Shooting a Charley

[duelist1954]

The French Charleville musket was the principle battle weapon of the Continental Army during the American War of Independence. This .69 caliber smooth bore influenced American military arms design for the next 50 years. And after the war many veterans brought their old service arm with them to settle the frontier. In this video I’ll shoot a replica of the model 1766 Charleville musket, as built by the Italian firm Pedersoli and imported into the United States by Taylor’s & Co. of Winchester, Virginia.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYu03XUbAyY

 

[larryp]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

And after the war many veterans brought their old service arm with them to settle the frontier.

They did? I was taught that the muskets were United States property, and were turned in to the government when the war was over.

LD

 

[Alden]

Nah, the guns were too inaccurate to keep because 18th C. soldiers didn't aim.

Gotta love Charlevilles! The easiest way to tell a '77 from a '66 is the obviously dished-out stock on the right of former BTW. Maybe the brass pan. Oh, and might wanna confirm the 1728/46 was the most common Charleville provided to the Americans.

New command: "close your, frizzen!"

:wink:

Why are paper cartridges stated as so inherently "inaccurate"!?

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

Paper cartridges are inaccurate because an undersized ball is used. The smaller ball was used to counter black powder fouling. 70 percent of a black powder load stays behind as gunk. When you shoot these muskets with a proper patch and ball load they are fairly accurate.

 

[Wes/Tex]

You can also get better accuracy in paper cartridges with balls closer to bore size and lubing the ball end of the cartridge. Bore has to be swabbed much more often than standard military cartridges but the accuracy is much better. One of the greatest old shooters I ever met used an original LLp for hunting. It had a the original .770 bore and he used a .760" ball for his first greased ball cartridge load and a .750" ball in the second. When I asked what he used after that, he told me he didn't know, never had to use one. He put deer, bear and moose in the freezer...one shot each!
:wink: :thumbsup:

 

[Shooey]

I always enjoy your videos! Especially when you shoot Evil Roy!

 

[spudnut]

Why are paper cartridges stated as so inherently "inaccurate"!?

Yeah I shoot them quite well :idunno:

 

[Wes/Tex]

Why are paper cartridges stated as so inherently "inaccurate"!?

This should probably say "military paper cartridges". Both British and French militaries used ablls roughly .007" to .009" smaller than bore size to allow enough "windage"(as it was called then) to allow the balls to seat easily even after the fouling built up in smooth musket bores.

 

[colmoultrie]

And after the war many veterans brought their old service arm with them to settle the frontier.

They did? I was taught that the muskets were United States property, and were turned in to the government when the war was over.

LD

According to Bill Ahearn, many soldiers took their muskets home in lieu of pay. This was from a lecture he gave three weeks ago at Washington's HQ in Morristown, NJ.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Great video as always, thanks for sharing it with us :hatsoff: