. Short Land Musket The Short Land Pattern Flintlock Musket was issued to the British Army as a result of the 1768 Clothing Warrant, which was an attempt to decrease the load the individual soldier had to carry around.

In so doing, the overall musket length was shortened, the swords carried by private soldiers (except in the Highland and Grenadier units) were abolished and the uniforms were trimmed so as to be less bulky. India Pattern Short Land Carbine During the mid-1790s, a third pattern of flintlock musket arrived, the India Pattern, which differed from the Short Land by being slightly lighter (just under 9lbs) and shorter (39in) as well as having no thumb plate and only three pipes for the ramrod. It had been developed and adopted by the forces of the East India Company (hence the name) in 1795 and was accepted by the Board of Ordnance of the British Army in 1797. Over 3 million of these were built and the only major change was the replacement of the original swan-necked cock for a reinforced version in 1809. With so many being made, examples of this weapon were still in use by the British Army and the militia in 1850.

Both the Royal Navy and Royal Marines had their own muskets which evolved in parallel to the weapons used by the British Army, although they had the common elements of being shorter, having two ramrod pipes and a flat butt-plate with a square-cornered butt. They came with either a bright finish or a blackened ('japanned') finish, the former more likely to have been Royal Marine firearms. There was also a carbine version of the India pattern rifle. Brown Bess Bayonet Soldiers were constantly drilled in formation firing and tactical movement but only fired their weapons a few times a year. The range and accuracy of the musket, as with all muskets, was not particularly impressive. British soldiers were expected to be able to fire one shot on command every fifteen seconds and while the better units managed this, in many cases one shot every twenty to thirty seconds was more realistic. Given the limited range and accuracy, firing tended to be in formation, where a volley of musket balls would be unleashed upon a target in the hope of inflicting casualties. The 14in bayonet was used in close quarter fighting and was, most of the time, the deciding factor in encounters.

Ammunition came in the form of rolled paper cartridges containing six to eight drams of powder and a one ounce lead ball. Each end was sealed with pack thread, so when loading, the rear end was bitten off, some powder placed as a priming charge in the pan with the remaining power poured into the barrel followed by the ball. The paper was then used as wadding and packed down the barrel with the ramrod. If after loading the musket was not to be fired immediately, it would be carried half-cocked for safety, however if the soldier suddenly had a fight on his hands, he will have had to fully cock the weapon, otherwise it would not fire (hence the term 'going off half-cocked'). Given the variables that could affect such weapons, they often misfired (hence the term 'a flash in the pan' if only the priming charge ignited), especially if the powder was damp or the flint was worn. Soldiers had to regularly maintain the flints, especially if they could not afford to buy new ones, by chipping, or skinning the flint (hence the term 'a skin flint').

Furniture (fittings): Brass; Projectile: One ounce lead ball; Maximum range: circa 250 yards; Maximum effective range (100 round volley): 150 - 200 yards; Effective maximum range (Single round): 100 - 150 yards; Optimum range: 75 - 100 yards; Weight: 9lbs, 11oz (Small Land); Optimum effect: At 30 yards, will penetrate 3/8" of iron or 5 inches of oak; Rate of fire (Optimum): 4 - 5 rounds per minute; Rate of fire (actual): 2 - 3 rounds per minute; Rate of misfire: 20 - 40%.

Rudyard Kipling (1865 - 1936) even penned a poem dedicated to this famous weapon: In the days of lace-ruffles, perukes and brocade Brown Bess was a partner whom none could despise - An out-spoken, flinty-lipped, brazen-faced jade, With a habit of looking men straight in the eyes - At Blenheim and Ramillies fops would confess They were pierced to the heart by the charms of Brown Bess. Though her sight was not long and her weight was not small, Yet her actions were winning, her language was clear; And everyone bowed when she opened the ball On the arm of some high-gaitered, grim grenadier. Half Europe admitted the striking success Of the dances and routs that were given by Brown Bess. When ruffles were turned into stiff leather stocks, And people wore pigtails instead of perukes, Brown Bess never altered her iron-grey locks. She knew she was valued for more than her looks. "Oh, powder and patches was always my dress, And I think I am killing enough," said Brown Bess.

