Charleville musket The Charleville muskets were . 69 caliber French muskets used in the 18th century . History . Marin le Bourgeoys created the first true flintlock weapons for King Louis XIII shortly after his accession to the throne in 1610 . Throughout the 17th century , flintlock muskets were produced in a wide variety of models . In 1717 , a flintlock musket for the French infantry was standardized . This became the first standard flintlock musket to be issued to all troops . While it is more correctly called a French infantry musket or a French pattern musket , these muskets later became known as " Charleville muskets " , after the armory in Charleville - Mézières , Ardennes , France . The standard French infantry musket was also produced at Tulle , St . Etienne , Maubeuge Arsenal , and other sites . While technically not the correct name for these muskets , the use of the name Charleville dates back to the U . S . Revolutionary War , when Americans tended to refer to all of the musket models as Charlevilles . It should be noted that the naming of these muskets is not consistent . Some references only refer to Model 1763 and later versions as Charleville muskets , while other references refer to all models as Charlevilles . The Charleville musket ' s design was refined several times during its service life . Later models of Charleville muskets remained in service until 1840 , when percussion lock systems made the flintlock obsolete . Design Features . Charleville muskets had a smooth bore barrel . Rifles were more accurate than smooth bore muskets , but military commanders favored smooth bores on the battlefield , since the round from a rifle had to fit tightly into the barrel , and became very difficult to load after a few shots because the black powder used at the time quickly fouled the barrel . The longer range and better accuracy of the rifle was also considered to be of little value on a battlefield that was quickly obscured by black powder smoke . Like all smooth bore muskets , the Charleville musket was only accurate to about 50 to 100 meters . The Charleville ' s . 69 " ( 17 . 5mm ) caliber barrel was slightly smaller than its main competitor , the . 75 caliber Brown Bess produced by the British . The smaller round was intentionally chosen to reduce weight in the field , but still had enough mass to be effective as a military round . The Charleville ' s stock was usually made out of walnut . Charleville muskets were not used in battle like a modern rifle . Instead , Charleville muskets were fired in mass formations . In modern warfare , bayonets are considered to be last - ditch weapons , but in the days of the Charleville musket , they played a much more significant role on the battlefield , often accounting for roughly a third of all battlefield casualties . Muskets played a dual role on the battlefield , being used as a ranged weapon at a distance , and also being used as a pike type weapon in close hand to hand combat . This use as a pike dictated the Charleville ' s general length and weight . A shorter weapon could not be used as a pike , and its weight was a balance between being heavy enough to be used as a pike or club , but light enough to be carried and used by general infantrymen . The rate of fire depended on the skill of the soldier , which was typically about 3 shots per minute . The Charleville ' s barrel was held into place by three barrel bands . This made the Charleville sturdier than the British Brown Bess musket , which used pins to hold the barrel in place . The butt of the Charleville ' s stock was sometimes referred to as the " patte de vache " ( French for " cow ' s foot " ) , as its shape was designed to be used as a club in hand to hand combat . Charleville muskets were muzzle loaded , and used a flintlock firing mechanism . They typically fired a round ball , but could fire other ammunition such as buck and ball or shot . Variants . Model 1717 . After numerous musket designs in the late 17th and early 18th century , the infantry musket was standardized in what would become the Model 1717 . This model standardized most of the design features that would be common to all subsequent models , such as a . 69 caliber barrel , an approximate length of 60 inches and an approximate weight of nine to ten pounds . The Model 1717 also standardized the smooth bore barrel and flintlock firing mechanism . Unlike later models , the Model 1717 had a pinned barrel , similar in design of the British Brown Bess . It also had a single barrel band at the center of the barrel , and four iron pipes which held a wooden ramrod . All of the furniture was iron . The Model 1717 had a 46 inch barrel and an overall length of 62 inches , and weighed approximately 9 lbs . A total of 48 , 000 Model 1717 muskets were produced . Model 1728 . The Model 1728 replaced the pinned barrel with a barrel held in place by three barrel bands , which would become standard on all subsequent Charleville muskets . The barrel band design was not only easier to disassemble for cleaning , but was also sturdier , which was an important consideration in bayonet combat . The lock was also revised , with a longer frizzen spring and a slightly modified cock design . Changes in the 1740s included the standardized use of a steel ramrod in 1743 and , after 1746 , newly manufactured muskets had the pan / frizzen bridle removed . Other minor changes were also made throughout the Model 1728 ' s production life . These modified versions are generally