Not too happy with Brown Bess purchase, best way to fix?

[VA Guy]

The Brown Bess has been a grail gun for me for a while now. I looked at the various kits out there, looked at the used market, looked at the IMA offerings, I basically looked at everything that cost less than a descent used car. I read very good reviews about the Pedersoli Bess and was convinced enough to drop more than I ever thought I would on a smooth bore firearm.

I was willing to live with the "known issues" you get with a Pedersoli repro like the incorrect shape of the stock at the butt plate because according to my research, your only other option for a “correct” gun requires purchasing an original (used car money for something shootable.) However, when I received my Bess I couldn't help but feel let down. It seriously looks like it was built by apprentices - scratch that, interns. On a Friday afternoon, at 4:30. When the entire quality department was on vacation. I will say that I was surprised as not only does my gun not match the photos and reviews that I've seen, the differences in quality between my pedersoli Enfield and this gun are staggering. The Enfield isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but at least it looks like some care was taken in its manufacture.

Nothing is the end of the world here, but here are the items that irritate me that I really want fixed:

• Trigger pin is visible and drilled partially outside of the lock mortise

• - Inletting around sideplate, trigger guard and ramrod pipes is pretty crappy. Too much wood taken out in some places, inlet parts are flush in some spots and proud in others. Spots that catch the hand are especially irritating.

Just to indicate why I'm griping about quality, the below items are easily fixed but in my mind a $1,000 + gun shouldn't leave the factory looking like this:

• Lock and lock mortise full of wood/brass/steel shavings
• Pins proud and not centered (see above photo of entry pipe for example)
• Wood filler/stain goo gobbed on pin blowouts and not cleaned up

I guess my questions are:

1a. Is this indicative of Pedersoli quality? Personally, this is the last Pedersoli I'll buy without laying hands upon it before purchase and I have about $6,000 worth of pent up desire in Pedersoli offerings.
1b. Are my expectations out of line and I'm simply "getting what I paid for"?
2. What are the chances of me fixing the inletting without making it worse? I've fixed inletting before - on door hardware that receives copious amounts of paint, not something with visible grain. Obviously a little filing/sanding will be easy to fix, but I'm thinking I might have to live with the gaps.
3. Would it be possible to buy an English walnut stock blank and send it along with my lock and barrel to a talented gunsmith and end up with a brand new Bess with the correct stock? <--- Seriously interested in this option, costs be damned.

If having a new stock made is an option, I guess I could take a stab at a DIY fix and see if I could live with the end result, and if not go to plan B of having a new stock made.

Thoughts?

 

[Whitworth]

Maybe with Covid they are shipping anything out the door. I'd be a tad upset myself. That is some crappy workmanship and unforgivable quality control. JMHO but the shiny finish on the wood looks like you find a cheap pellet gun, not a Brown Bess.

 

[Scota@4570]

Yeah, that is terrible. It will make you angry every time you look a it. Send those pictures to the vendor. Get an RA and send it back. IF they give you any guff take it up with the credit card company. Tell them the item was not what was ordered. Reverse the charges. After that "out" the vendor all over the internet.

It seems increasingly common. I ordered $200 worth of parts from the best known vendor of such stuff. The parts that arrived at my door step were junk. A Mauser trigger was "Bubbaed" and not usable. Sling swivels were send without the screws. A bolt stop lever was half gone from wear and rust. None of this was what I paid for. I also received a vintage air rifle back from a repair person today. His packing job was pathetic and the air gun was damaged due to rough handling. I hate dealing with idiots. They seem to be everywhere.

 

[PathfinderNC]

It really looks like the quality control guy was out that day. I feel bad for you. Hopefully they will exchange or refund.
I had restocked my Bess after the wrist busted during a reenactment. I got the Fowler stock from Pecatonica and made a lovely "Committee of Safety" musket. The parts of a Bess will fit on that stock if you don't require an actual Bess repro.
Good luck to you and keep us posted.