So she followed her red-coats, whatever they did, From the heights of Quebec to the plains of Assaye, From Gibraltar to Acre, Cape Town and Madrid, And nothing about her was changed on the way; (But most of the Empire which now we possess Was won through those years by old-fashioned Brown Bess.) In stubborn retreat or stately advance, From the Portugal coast to the cork-woods of Spain, She had puzzled some excellent Marshals of France Till none of them wanted to meet her again: But later, near Brussels, Napoleon - no less - Arranged for a Waterloo ball with Brown Bess. She had danced till the dawn of that terrible day - She danced till the dusk of more terrible night, And before her linked squares his battalions gave way, And her long fierce quadrilles put his lancers to flight: And when his gilt carriage drove off in the press, "I have danced my last dance with the world!" said Brown Bess. If you go to Museums - there's one in Whitehall - Where old weapons are shown with their names writ beneath, You will find her upstanding, her back to the wall, As stiff as a ramrod, her flint in her teeth.

And if ever we English had reason to bless Any arm save our mothers', that arm is Brown Bess. Brown Bess Musket - Waterloo 200 Waterloo 200 Brown Bess Musket Brown Bess Musket This is an India Pattern musket, nicknamed the “Brown Bess”. This was the standard weapon for ordinary soldiers (other ranks) in the British infantry. About three million were made between 1793 and the end of 1815. It was the most common weapon that the British Army used in its 20 years of war against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France. It is called the India Pattern because it was originally designed to arm the private army of the Honourable East India Company, which governed India until the Mutiny of 1857. It was very similar in form to an earlier type of musket known as the Short Land Pattern, which was in introduced in the early 1740s for cavalry soldiers known as dragoons. The India Pattern was chosen because Britain needed to re-arm and this musket was cheaper and simpler to manufacture than the Land Pattern.

It only had three ramrod pipes as opposed to four, there was no flat escutcheon plate on the stock and the side plate (the pieces which held the lock on) had no tail. The wood from which the stock was made was cheaper as well. Whilst this was normally walnut some emergency issue specimens were stocked in beech. It had a 39-inch barrel that was three inches (~7.5cm) shorter than the Land Pattern and the cocks of the flintlock mechanisms were initially of swan-necked form. However, late in 1809 the stronger and more durable ring-necked style of cock was introduced. The calibre was 1.9cm, making it the largest of all the muskets used at Waterloo. It could be loaded with captured enemy ammunition but enemy soldiers could not load their muskets with Brown Bess cartridges because the muskets balls were too big to fit in the barrels. The name ‘Brown Bess’ dates from the late 18th century. The word ‘Bess’ might be a corruption of the German word Büchse, meaning musket, while ‘brown’ refers to the chemical finish applied to the barrel to reduce the likelihood of rusting.

A trained British soldier was expected to fire three shots a minute. Like most muskets the Brown Bess was not very accurate because the ball had to be quite loose for ease of loading. It would be very hard to hit another soldier by deliberately aiming at him at ranges greater than 100m. This inherent lack off accuracy was compensated for by having a large number of men fire their muskets at the same time at very short range, sometimes less that 25m. When the soldier’s musket was empty he relied on the bayonet, which had a sharp, triangular section blade of about 44cm. British bayonet charges were greatly feared by enemy troops. The soldiers were very keen to engage the enemy with their bayonets and often thought that they should be allowed to ‘give them the Brummagen’. (Brummagen is a slang name for Birmingham where many bayonets were made.) Guns of the American Revolution | Guns Guns Guns Back to Additional Resources Guns of the American Revolution The American Revolution, an 18th century political upheaval, included thirteen colonies from North America who joined together to separate themselves from the established control of the British Empire.

