Error creating thumbnail: File missing Modern reproduction of 17th Century English Doglock Musket, predecessor of the Brown Bess musket. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Modern reproduction "Long Land Pattern" Brown Bess Infantry musket made from 1722-1768 - .75 caliber. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Original "Short Land Pattern" Brown Bess musket made 1768-1805 - .75 caliber Error creating thumbnail: File missing Original "India Pattern" Brown Bess musket made 1805-1840 - .75 caliber Error creating thumbnail: File missing Modern reproduction Brown Bess Carbine - .75 caliber The British Long Land Pattern musket, nicknamed the "Brown Bess" , was a smoothbore flintlock musket that was standard-issue with the British Army throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries, including the French and Indian / 7 Years War, the American War of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars.
For the purposes of this page, "Brown Bess" refers collectively to any of the British Land Pattern Muskets of 1722-1883, which include the Long Land Pattern, Short Land Pattern, Sea Service Pattern, India Pattern, New Land Pattern and New Light Infantry Land Pattern Cavalry Carbine.
N.B. Virtually all Brown Bess Flintlock Muskets seen in films or television productions are modern reproductions, due to historical specimens being highly expensive and unsafe to fire due to age- or conservation-related concerns.
Specifications Weight: 10.5 pounds (4.8 kg)
Length: 58.5 inches (1,490 mm)
Barrel length: 42 inches (1,100 mm)
Cartridge: 0.71 inches (18 mm) lead ball, undersized to reduce the effects of powder fouling.
Caliber: 0.75 inches (19 mm)
Capacity: 1
Action: Flintlock
Rate of fire: User-dependent; usually 2-3 rounds a minute
Muzzle velocity: Variable
Effective range: Variable (50-100 yards)
Feed system: Muzzle-loaded
Fire Modes: Single Shot The Brown Bess Flintlock Musket and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
Title
Actor
Character
Note
Date
Jánošík Brigands
1921
Treasure Island (Ostrov sokrovishch) Irish rebels
1937
Blackbeard, the Pirate Don House Soldier
1952
Chuck Roberson Soldier
British soldiers
The Spessart Inn Ralf Wolter Brigand
1958
The Devil's Disciple Burt Lancaster Rev. Anthony Anderson
1959
George Rose British sergeant
British soldiers, rebels
Kidnapped British soldiers, Assassin
1960
Burn! British soldiers
1969
Apaches (Apachen) Johnson's men, Mexican soldiers and townsmen
1973
Blazing Saddles Two Arabian Bad Guys
1974
The Duellists French soldiers
1975
Barry Lyndon Ryan O'Neal Redmont Barry
1975
British and Prussian soldiers
Blue Bird Kurt Böwe
John Ruster
1979
Jan Spitzer Andrew
Gheorghe Patru
Raccoon
British and French soldiers, settlers, Iroquois warriors
Trail of the Pink Panther Seen in Clouseau's apartment
1982
The Bounty Richard Graham Mills
1984
British soldiers and seamen
Revolution Al Pacino Tom Dobb
1985
Donald Sutherland Sgt. Maj. Peasy
British troops
The Mission Liam Neeson Fielding
1986
Spanish and Portuguese soldiers
Shipwrecked Pirates
1990
Journey of Honor Kane Kosugi Yorimune
1991
Shô Kosugi Daigoro Mayeda
Norman Lloyd Father Vasco
Spanish and Japanese soldiers
The Last of the Mohicans Russell Means Chingachgook
1992
Eric Schweig Uncas
Wes Studi Magua
British and French infantry, Hurons and Mohicans
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III Walker's men
1993
Red Rock West Seen in Sheriff Wayne's office
1993
Kidnapped Don Wycherley Rory
1995
Brian McGrath James Stewart of The Glen
James men and women, British soldiers
Get Shorty Men dressed as Revolutionary War soldiers
1995
Cutthroat Island Geena Davis Morgan Adams
1995
Stan Shaw Glaspool
Rex Linn Blair
English soldiers
Rob Roy Tim Roth Archibald Cunningham
1995
Highland Regiment
Bad Moon Sherpa guides
1996
Amistad Royal Marines
1997
Almost Heroes Bokeem Woodbine Jonah
1998
American soldiers
The Mask of Zorro Mexican soldiers
1998
Hornblower: The Even Chance Robert Lindsay Captain Edward Pellew
1998
Royal Marines
Hornblower: The Examination for Lieutenant Ioan Gruffudd Acting Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower
1998
Paul Copley Matthews
Royal Marines
Hornblower: The Duchess and the Devil Royal Navy seamen
1999
Hornblower: The Frogs and the Lobsters British and French Royalist soldiers
1999
Sleepy Hollow Mark Spalding Jonathan Masbath
1999
Marc Pickering Young Masbath
Casper Van Dien Brom Van Brunt
Soldiers
Anna and the King Randall Duk Kim General Alak
1999
Soldiers
Plunkett and Macleane Thief-takers
1999
The Patriot British soldiers
2000
Tiger Head (Cabeza de Tigre) Argentinean revolutionary soldiers
2001
Hornblower: Mutiny Royal Marines
2001
Hornblower: Retribution Gilly Gilchrist
Randall
2001
Royal Marines, Royal Navy seamen, rebelling Spanish prisoners
Hornblower: Loyalty Greg Wise Major Côtard
2003
Royal Marines
Hornblower: Duty Royal Marines
2003
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Chris Larkin Captain Howard
2003
British Marines
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Orlando Bloom Will Turner
2003
Keira Knightley Elizabeth Swann
British soldiers and pirates
Fanfan la Tulipe French and British soldiers
2003
Bell Witch Haunting Doug Moore
John Bell
2004
Asa Wiggins
Richard Bell
The Alamo The Mexican Army
2004
The Legend of Zorro Soldiers, McGivens' men
2005
An American Haunting Donald Sutherland John Bell
2005
Thom Fell John Bell Jr.
