White smoke shooters

[Junk Yard Dog]

I shot it once to say I did, and then put it away, still looks brand new, and staying that way. I do most of my white smoke shooting with my 1860 Colt, or the flinters.

[Ironnewt]

I started shooting using black powder reproduction CW stuff. Got a few flinters. Collection has a few cartridge b/p original items. I intend to pick up a n original CW musket and just watch it get more expensive.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I started shooting using black powder reproduction CW stuff. Got a few flinters. Collection has a few cartridge b/p original items. I intend to pick up a n original CW musket and just watch it get more expensive.

Problem with that is your 50 years too late. Now you have to lay out a big chunk of cash for one of the nicer ones, even a dug up relic is expensive. Even a shooter grade Indian wars era trapdoor Springfield is at or above a grand, some much higher. Even the reproductions are expensive.

[Ironnewt]

I am looking for a shooter grade Springfield full sized musket. Probably the most common one available. I have a few good sources, so I might not get fleeced.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I am looking for a shooter grade Springfield full sized musket. Probably the most common one available. I have a few good sources, so I might not get fleeced.

That's exactly what all the reenactors are looking for, heavy competition because nobody wants to bang around on the field all day with their big dollar extra clean Springfield's. A lot of them use reproductions that have had the Italian markings removed, but even that is expensive, around $700+ last I looked. WHen I asked a few told me they would prefer the real thing, something not so nice that it looks new, more authentic if it has some wear on it, It takes a lot of work to make a brand new Italian musket look like it's seen four years of hard war. Good luck with the search, don't overlook the 1866 Springfield 2nd Allin conversion, these are all 1863-64 rifle muskets that were converted to 50/70 cartridge. You get a two war rifle with these, maybe three if it was sold to France for use in the Franko-Prussian war ( and then sold back to Bannerman by the Germans) The 1865 was the first, but they used the .58 cartridge, expensive to reproduce. Everything is available for the 50/70, but the 2nd Allin will likely run $1200-$1500 in shootable condition.

[kev308]

Awesome collection! I really like that short barreled Brown Bess. I hunt in Pennsylvania and where we are that would be just the ticket!

[Junk Yard Dog]

Awesome collection! I really like that short barreled Brown Bess. I hunt in Pennsylvania and where we are that would be just the ticket!

Middlesex Village Trading Company, they call it the ships carbine, it's available from them at $525. Made in India, quality is good, shot the hell out of mine in the decade or more I have owned it. Middlesex backs their stuff up if something needs adjustment.

[bunkysdad]

The prices at Middlesex Trading seem to be pretty reasonable. They have a unique inventory. A lot of these reproductions of early European flinters and percussion firearms I have not seen available at other places. Jim, how do you like the quality of their products? I know you have a few. Some of the French and English flintlocks look like they would be fun to own. And it looks like they have mostly smoothbores like the originals.

[Junk Yard Dog]

They are all handmade just like the originals, basic patterns are followed, but tiny variations will be there. This is only an issue if replacement parts are needed, they will have to be hand filled just like the originals. My two Bess's are fine, I have fired them many times, the one double barrel pistol is nice, but the mainsprings are way to strong. I understand that others have noted this issue with the Indian guns before. If I send it back to Middlesex they will take care of it, and I will get around to it eventually. Otherwise quality is good, finish is good, they follow the original design except in things like the Baker rifles rifled bore, the Indian Bakers are all smoothbore. They don't use walnut or beech for the stock woods like the Europeans and Americans did, Indian guns use teak, The frizzen's spark well, and when they wear out Middlesex will reharden them for you, but they charge for this as it's an expected to wear normal part. The Indian guns are the closest you will get to the real thing as it was first issued 250 years ago. Same grade metal, same construction methods of small shops and individual gunsmiths hand fitting each gun. You can get a real nice Bess from Pedersoli in Italy for more money, but these are guns made using mass production in a modern factory, they are too perfect. The British did set up making weapons in India back in the days of the British East India Tea Company, some of these gunsmiths are have been at it for generations. It was the British who revived the making of the Bess, and the Baker along with all the rest, it was their entertainment industry filming historical period pieces who needed authentic type weapons of the Napoleonic wars era. They found it cheaper to have Indian gunsmiths just make the weapons on site than import them from Italy. Horatio Hornblower, Sharpes rifles series, all used the Indian made guns.