 

[kje54]

The Brown Bess has been a grail gun for me for a while now. I looked at the various kits out there, looked at the used market, looked at the IMA offerings, I basically looked at everything that cost less than a descent used car. I read very good reviews about the Pedersoli Bess and was convinced enough to drop more than I ever thought I would on a smooth bore firearm.

I was willing to live with the "known issues" you get with a Pedersoli repro like the incorrect shape of the stock at the butt plate because according to my research, your only other option for a “correct” gun requires purchasing an original (used car money for something shootable.) However, when I received my Bess I couldn't help but feel let down. It seriously looks like it was built by apprentices - scratch that, interns. On a Friday afternoon, at 4:30. When the entire quality department was on vacation. I will say that I was surprised as not only does my gun not match the photos and reviews that I've seen, the differences in quality between my pedersoli Enfield and this gun are staggering. The Enfield isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but at least it looks like some care was taken in its manufacture.

Nothing is the end of the world here, but here are the items that irritate me that I really want fixed:

• Trigger pin is visible and drilled partially outside of the lock mortise

View attachment 62395

• - Inletting around sideplate, trigger guard and ramrod pipes is pretty crappy. Too much wood taken out in some places, inlet parts are flush in some spots and proud in others. Spots that catch the hand are especially irritating.

View attachment 62396
View attachment 62397
View attachment 62398

Just to indicate why I'm griping about quality, the below items are easily fixed but in my mind a $1,000 + gun shouldn't leave the factory looking like this:

• Lock and lock mortise full of wood/brass/steel shavings
• Pins proud and not centered (see above photo of entry pipe for example)
• Wood filler/stain goo gobbed on pin blowouts and not cleaned up

View attachment 62399
View attachment 62400


I guess my questions are:

1a. Is this indicative of Pedersoli quality? Personally, this is the last Pedersoli I'll buy without laying hands upon it before purchase and I have about $6,000 worth of pent up desire in Pedersoli offerings.
1b. Are my expectations out of line and I'm simply "getting what I paid for"?
2. What are the chances of me fixing the inletting without making it worse? I've fixed inletting before - on door hardware that receives copious amounts of paint, not something with visible grain. Obviously a little filing/sanding will be easy to fix, but I'm thinking I might have to live with the gaps.
3. Would it be possible to buy an English walnut stock blank and send it along with my lock and barrel to a talented gunsmith and end up with a brand new Bess with the correct stock? <--- Seriously interested in this option, costs be damned.

If having a new stock made is an option, I guess I could take a stab at a DIY fix and see if I could live with the end result, and if not go to plan B of having a new stock made.

Thoughts?

I think what Pendersoli (and other manufacturers) are doing is digging out seconds to help meet demand. I just started work on my Pendersoli Pennsylvania Longrifle and it looks very rough compared to their kits I've bought in the past. I checked into Indian made years ago and lots of people poo-pooed them but recently even some of the past naysayers admit the quality is very good and the copy is nearly exact to the originals. I'd send the pendersoli back and look into one from Loyalist Arms, they're the best dealers for Indian made guns, much cheaper also. I have an Indian made First Pattern Bess I bought second hand here.

 

[VA Guy]

Lots of votes for "return" and it crossed my mind, but I'm a little leery because...

It would cost close to $60 to ship it back

If I do an exchange, there's no guarantee the replacement will be any better. I don't know if it was handled or closely inspected by the vendor, but the box was certainly opened as additional packaging and paperwork from the vendor was added. If I did a refund I'd have to find a replacement.

I've gotten to the point where I've become so cynical that I frequently lose faith in others to do the right thing and all to often take a "if you want it done right I guess you gotta do it yourself" approach (@Scota@4570 hit the nail on the head with this one)

Maybe this is dumb, but given even a non-screwed up Pedersoli bess needs rework to be accurate, why not use this as an excuse to get it right? The metalwork on this one seems pretty good; the woodwork and finishing is where the ball was dropped.