James D'Arcy Richard Powell
Oliver Twist Policemen
2005
Pirates of Treasure Island Seen on the wall
2006
Alatriste Eduardo Noriega Conde de Guadalmedina
2006
Simon Cohen King Philip IV of Spain
Goya's Ghosts Stellan Skarsgård Francisco Goya
2006
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest British soldiers
2006
The Sovereign's Servant (Sluga Gosudarev) Nikolay Chindyaykin The Inn owner
2007
Aleksey Chadov Angie
Swedish and Russian soldiers
My Name Is Bruce A townsman
2007
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End East India Trading Company soldiers
2007
The Young Victoria British soldiers
2009
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Johnny Depp Jack Sparrow
2011
British soldiers
47 Ronin Keanu Reeves Kai
2013
Dutch sailors
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 Rob Corddry Lou Dorchen
2015
In the Heart of the Sea Chris Hemsworth Owen Chase
2015
Cillian Murphy Matthew Joy
The Revenant Domhnall Gleeson Andrew Henry
Carbine
2015
Leonardo DiCaprio Hugh Glass
Tom Hardy John Fitzgerald
Forrest Goodluck Hawk
Kristoffer Joner Murphy
Lukas Haas Jones
Will Poulter Bridger
Paul Anderson Anderson
Trappers
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Douglas Booth
Mr. Bingley
2016
British soldiers
Black '47 Barry Keoghan Private Hobson
Percussion Cap
2018
James Frecheville Martin Feeney
Carbine
Hugo Weaving Hannah
Irish Police
British soldiers
Percussion Cap
Journey to China: The Mystery of Iron Mask Russian soldiers
2019
Prey French trappers
Anachronistic
2022
Napoleon (2023) British soldiers
2023
Television
Show Title
Actor
Character
Note / Episode
Air Date
Jamaica Inn Soldiers, wreckers
1983
The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries Seen in weapon collection; "A Man Lay Dead" (S01E01)
1993
Sharpe's Rifles British Army soldiers
1993
Sharpe's Enemy British Army soldiers
1994
Sharpe's Company British Army soldiers
1994
The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson Kieren Hutchison Ernst Robinson
1998
Richard Thomas David Robinson
Margo Gunn Elizabeth Robinson
Junior Chile Billy
K.C. Kelly Jed Parsons
Gareth Howells Ben Thomas
Blackbeard British marines, soldiers and pirates
2006
Lock 'n Load With R. Lee Ermey Gunny
2009
Sleepy Hollow 2013
Salem W.M. Bacon
soldier
"The Vow" (S1E01)
2014
Michael Sieve
soldier
"Ashes to Ashes" (S1E12)
Michael P Gardner
vigilant
"All Fall Down" (S1E13)
soldiers, prison guards, guardians vigilantes
Black Sails Shaun Acker Mr Beauclerk
(S01E05)
2014-2015
Two men of the Scarborough
(S01E01)
Hakeem Kae-Kazim Mr. Scott
Walrus crewmember
Turn: Washington's Spies - Season 1 Seth Numrich Ben Tallmadge
(S1E03)
2014
British and Continental Army soldiers
Turn: Washington's Spies - Season 2 Samuel Roukin Capt. John Simcoe
(S2E06)
2015
British, Hessian, and Continental Army soldiers
Turn: Washington's Spies - Season 3 Samuel Roukin Capt. John Simcoe
(S3E03)
2016
Seth Numrich Ben Tallmadge
(S3E08)
British, Hessian, and Continental Army soldiers
Salem Shane West Captain John Alden
2016-2017
Emily Skeggs
Billy
Owen Harn Militia Leader
"After the Fall" (S3E01)
Perry Hinson
Militia Man
"After the Fall" (S3E01)
Soldiers, Militia
Turn: Washington's Spies - Season 4 Aldis Hodge Akinbode
(S4E03)
2017
Jamie Bell Abraham Woodhull
(S4E06, E07, E08)
British, Hessian, and Continental Army soldiers
Taboo Tom Hardy James Keziah Delaney
2017
Always a Witch (Siempre Bruja) - Season 2 Spanish soldiers
"Someone Like Me" (S2E01)
2020
Video Games Animation Anime 
