French Musket

In 1777, France adopted a new musket for military service. It had an 1137mm (44 inch) barrel which used musket balls of 0.69 Inch diameter. The barrel was held onto the stock by broad band secured by spring-loaded pegs. Most other nations muskets had their barrels held on by small pins driven through the stock. The new French musket could be taken to pieces very easily and soldiers were encouraged to strip down their muskets to clean them thoroughly.

The flintlock mechanism incorporated the strong ring-necked form of cock and had a separate brass priming pan that could be replaced when it wore out. The pan was also fitted with a slight forward tilt so the the flash from the exploding priming powder was directed away from the soldier’s face. The left side of the butt was scooped out so that the soldier’s cheek rested snugly on the stock to improve his aim. Like most muskets of the period the Mle 1777 musket had a socket bayonet which turned it into a short pike.

The Mle 1777 musket was first made at the Royal Arsenal at Charleville and it is sometimes known as the Charleville musket. The musket was used to support the Americans during the American Revolution and during the Revolutionary wars. In 1800 (Revolutionary Year AN IX) it was improved by minor modifications and is also known as the AN IX musket. It was modified again in 1822. The AN IX musket was part of a large family of firearms with specialised muskets for the Infantry, the Dragoons, the Marine Infantry as well as a carbine (short musket) for the Cavalry.

Mle 1777 (AN IX) muskets made for the Imperial Guard had brass barrel bands instead of steel and the buttplate tang terminated in a flaming grenade motif. Seven million Mle 1777 muskets were made by different makers between 1777 and 1843 and it was so successful that the Austrians copied its design in 1793, the Americans in 1795 and the Prussians in 1809.