 

[Musketeer]

My Pedersoli Bess was made in 2016 and has only one flaw: the shape of the side plate doesn't quite match the inletting in one spot about a half inch long (about a 1mm gap between top and bottom of plate and wood in this spot). The plate is totally flush with the wood, though. My gun has none of the other flaws yours has. I was willing to accept this minor cosmetic flaw in a mass produced gun, but if it had shown up like yours, I'd have been upset. Does this gun sport a 2020 date code or earlier?

 

[VA Guy]

Does this gun sport a 2020 date code or earlier?

Interestingly enough, it appears to be 2019 (CU)...

 

[Musketeer]

Hmmm...That seems to shoot down this being a 'Rona Special, unless Pedersoli had some seconds lying around when the pandemic hit and decided to ship them out to meet demand, as suggested earlier.

 

[kb466]

Well, if you do decide to replace the stock, you might check out Dunlap Woodcrafts. They offer a replacement stock for the Pedersoli Brown Besses, out of either black walnut or English walnut. Two versions too— an exact replacement for the Pedersoli or one with greater drop in the buttstock.
I don’t have an interest in Dunlap, but have been happy with the stocks I’ve received from them in the past.

 

[kje54]

Lots of votes for "return" and it crossed my mind, but I'm a little leery because...

It would cost close to $60 to ship it back

If I do an exchange, there's no guarantee the replacement will be any better. I don't know if it was handled or closely inspected by the vendor, but the box was certainly opened as additional packaging and paperwork from the vendor was added. If I did a refund I'd have to find a replacement.

I've gotten to the point where I've become so cynical that I frequently lose faith in others to do the right thing and all to often take a "if you want it done right I guess you gotta do it yourself" approach (@Scota@4570 hit the nail on the head with this one)

Maybe this is dumb, but given even a non-screwed up Pedersoli bess needs rework to be accurate, why not use this as an excuse to get it right? The metalwork on this one seems pretty good; the woodwork and finishing is where the ball was dropped.

If you're happy with everything else reworking the stock is really no big deal if you know what you're doing, go for it if that's what you want to do.
If it was me and I put that kind of money in one that was supposed to be finished I'd see if I could get a partial refund, if not then I'd ship it back for a full refund. Sixty bucks isn't that much to lose considering, like I said, the Indian made models are accurate and well made plus only $650 + shipping.
You might have to tune the lock a little and the metal is pretty shiny but that's all.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I'm afraid that we or us expecting values of old in the modern gun making world are to much for them to bare!

 

[dave_person]

Hi VA Guy,
That is the worst Pedersoli I've seen. My first inclination would be to send it back but if that is not an option then it probably could be worked over. However, the poor inletting would be hard to correct without replacing the parts with ones slightly larger. Correct thimbles from the Rifle Shoppe and a new bigger side plate, handmade could work. Anyway, very disappointing and certainly no better than many less expensive India-made imports. If you decide to work over the gun you might benefit from reviewing this thread:

New Reworking a Pedersoli Brown Bess

dave

 

[toot]

The Brown Bess has been a grail gun for me for a while now. I looked at the various kits out there, looked at the used market, looked at the IMA offerings, I basically looked at everything that cost less than a descent used car. I read very good reviews about the Pedersoli Bess and was convinced enough to drop more than I ever thought I would on a smooth bore firearm.

I was willing to live with the "known issues" you get with a Pedersoli repro like the incorrect shape of the stock at the butt plate because according to my research, your only other option for a “correct” gun requires purchasing an original (used car money for something shootable.) However, when I received my Bess I couldn't help but feel let down. It seriously looks like it was built by apprentices - scratch that, interns. On a Friday afternoon, at 4:30. When the entire quality department was on vacation. I will say that I was surprised as not only does my gun not match the photos and reviews that I've seen, the differences in quality between my pedersoli Enfield and this gun are staggering. The Enfield isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but at least it looks like some care was taken in its manufacture.

