Charleville musket

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The Charleville musket was the primary musket used by the French during their participation in the American Revolutionary War. These smoothbore muskets were named after the armory in Ardenne, France. It was also distributed to the Americans, and later became the basis for the pattern of the Springfield Musket of 1795. They are 60 1/2 inches, with a 45 inch barrel, and have "U.S." stamped on the butt stock. This was done to prevent soldiers from taking them when soldiers discharged. It fired a .69-caliber ball, smaller than the Brown Bess, and which normally allowed for less windage than contemporary muskets. It had a fire ratio of approximately 2-3 shots per minute, and a maximum range for 200 meters, although only fairly accurate for up to 50 meters.

[edit] External links

• Loading and Firing a French Musket in the Age of Napoleon

[edit] See also

• List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces