• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

How to find a replacement spring that’ll fit a possible jap made musket.

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

6elegere

32 Cal
Joined
Jan 21, 2020
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Hi! I have an issue ongoing with a mainspring on a Brown Bess which I had gotten from a gun store in grant county IN. I believe that it’s a Miroku Japanese Brown Bess though. Could you modify a Pedersoli mainspring to fit a jap reproduction? On track of the wolf, it says it can be modified to fit. The stock is the same shape, the lock is marked TOWER but unfortunately there are marks that are almost gone. For example, in the photo with the serial number, it says what I believe to be “made in Japan” but it is hard to tell since the engraving is mostly gone.
 

Attachments

  • 10759133-A6CB-4281-97EC-C6F7F4C23A89.jpeg
    10759133-A6CB-4281-97EC-C6F7F4C23A89.jpeg
    82.8 KB · Views: 87
  • 3015976E-7DDA-458A-81E4-9D927F9D1CF4.jpeg
    3015976E-7DDA-458A-81E4-9D927F9D1CF4.jpeg
    45.4 KB · Views: 80
It looks to be a Miroku but clear photos of the lock and trigger guard would help, try photographing against a dark background if you can't lighten them by editing. I could be wrong but I remember the Japanese mainspring as being much stronger and possibly larger.
 
It looks to be a Miroku but clear photos of the lock and trigger guard would help, try photographing against a dark background if you can't lighten them by editing. I could be wrong but I remember the Japanese mainspring as being much stronger and possibly larger.
I’ll attach more images of lock and trigger guard. The lock between the cock and hammer is a little worn out and then the trigger guard is flattish on at the bottom.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    75.8 KB · Views: 77
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    103.4 KB · Views: 86
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    101.8 KB · Views: 81
How much does these typically go for? If it’s what I’ve been told, I got it for pretty cheap compared to Pedersoli or other Miroku made muskets
 
Try Dixie Gun Works. You will most likely have to fit it, or send it straight to The Log Cabin Shop for the lock fix.

How much is it worth? I sold several used Japanese made Bess from my shop All were used workable guns and got from $700-900 to condition. I retired from it 9-10 years or so ago
 
I’ve replaced a few mainsprings on Miroku Brown Bess Locks.

The Pedersoli springs made today won’t work because of the length between the tumbler and lower leg And the blind lug would need to be relocated... can you alter the Pedersoli spring to fit? Sure, you can try but Pedersoli springs are made in a completed hardened state and are oven tempered, by playing with the Pedersoli spring you will run the risk of cracking it which is easy to do. The Pedersoli springs are made with a different type of spring steel that is sensitive to high heat when Hardening and tempering, its not like working with 1070, 1095 or 6150 spring Steel here in the USA.

The best option is the buy a casted Spring. I would recommend a 3rd model Brown Bess Spring Because I have found over the years that the Pedersoli and Miroku Brown Bess Springs closely resemble third model springs, not so much first model springs Because of the size of the spring and the lower leg length. Second Model Springs would work too for the later 1777 short land pattern.

Dixie Gun Works has both first model and third model casted mainsprings, this are pretty good springs and I have used them on replacements. They come tempered and are easy to work with.

I use Butche’s Antique Gun Parts, Butch will copy your miroku spring in 6150 steel, can’t get any better than that !

The Track of the Wolf Long Land Mainspring is too big.

Rifle Shoppe has several mainspring options Too for the Brown Bess.

Peter Dyson and Son in the UK has a few options too.
 
Definitely a Miroku. I have one that I am about to restock. My lock looks exactly like yours.
I called into the store a few days in advance to see if they got anything in like a ‘77 Charleville, ‘75 Springfield or Bess. The owner said he has never seen any flintlocks or percussion cap rifled muskets in his store before. A few days later, he purchased (my Brown Bess) from a guy just the day before I visited his store. I’ve seen these Miroku jap muskets go for a decent bit of money at an Auction before. I had managed to fix the issue with my mainspring. The spring became detached from the sear and I ordered a mainspring vise. fortunately no cracks or chips. This find was just sheer luck.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top