The British Brown Bess Musket
British Army (First Model) Long Land
Pattern Brown Bess Flintlock Musket
British Army (First Model) Long Land
Pattern Brown Bess Flintlock Musket
Also referred to as the 1st Model, this musket was the first of British muskets to adopt brass hardware. Developed in the 1720s, this musket was used all the way up to the American Revolution. There a number of versions to this musket.
Additional changes were made to its design in 1742, however the basic look remained the same. The major change for the 1742 was the introduction of the double bridle to the lock. This is the 1742 version with Seven Years War war-time steel rammer conversion.
The 1756 version continued to improve the Long Land. This model was replaced when the British Army began manufacturing the Short Land Musket with a shorter barrel in 1769. While manufacturing began at that time, officials were insistent that the new musket would not be issued until the Long Land Musket stocks with Regiments and in the armouries had been depleted.
Therefore by the opening of the American Revolution there would have been a mixture of Long Land and Short Land Muskets in use by British Forces. One historian suggested the Loyalist or Provincial Corps would have received the Long Land Muskets.
Most certainly the Long Land pattern would have found its way into the Continental Army as muskets were captured from the British, particularly at the beginning of the war before arms from France started to flow.
When this musket was first manufactured numerous regiments particularly in Ireland were supplied with steel ramrods. One influence British Officer, General Hawley, objected to the steel rammers and subsequent rammers were made of wood. Surprisingly at the same time the French Army had decided to switch to the steel ramrod! The British eventually switched back to the steel ramrod in the 1750s when the 1756 version was introduced. As well during the Seven Years War (French and Indian War) numerous regiments carrying wooden rammers were ordered to switch to steel ones.
The musket's total length is 63 inches and weighs 11 pounds.
The last version of the First Model Brown Bess came in 1756. Improvements in this version included a new straight lock design, a brass nose cap to the end of the stock, and new pipes for the rammer. In addition the steel ramrod become standard issue. The 2nd model Short Land Musket which began to replace this musket in 1769, was virtually a shorter version of its 1756 cousin. While manufacturing began at that time, officials were insistent that the new musket would not be issued until the Long Land Musket stocks with Regiments and in the armouries had been depleted.
Therefore by the opening of the American Revolution there would have been a mixture of Long Land and Short Land Muskets in use by British Forces. It is likely units like the Foot Guards and others likely carried the latest version of the Long Land musket.
The musket's total length is 63 inches and weighs 11 pounds.
British (2nd Model) Short
Land Pattern Brown Bess Flintlock Musket
First produced for the British Infantry in 1769, the second model or Short Land Brown Bess was in the result of a slow evolution of the first model of 1728. The final version of the 1st model in 1756 was quite similar to the 2nd model except the barrel is no longer tapered and the it's length was reduced to 42 inches.
The Short Land Brown Bess saw extensive use throughout the American Revolution and continued its dominance in the British Army until the 1790s when it gave way to the 3rd Model or India Pattern Brown Bess. That said a number of this black powder muzzleloader continued to be used by some regiments until the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Through captured stores, the American Continental forces as well had a number of this weapon.
images courtesy of www.Davide-Pedersoli.com and www.militaryheritage.com