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Revision as of 23:08, 17 August 2010
The Flintlock Musket was a muzzle-loaded, smoothbore gun fired from the shoulder. It was the Long-Range weapon of the Musketeer.
Description
The musket was typically a long-barreled gun, operated by means of a flintlock mechanism. The lock contained a hammer with a piece of flint, which stuck a steel plate, creating the spark which ignited the powder and fired the musket. The edge was given to the musket for its accuracy, heavy caliber, and option to mount a plug bayonet.
Uses
The flintlock musket was widely used in the 17th and 18th Centuries, with some seeing combat as late as the American Civil War. Because the weapon was not particularly accurate, the standard method of use involved large, tightly grouped formations firing in volleys, tactics which proved disastrous when more accurate, rapid-reloading rifles became common.