Long Land Pattern Musket
British Board of Ordnance · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1722
Also known as: Brown Bess, Long Land Pattern, King's Musket
Overview
The Long Land Pattern Musket is the original .75 caliber flintlock smoothbore musket of the British Land Pattern family, popularly known as the Brown Bess, adopted by the British Board of Ordnance in 1722. Distinguished by its 46-inch (1168 mm) barrel, it served as the standard British infantry musket until the lighter Short Land Pattern displaced it around 1768, though it remained in service through the American Revolutionary War. As a muzzle-loaded smoothbore it fired a roughly one-ounce lead ball at low velocity and depended on disciplined massed volley fire by ranked infantry rather than individual accuracy.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4700 g (165.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1588 mm (62.52") |
| Barrel Length | 1168 mm (45.98") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Flintlock |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Muzzle Velocity | 305 m/s (1001 fps) |
| Effective Range | 46 m (50 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 274 m (300 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Russet Brown |
Calibers
- .75 Caliber Musket Ball · primary — also known as 0.75 in, 11-bore ball, .71 lead ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Features: Smoothbore Barrel, Muzzle Loaded, Brass Furniture, Wooden Ramrod, Socket Bayonet Lug, Long Barrel
Base model
Service history
Operators
- British Army · adopted 1722
- Continental Army / United States
Conflicts
- War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
- Seven Years' War (1756-1763)
- American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
Production
Production years: 1722-1793
Committee design of the Board of Ordnance assembled by many contract makers including the Tower Armouries; superseded as the standard pattern by the Short Land Pattern around 1768.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Discontinued: 1793
Notes
Bore was nominally .75 caliber; the loose-fitting ball was around .69 to .71 caliber to ease muzzle loading after fouling. Barrel and overall length are the defining difference from the later Short Land (42-inch barrel) and India (39-inch barrel) patterns.
Background
The 'Brown Bess' nickname is commonly attributed to the brown walnut stock and russet-browned barrel finish; the Long Land Pattern is the earliest pattern to carry the name and is the musket most associated with the redcoats of the early Georgian army.