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French 1717 Rampart Musket from the American Revolution (Ad-free)
🕑 Added 2024-12-07 13:00:02 +0000 UTCAmerican forces in the Revolutionary War took in a bunch of different types of surplus small arms, and one of the interesting ones was the French Model 1717 Rampart gun. When the French created the first standardized military rifle pattern in 1717, they made two versions - an infantry musket and a rampart or wall gun. These wall guns were more heavily constructed and has larger bores, to allow them to fire a heavier powder charge for a longer effective range. Specifically, they were .78 caliber, weighting about 10.5 pounds with 46”+ barrels.
The French built about 40,000 of the 1717 pattern wall guns before moving on to a new 1728 pattern. They were quite obsolete by 1777 when Americans came looking for guns to buy, and many thousands were happily sold to the new American state (what better fate for obsolete French arms than to shoot at the British?). Some were used by Americans as-is, and some were refitted to use socket bayonets. The large bore also offered an option to load essentially buckshot instead of a single ball, which offered definitely benefits at close ranges.
Comments
z c
So does it count as a Battle RIfle?
Glenn Miller
Wonderful history lesson, thanks. Guess they gave these to the bigger fellas in the company.
New Englander in Ole Anglia
Read an amazing Book called "Manufacturing Independence" which goes into alot of detail about all arms used by the Colonials, However there is an intresting price on these guns that so many were shipped to New Hampshire with issues they needed to build an arsenal down the river to repair them and that's how the Springfeild armory got its start. Also there is a belief that they got so good at fixing french arms that's why early American muskets took more french then brittish influences leaving Springfield.
J.K. Mol
indeed exact same weight as a Brown Bess
Ed McEneney
That was great. Maybe 9 Hole can take it out to the range? 🤣
Phil
Your programs are excellent! Thank you. Phil