The 13-colony formation led to the establishment of the United States of America. After several attempts at rejecting overseas control, each colony united to defend their autonomy through violent conflict against the British. The States determined to resist and reject the tyrannical regime that demanded their allegiance by developing sovereignty through the Declaration of Independence in July of 1776. The American Revolutionary War lasted five years with the final victory declared in October of 1781. There are many different facets and historical memorabilia that intrigue those who follow the events of the American Revolutionary War, including popular sites where important conflicts took place, the uniforms that certain soldiers wore, and the guns and ammunition employed to fight off the British and German invaders. What Kind of Guns Were Used? There were four muskets employed by various nationalities during the American Revolutionary War, including the Brown Bess, Charleville, and the Pennsylvania Rifle. The Brown Bess was one of the most common and effective muskets used in during the American Revolution. It was used by the American and British because of its option to either deploy single or multiple shots when loaded to fire. However, this weapon was short range and inaccurate as most muskets used during this period.

There were two main versions of the Brown Bess, including the Short Land Pattern and the Long Land Pattern. The Long Land Pattern was longer, heavier and bulkier than the Short Land Pattern. The Charleville, a .69 French musket produced in 1766, was employed towards the end of the American Revolution after the French started to ship arms to the Americans in hopes of defeating the British. The Charleville possessed the same characteristics as the older muskets in that it was short range and inaccurate at reaching its targets. The Pennsylvania Rifle, a .50 caliber musket developed in Pennsylvania during the early 18th century, was one of the first American designs. The German colonists developed it after the Jaeger Rifle, and was used as a sniper rifle during the American Revolution because of its long range and accuracy. While it was one of the first muskets of its kind, the Pennsylvania Rifle could not be used during regular combat due to its long loading time. Additionally, the Bayonet was one of the most deadliest weapons of their times that were directly attached to the chosen musket used during conflict.

The Americans were scared of the bayonet because of their lack of experience in using the weapon aside from using it for roasting meals and pitching tents. In fact, most soldiers were scared of the opposition if they simply charged at them with brute force. This was because most of the bayonets were triangular in shape with a blunt shape that would tear the soft tissues and vital organs that it penetrated. These kinds of bayonets are outlawed today. The Brown Bess : The Smithsonian Institute presents a profile of the Brown Bess, a short range and inaccurate musket used during the early years of the American Revolutionary War. The French Charleville Musket : The Humanities and Social Sciences Online presents a profile on the French Charleville Musket, a lightweight, flintlock weapon used during the latter years of the American Revolution. The Pennsylvania Long Rifle : The Pennsylvania Long Rifle was created by the German colonists, also known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, and was one of the first long range and accurate muskets designed by the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Guns, Swords and Bayonets : A comprehensive source on the deployment of bayonets during the American Revolutionary War. How Were These Weapons Made?

There were many variations and modifications of the main musket that were created over an extended period of time since its inception. In fact, the earliest version was the Long Land Pattern and Short Land Pattern of 1722. It incorporated a flintlock mechanism that caused it to misfire before being replaced by the percussion cap. Each of these muskets measured no shorter than 58.5 inches and no longer than 62.5 inches and weighed about 10.5 pounds. The muskets had a long blade attached to it called the bayonet that allowed the soldiers to pierce the opposition in close range. The body of the muskets were mostly made of brass with one ounce lead projectiles that launched from its barrels to injure or kill the target. The barrel and lock-work were generally made of iron. Each ammunition cartridge consisted of six to eight drams of gun powder and its single bullet. The projectile was loaded from the barrel and stuffed ready to fire. Tactics and Weapons of the American Revolution : An extensive resource that discuss the interdependent relationship between the weapons of the American Revolution and the strategies of war to overcome the British.