considered to be minor variations to the Model 1728 , and are not typically considered to be a separate and distinct model of musket . A total of 375 , 000 Model 1728 muskets were produced . Model 1763 . After the French and Indian war , the French infantry musket was redesigned , resulting in the Model 1763 . The barrel was shortened from 46 inches to 44 inches , and the octagonal breech plug featured on earlier models was replaced with a more rounded design . The stock ' s distinctive " cow ' s foot " butt was modified with a much more straightened design . The ramrod was also given a more trumpet shaped end . Though shorter in length , the Model 1763 was designed to be heavier and sturdier , and weighed over 10 lbs . A total of 88 , 000 Model 1763 muskets were produced . Model 1766 . The Model 1763 ' s sturdier design proved to be a bit too heavy , so in 1766 the musket ' s design was lightened . The barrel wall was thinned , the lock was shortened , the stock was slimmed , and the Model 1763 ' s long iron ramrod cover was replaced by a pinned spring under the breech . The trumpet shaped ramrod of the Model 1763 was also abandoned in favor of a ramrod with a lighter button shaped end . Though usually considered to be a separate model , the Model 1766 was often referred to as a " light Model 1763 " musket , especially in U . S . Revolutionary War invoices . Despite being thinned down , the Model 1766 proved to be rugged and reliable . A total of 140 , 000 Model 1766 muskets were produced . Models 1770 to 1776 . Several changes were made to Charleville muskets during the 1770s . References are not consistent with respect to the naming of these models . Some consider many of them to be distinct models , while others consider them to be only variations of earlier models . Most of the modifications during this period were relatively minor . The Model 1770 had a modified lock plate , stronger barrel bands , and a modified ramrod retaining spring . The Model 1771 moved the bayonet lug and strengthened the barrel . The Model 1770 and 1771 are often grouped together as a single model . The Model 1773 was similar to previous models , but again modified the ramrod retaining spring . The Model 1773 is often considered to be a minor variant to the Model 1770 / 1771 . The Model 1774 had a shorter trigger guard , and the tail of the frizzen was cut square . The ramrod design was also modified in the Model 1774 , giving it more of a pear shaped head . Similarly minor changes were made for the Model 1776 , which is often not considered to be a separate model . Throughout the 1770s , the stock was modified in an inconsistent fashion . Some muskets were produced with a much more pronounced comb on the stock than others , which have an almost nonexistent comb . A total of 70 , 000 Model 1770 to 1776 muskets were produced . Model 1777 . The design of the stock was again modified for the Model 1777 , with a cheek rest cut into the inboard side of the butt . The Model 1777 also featured a slanted brass flash pan and bridle , and a modified trigger guard with two rear finger ridges . The Model 1777 is often incorrectly believed to have been used in large numbers by patriot troops during the American Revolutionary War . While the Model 1777 was used in the American Revolutionary War , it was generally only used by French troops who served on American soil , such as those under the command of General Rochambeau . American troops were instead armed with earlier Model 1763 and 1766 muskets . ( See also Musket Model 1777 ) . Other variants . In 1754 , the French introduced a shorter Officers version of the Charleville . Most models were produced in shorter Dragoon ( cavalry ) versions , which were generally about ten inches shorter than their infantry counterpart . The Model 1763 , 1766 , and 1777 were all available in a cavalry version . These are also often called carbine versions . The Model 1777 Artillery version had a 36 inch barrel and an overall length of 51 inches . The furniture was mostly brass . The Model 1777 Dragoons version had a 42 inch barrel and an overall length of 57 inches . Most of the furniture was brass . The Model 1777 Navy version was similar in length to the Dragoons version . All furniture on the Navy version was brass . The Russian Model 1808 Musket was based heavily on the design of the Model 1777 Charleville . This musket is often called a " Tula musket " since it was manufactured in Tula . The Tula musket was manufactured with only minor changes until 1845 , when it was replaced by a percussion lock musket . Charleville muskets were also copied by Austria , Belgium , and Prussia . In the 1830s and 1840s , many old Charleville muskets ( mostly later models ) were converted from flintlock to percussion lock . Use . Large numbers of Charleville Model 1763 and 1766 muskets were imported into the United States from France during the American Revolution , due in large part to the influence of Marquis de Lafayette . The Charleville 1766 heavily influenced the design of the Springfield Musket of 1795 . The Model 1766 and 1777 were also used by the French during their participation in the American Revolutionary War . The Model 1777 was used throughout the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars . It remained in , at least partial , service until the mid - 1840s . Modern replica Charleville muskets are produced by several manufacturers . These are used by historical re - enactors in both the U . S . and Europe .