The Flintlock Musket

The flintlock or firelock musket is one of the most iconic weapons in history: used on the battlefields of the English Civil War, it was then carried by both sides at Blenheim, Bunker Hill, Waterloo and the Alamo, and dominated warfare for more than 150 years, with military service as late as the American Civil War in the 1860s. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork, this engaging study examines the role that the flintlock played in close-order combat on European and other battlefields around the world. Employing first-hand accounts to show how tactical doctrines were successfully developed to overcome the weapon's inherent limitations, Stuart Reid offers a comprehensive analysis of the flintlock's lasting impact as the first truly universal soldier's weapon.

Numerous military flintlocks carried by the British Riflemen are described and illustrated with exceptional photographs and sharp close-ups of details. A great deal of attention is given to the famous Baker, but also included are such arms as the Ferguson, the Pattern 1776 and rifles used by German mercenaries and Loyalists in the American Revolution. Documented by decades of archival research and the inspection of countless surviving rifles. A great read for those interested in military history, marksmanship in the British Army, accoutrements and ammunition, the story of the Riflemen in the British service and antique firearms enthusiasts as a reference for identifying rifles.

The conduct of combat operations in open order during the 18th and 19th centuries required an improved firearm with more accuracy than the standard-issue smoothbore infantry musket. Consequently, the appearance of a new type of regular light infantry soldier and an innovative military firearm, the rifle, marked a new age in the history of warfare. During the 18th century both Austria and Prussia fielded light troops armed with rifled firearms, while conflicts in North America involved the deadly long rifle and the innovative Ferguson breech-loader. Rifle-armed specialists also fought for several nations during the Napoleonic Wars. However, it was the decades after 1815 that saw the appearance of successful rifled percussion firearms, paving the way for the widespread issue of rifled weapons. This development was accelerated by the Prussian adoption of the Dreyse 'needle gun' in 1848 and in 1849, the French Minié rifle was the first successful conical ball rifle concept to be issued to regular troops in large numbers. Illustrated throughout with stunning full-colour artwork, this study charts the development, combat use, influence and legacy of rifled firearms in a host of conflicts, from the War of the Austrian Succession of 1740–48 to the Mexican–American War of 1846–48.

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Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 51. Chapters: Early firearms, Muskets, Arquebus, Flintlock, Muzzleloader, Huolongjing, Antique gun, Brown Bess, Wheellock, Charleville musket, Naval artillery in the Age of Sail, Hand cannon, Matchlock, Blunderbuss, Jezail, Model 1795 Musket, Culverin, Nock gun, Snaplock, Wall gun, Fire lance, Model 1816 Musket, Howdah pistol, Springfield rifle, Springfield Model 1812 Musket, Model 1822 Musket, Springfield Model 1840 Flintlock Musket, Musketoon, Powder horn, Huochong, Petronel, Jingal. Excerpt: A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer. The musket replaced the arquebus, and was in turn replaced by the rifle. The term "musket" is applied to a variety of weapons, including the long, heavy guns with matchlock or wheel lock and loose powder fired with the gun barrel resting on a stand, and also lighter weapons with Snaphance, flintlock or caplock and bullets using a stabilizing spin (Minie ball), affixed with a bayonet. 16th-century troops armed with a heavy version of the arquebus called a musket were specialists supporting the arquebusiers and pikemen formations. By the start of the 18th century, a lighter version of the musket had edged out the arquebus, and the addition of the bayonet edged out the pike, and almost all infantry became musketeers. In the 18th century, improvements in ammunition and firing methods allowed rifling to be practical for military use, and the term "rifled gun" gave way to "rifle." In the 19th century, rifled muskets (which were technically rifles, but were referred to as muskets) became common which combined the advantages of rifles and muskets. About the time of the introduction of cartridge, breechloading, and multiple rounds of ammunition just a few...