American Made Muskets of the American Revolution : The National Rifle Association presents information on the various muskets employed during the American Revolution, including the Brown Bess, the French Charleville, the Pennsylvania Rifle, and the Bayonet attached to all of them. The American Revolutionary War: Weapons : The National Park Service Museum covers a broad range of weapons used during the American Revolutionary War, including the muskets, bayonets, and other weapons often overlooked in favor of the aforementioned. Weapons of the American Revolutionary War : An extensive resource that covers the various weapons used during the American Revolutionary War, including the muskets, bayonets, and howitzers used to defeat the British. How Did They Work? Muskets were designed to fire at about one hundred yards, although combat occurred with masses of troops colliding together, loading, and then firing at about fifty yards. Muskets did not have sights, a smooth-bore, and small size ammunition similar of modern rifles. In fact, most of the muskets were fairly inaccurate when fired at a specific target. Since firing the weapon did not always land on its target, the soldiers would lead with bayonet charges to finalize the conflict.

The British army expected their troops to fire four rounds per minute, although the average exchange was two to three rounds per minute. The typical reloading procedure consisted of biting the cartridge, pushing and snapping the frizzen piece back and forth, holding the musket vertical, pouring the gunpowder into the barrel, inserting the projectile into the barrel, pushing the paper cartridge into the barrel, removing the ramrod in order to push the excess into the barrel, and then raising the musket before firing at the target. How Flint-Lock Guns Work : A comprehensive resource detailing the mechanics behind the flint-lock gun, particularly the musket used during the American Revolutionary War. How to Load a Musket : An authoritarian resource detailing the important process and steps behind securing and firing a loaded musket. Sons of Liberty: Those Tall American Patriots and Their Long Rifles : A historical account behind the soldiers of the American Revolution and their muskets and bayonets. The Rifle Versus The Musket : A comparison of the advantages and disadvantages between the rifle and the musket used during the American Revolution. What Made the Muskets of the American Revolution Different From Other Weapons?

The muskets were different from the howitzers, swords, swivel guns, and knives because they were mobile and could be shot at a distance, while also threatening at close range with the bayonet attached to it. The muskets of the American Revolution were muzzle loaders, which means they required the shooter to load the ammunition directly into the barrel, aim, and then fire. This process only allowed between two and four shots per minute, depending on the soldiers proficiency. Although these weapons were deadly, it still took a great deal of marksmanship to fatally wound a target. In fact, most soldiers could only fire a weapon in a short of amount of time before bringing on the bayonet charge. Bayonet charges were the most feared, because of the dull penetration and the triangular shape caused as it ruptured and destroyed all of the soft tissues and vital organs within a given target. The bayonet is still used by modern infantries, despite the evolving power and accuracy behind most modern rifles.

Outfitting an American Revolutoinary Soldier : A descriptive outlook on how each of the American Revolutionary soldiers prepared and fitted themselves for combat, including the muskets, rifles, small arms, artillery, uniforms, hunting equipment and food supply stored during winter months. Amazing Women During the American Revolution : An extensive article that describes the important role that women played during the American Revolution, and what they contributed to breaking free from the British monarchy. The War of the Revolution 1775 to 1783 : A comprehensive article detailing the important events of the American Revolution with pictures of the weapons used during the quest for freedom. Dutch Arms in the American Revolution : An extensive article covering the Dutch arms used in the American Revolution, including the Pennsylvania Rifle. Popular Gun Pages Brown Bess | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Muzzle-loaded Brown Bess is a nickname of uncertain origin for the British Army 's muzzle-loading smoothbore Land Pattern Musket and its derivatives. 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. It was in use for over a hundred years with many incremental changes in its design.

These versions include the Long Land Pattern, Short Land Pattern, India Pattern, New Land Pattern Musket, Sea Service Musket and others. The Long Land Pattern musket and its derivatives, all .75 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.

Some were used by Maori warriors during the Musket Wars 1820s-1830s, having purchased them from European traders at the time, some were still in service during the Indian rebellion of 1857 , and also by Zulu warriors, who had also purchased them from European traders during the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879, and some were sold to the Mexican Army who used them during the Texas Revolution of 1836 and the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848. One was even used in the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. [1] Most male citizens of the American Colonies were required by law to own arms and ammunition for militia duty. [2] The Long Land Pattern was a common firearm in use by both sides in the American Revolutionary War . [3] Contents Edit One hypothesis is that the "Brown Bess" was named after Elizabeth I of England, but this lacks support. It is not believed that this name was used contemporaneously with the early Long Pattern Land musket but that the name arose in late years of the 18th century when the Short Pattern and India Pattern were in wide use.

Early uses of the term include the newspaper, the Connecticut Courant in April 1771, which said "... but if you are afraid of the sea, take Brown Bess on your shoulder and march.". This familiar use indicates widespread use of the term by that time. The 1785 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, a contemporary work which defined vernacular and slang terms, contained this entry: "Brown Bess: A soldier's firelock. To hug Brown Bess; to carry a fire-lock, or serve as a private soldier." Military and government records of the time do not use this poetical name but refer to firelocks, flintlock, muskets or by the weapon's model designations. Soldiers of the Black Watch armed with a musket (Brown Bess) and a halberd , c. 1790. Popular explanations of the use of the word "Brown" include that it was a reference to either the colour of the walnut stocks, or to the characteristic brown colour that was produced by russeting, an early form of metal treatment.

Others argue that mass-produced weapons of the time were coated in brown varnish on metal parts as a rust preventative and on wood as a sealer (or in the case of unscrupulous contractors, to disguise inferior or non-regulation types of wood). However, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) notes that " browning " was only introduced in the early 19th century, well after the term had come into general use.[ citation needed ] Similarly, the word "Bess" is commonly held to either derive from the word arquebus or blunderbuss (predecessors of the musket) or to be a reference to Elizabeth I, possibly given to commemorate her death. More plausible is that the term Brown Bess derived from the German words "brawn buss" or "braun buss"[ citation needed ], meaning "strong gun" or "brown gun"; King George I who commissioned its use was from Germany . The OED has citations for "brown musket" dating back to the early 18th century which refer to the same weapon. Another suggestion is that the name is simply the counterpart to the earlier Brown Bill .

In the days of lace-ruffles, perukes, and brocade Brown Bess was a partner whom none could despise - An out-spoken, flinty-lipped, brazen-faced jade, With a habit of looking men straight in the eyes - At Blenheim and Ramillies , fops would confess They were pierced to the heart by the charms of Brown Bess. —Rudyard Kipling, "Brown Bess," 1911 The Land Pattern Muskets Edit The Long Land Pattern "Brown Bess" musket was the British infantryman's basic arm from about 1740 until the 1830s. From the 17th to the early years of the 18th century, most nations did not specify standards for military firearms. Firearms were individually procured by officers or regiments as late as the 1740s, and were often custom-made to the tastes of the purchaser. As the firearm gained ascendancy on the battlefield, this lack of standardisation led to increasing difficulties in the supply of ammunition and repair materials. To address these difficulties, armies began to adopt standardised "patterns".

A military service selected a "pattern musket" to be stored in a "pattern room", There it served as a reference for arms makers, who could make comparisons and take measurements to ensure that their products matched the standard. Stress-bearing parts of the Brown Bess, such as the barrel, lockwork, and sling-swivels, were customarily made of iron, while other furniture pieces such as the butt plate, trigger guard and ramrod pipe were found in both iron and brass. It weighed around 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and it could be fitted with a 17 inches (430 mm) triangular cross-section bayonet . The weapon did not have sights, though it could be aimed using the bayonet lug as a crude sight. The earliest models had iron fittings but these were replaced by brass in models built after 1736. Wooden ramrods were used with the first guns but were replaced by iron ones, although guns with wooden ramrods were still issued to troops on American service until 1765 and later to loyalist units in the American Revolution.

