A Brief History of The Charleville And Other French Muskets

[@ArizonaGhostriders]

Not only do you look great, Ethan, but you educated me. So, thanks!!

[@Real11BangBang]

Thank you Glad you enjoyed the video

[@davidschaadt3460]

In the eighties I had a repro of the 1766 Charleville made by Miroku of Japan.A well made really nice gun. I later traded it for a modern gun. I now have a Pedersoli Brown Bess,which is real nice.I still would like to get another Charleville. It haunts me.

[@georgegooding8207]

Love the history lesson. More information for me to soak up.

[@Squib1911]

Good information you put out there about all of the variants.

[@normalcitizen_1]

Nice video, the musket looks nearly Identical to the Swedish infantry muskets from the 1700s

[@joemolf3894]

I heed to your research! Respectfully!

[@DARIVSARCHITECTVS]

I have been look at buying a Charleville replica for a long time. This video was hugely informative. Thanks for describing all the minor changes!

[@Real11BangBang]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheGunfighter45acp]

Well done! I totally agree about the '77s. The first time I saw one I was like, "what in the world were they thinking with that stock?"...

[@jeffreyrobinson3555]

Fun Lots of work looking at those changes. I tend to get glassy eyed at the little middle changes. I don’t do military so it’s hard to get excited about this. But…. I knew about the band and spring before this and the stock iss the 66 not the 77. Enjoyed this presentation very much I’ve been thinking about getting a Charlie

[@crazeemunkee]

FYI, calling these muskets a "Charleville" is purely American. The French never called them by that name. Each armory simply engraved their name on the lockplate (name of the city where the armory was located) and by the end of the Napoleonic wars there were 10 different amories each producing tens of thousands of these muskets, the armory at Charleville-Mezieres being only one of them. The French were the first to standardize flintlock musket production and did so with their infantry musket in 1717. The reference materials I have which originate from France designate specific models in the years 1717, 1728, 1754, 1763 ,1766, 1770, 1773, 1774, 1777 and 1777 Corrige An IX (Improved Year 9). It is also interesting to note that these muskets were the most produced firearm in the world until the First World War.

[@3ducs]

A couple years ago I was hanging around in a small local gun shop when a young man came in with a rusty old relic. He was looking to get a few bucks for it, the shop wasn't interested, so I gave him $50 for it. It's a percussion gun, the hammer swings freely, and it is missing the butt plate. I thought it was a Harper's Ferry and ordered some parts to get it back in order. Turns out it is a 1777 AN IX. I thought that the stock cutout was something done independently, no, an armory thing. The breech plug has been drilled from the rear, I ordered a replacement from Lodgewood, that is dated 1833, the barrel is dated 1835. I'll find out in a few days whether the parts I ordered fit. Buying old relics like this thing is an adventure!

[@Real11BangBang]

yes it is! great find

[@3ducs]

@@Real11BangBang The plug has a different thread pitch, American vs. French. I'll probably get a reproduction barrel, the original has a deep pit inside, probably not safe to fire. It is an adventure.

[@josephwalukonis9934]

I try to make the same point. Calling the British and French muskets/fusils "brown bess" and Charleville is not what they were called at the time.

[@revere0311]

@@josephwalukonis9934 whats the difference between a fusil vs a musket? from my understanding, the fusil was just a lighter musket given to officers.

[@angiefav1847]

Very good video l have one its a pedersoli musket these are very accurate and worth the money lots of fun shooting them, very informative video thanks

[@Real11BangBang]

thanks for watching

[@JCP1152P]

Thanks to you, I ordered a 1766 4 days ago. It will be here in about 4 more days. If my wife reads this she will know it was not my fault🙂

[@Real11BangBang]

lol

[@Real11BangBang]

Disclaimer: my source for this video come to find out was not the greatest. I've read multiple books on the subject, now on French musket and I get a lot wrong in this video. Tune into some of our later French musket videos for more accurate information Thanks, Ethan

[@revere0311]

Reminds me of the Johnny Cash song ‘one piece at a time’’. There’s the 1763,66,68,70/71,73,74,77 😂 410,000 of the 1763’s were to be modernized to the 66 variant, and if the guns came to America they were potentially rebuilt by American armourers who took any and all pieces they had available to put together working firelocks.