Nothing is the end of the world here, but here are the items that irritate me that I really want fixed:

• Trigger pin is visible and drilled partially outside of the lock mortise

View attachment 62395

• - Inletting around sideplate, trigger guard and ramrod pipes is pretty crappy. Too much wood taken out in some places, inlet parts are flush in some spots and proud in others. Spots that catch the hand are especially irritating.

View attachment 62396
View attachment 62397
View attachment 62398

Just to indicate why I'm griping about quality, the below items are easily fixed but in my mind a $1,000 + gun shouldn't leave the factory looking like this:

• Lock and lock mortise full of wood/brass/steel shavings
• Pins proud and not centered (see above photo of entry pipe for example)
• Wood filler/stain goo gobbed on pin blowouts and not cleaned up

View attachment 62399
View attachment 62400


I guess my questions are:

1a. Is this indicative of Pedersoli quality? Personally, this is the last Pedersoli I'll buy without laying hands upon it before purchase and I have about $6,000 worth of pent up desire in Pedersoli offerings.
1b. Are my expectations out of line and I'm simply "getting what I paid for"?
2. What are the chances of me fixing the inletting without making it worse? I've fixed inletting before - on door hardware that receives copious amounts of paint, not something with visible grain. Obviously a little filing/sanding will be easy to fix, but I'm thinking I might have to live with the gaps.
3. Would it be possible to buy an English walnut stock blank and send it along with my lock and barrel to a talented gunsmith and end up with a brand new Bess with the correct stock? <--- Seriously interested in this option, costs be damned.

If having a new stock made is an option, I guess I could take a stab at a DIY fix and see if I could live with the end result, and if not go to plan B of having a new stock made.

Thoughts?

you got to remember that ONLY GOD IS PERFECT. these are made by humans. that is the difference.

 

[TFoley]

Well, Sir, G*d didn't make this piece of cr- sorry, less than perfect musket, but one of His children, 'Giuseppe Joe' did, and had a hard time getting bits to line up while he did it. It is a dead cert for a kit gun I once saw that looked like it had been assembled by Stevie Wonder. I know that I had been the recipient of this thing the mail van would not have yet disappeared out of sight before it would have been back on it. It's a monstrous fiasco of a gun from THE present-day builder of such things and is a disgrace to the name of Davide Pedersoli'

They need telling.

 

[sawyer04]

I'm afraid that we or us expecting values of old in the modern gun making world are to much for them to bare!

I am afraid the Chinese Communist virus is probably responsible for the quality of merchandise purchased. The factories of Gardone Val Trompia in Italy is in northern Italy where the Chinese Communist sent infestations to the Gardone Rivieria, exposing all northern Italy.. Some of the factory workers are probably not with us any more.
My opinion, I expect the same from other manufactures because of the temporary and in experienced help that they were forced to hire, United States included.

 

[Art Caputo]

Companies seem to adapt to what is acceptable to their customers. No feedback tends to be interpreted as good feedback to them. Regardless of your pathway I’d let them know that you were dissatisfied with the quality, and will not buy another nor be a positive reference to others. Their interest in correcting the problem will tell all.

 

[Dave Marsh]

Personally that gun would have been on the truck back to where you bought it from the next day. I see they go for almost $1200 at Cabela's so I sure would expect a lot more in quality. Just my opinion.

Dave

 

[skwerleater]

Send it back!!! Contact vendor and explain your dissatisfaction as the item is not acceptable. Demand a return label. You should not be responsible for any return shipping.
If you keep it, every time you look at it it might upset you.

 

[erhunter]

I would send it back also, probably the sooner the better. Every time you look at it it's going to p*ss you off. You deserve better from Pedersoli! Demand refund and free return label for shipping. I personally would not buy from them unless I could see the exact firearm in person that I wanted to purchase if that is what they call "acceptable".