The North Star West, Inc. Officer’s Model Musket was copied from an original in the Smithsonian Museum collection by Curly Gostomski in 1992. Sometimes called a Light Dragoon Carbine o
r Officer’s Fusil, they were a privately owned weapon used during the French and Indian War by British officers posted in North America. Ours looks much like a smaller version of a Brown Bess and is often called a “Mini Bess” by some owners. The architecture and hardware mimics that of the Kings Gun but weighs several pounds less and is several inches shorter. At only 54” O.A.L., it makes at a great Roger’s Rangers gun.
Officer’s muskets were of lighter caliber and shorter than guns of the rank and file British regimentals. Ours is 16 gage (.668 cal) with a 37 ½” barrel. All of the parts are direct copies of the original including the Whatley lock which is polished out to a satin finish and has the correct crown stamp in front of the hammer. The stamps on the barrel are correct for this gun and can be checked against pictures we have of the original. The walnut stock is cut back at the muzzle to accept a bayonet. We use an iron rammer that is threaded on one end to take a worm and has a drilled and tapped tip on the opposite end to accept 8-32 accessories. A quarter inch lug soldered to the barrel holds the bayonet and acts as a front sight. The barrel is armory bright as was the original gun. A pair of sling swivels is installed on finished
guns and are included our Officer’s Model Musket kits.
We build this musket and all of our guns to be safe, accurate shooters. All parts are made exclusively in our shop from the best materials available. It is deadly on big game with a patched round ball. Reenactors like it for its light weight and historically correct design.