Wooden ramrods were also used in the Dragoon version produced from 1744 to 1771 and for Navy and Marine use. Accuracy of the Brown Bess was fair, as with most other muskets. The effective range is often quoted as 175 yards (160 m), but the Brown Bess was often fired en masse at 50 yards (46 m) to inflict the greatest damage upon the enemy. Military tactics of the period stressed mass volleys and massed bayonet charges, instead of individual marksmanship. The large soft projectile could inflict a great deal of damage when it hit and the great length of the weapon allowed longer reach in bayonet engagements. As with all similar smooth bore muskets, it was possible to improve the accuracy of the weapon by using musket balls that fit more tightly into the barrel. The black powder used at the time would quickly foul the barrel, making it more and more difficult to reload a tighter-fitting round after each shot and increasing the risk of the round jamming in the barrel during loading. Since tactics at the time favored close range battles and speed over accuracy, smaller and more loosely fitting musket balls were much more commonly used.

The Brown Bess had a barrel bore of .75 caliber, and the typical round used was around .69 caliber. Modern re-enactors and musket enthusiasts often use .715 or even .735 caliber balls for increased accuracy. Modern powders which reduce fouling and cleaning patches run down the barrel between shots are used to avoid problems caused by barrel fouling. While the looser-fitting musket ball reduced the effective range of a single musketeer firing at a single man-sized target to around 50 yards (46 m) to 75 yards (69 m), the Brown Bess was rarely used in single combat. Since individual soldiers are not aimed at in mass volleys, the effective range of the Brown Bess when fired en masse was easily 100 yards (91 m) or more. The black powder used at the time created a lot of smoke which quickly obscured the battlefield, making battles at these longer ranges impractical due to limited visibility. Field tests Edit Field tests of smoothbore muskets in the late 18th and early 19th centuries reported widely reliable expectations of accuracy and speed of fire.

The rate of fire ranged from one shot every fifteen to twenty seconds (3-4 shots per minute) with highly trained troops, to two shots per minute (one shot every 30 seconds) for inexperienced recruits. [4] The standard military loading procedure from prepared paper cartridges containing ball and gunpowder in an elongated envelope is: Tear cartridge with teeth and prime the pan directly from the cartridge; Stand the musket and pour the bulk of the powder down the barrel; Reverse the cartridge and use the ramrod to seat the ball and paper envelope onto the powder charge. Standard European targets included strips of cloth 50 yards long to represent an opposing line of infantry, with the target height being six feet for infantry and eight feet, three inches for cavalry. Estimations of hit probability at 175 yards could be as high as 75% in volley fire. This however was without allowances for the gaps between the soldiers in an opposing line, for overly tall targets or the confusing and distracting realities of the battlefield. Modern testers shooting from rigid rests, using optimum loads and fast priming powder, report groups of circa five inches at 50 yards (Cumpston 2008).

Variations Edit X-ray of a Brown Bess musket recovered by LAMP archaeologists from an American Revolutionary War era shipwreck lost in December 1782. It is believed to be a 1769 Short Land Pattern, and is loaded with buck and ball Many variations and modifications of the standard pattern musket were created over its long history. The earliest version was the Long Land Pattern of 1722, a 62-inch (160 cm) long (without bayonet) and with a 46-inch (120 cm) barrel. It was later found that shortening the barrel did not detract from accuracy but made handling easier, giving rise to the Militia (or Marine) Pattern of 1756 and the Short Land Pattern of 1768, which both had a 42-inch (110 cm) barrel. Another version with a 39-inch (99 cm) barrel was first manufactured for the British East India Company, and was eventually adopted by the British Army in 1790 as the India Pattern. Towards the end of the life of the weapon there was a change in the system of ignition.

The flintlock mechanism, which was prone to misfiring, especially in wet weather, was replaced by the more reliable percussion cap . The last flintlock pattern manufactured was selected for conversion to the new system as the Pattern 1839. A fire at the Tower of London destroyed large stocks of these in 1841, so a new Pattern 1842 musket was manufactured. These remained in service until the outbreak of the Crimean War when they were replaced by the Minie and the P53 Enfield rifled musket. Pattern

Question: What kind of weapon was a Brown Bess
Answer: Musket