[@kcstott]

Military heritage just shipped my 1777 French infantry musket!! I can’t wait!!!

[@Fross-888]

The easiest way to differentiate between the two models that I have found is that the 1777 Musket has a bronze alloy pan while the 1766 Musket does not

[@CaptRons18thcentury]

Part of the problem with the 1763, 1766, 1768, etc. was the transitions in the models as they used up remaining parts of the earlier versions so you have some later models with some of the features of older models... which creates confusion... great video by the way... and it is a subject that I need to do more research on myself, as I have an older Dixie Gun Works ( Miroku ) model, as well as an Indian produced gun almost identical to Ol' Char...

[@Quincy_Morris]

This is the kind of video that makes me go “have I gone too deep into musket KZbin?”

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

The French muskets are really peaking my interest over the British these days, don't own a flintlock yet but one is definitely on the short list! What powder do you shoot in yours? I know Geox is no more, at least in the short term but any true black has always been an issue with acquisition due to shipping costs and lack of local availability.

[@Real11BangBang]

we shoot either swiss 1f or swiss 1&1/2 f

[@maxdemp9889]

What kind of wood did they use for stocks. I know the Americans had various Maple, Walnut and Cherry. But what did the French use?

[@fifer4758]

Why was the cow's foot stock eliminated on the 1763 model?

[@richardlahan7068]

Do you have a cleaning video?

[@mrwdpkr5851]

I was wondering why I like the 66 better than the 77 . Now I know !

[@wganz]

Some of the reference pix appeared the same as what some of the Indian musket importers show. Hopefully, I'm wrong on that point since they're not good historical reference.

[@Real11BangBang]

These were stock photos off of Google some of them are original some of them are reproductions I'm not sure whether they're Indian or not however the information for this video came from the book "The Flintlock" and the pictures match up with the information in the book

[@Real11BangBang]

And actually some of the Indian reproductions are better historical reference than you might think. I own an original committee of safety gun that is built mostly out of 1766 and 1728 St Entien parts and it is actually very close to my military heritage 1766/68

[@jason60chev]

I am interested in a carbine length Charleville. I see two advertised. Can you provide any review on a carbine?

[@Real11BangBang]

we do not have one at the moment but perhaps this fall

[@robertrobert7924]

I have a 1777 French Cavalry Carbine/IX from Heritage Arms. The length of pull is short @only 12", and the geometery of the butt stock makes it impossible to aim. I can only imagine shooting it on horseback at close range at British Infantry Squares from the hip or shoulder or in Cavalry meelees. The only way it could be aimed would be to cut out a very large cheekpiece in the goofy buttstock, so your eye can look str8 down the barrel like the photo shown in this video. I found a similar photo on the internet. It is a beautiful work of Art and would look stunning on parade, but if you can't aim it, what is the point.

[@Real11BangBang]

Our friend "I never met a gun I didn't like" has one he shoots from horseback on his channel.

[@BrochachoEnchilada]

Hey 11BB, thinking about getting the AN IX Dragoon from MH after watching your vids for a while now, seems like the french line of muskets are well made. Any thoughts?

[@patstrzeszewski3240]

Where did you get the bayonet from and what models does it fit?

[@Real11BangBang]

military Heritage has bayonets for all of they're muskets

[@squawk3120]

Does yours have an octagon or full round breach area?

[@Real11BangBang]

Round from breech plug to muzzle

[@eatonbeckstrom8187]

The 1777 had a brass pan that was angled forward

[@johnnottahcal5725]

Where does a fella get one? I thought I wanted a Brown bess but maybe not.

[@Real11BangBang]

military Heritage muskets is where we get ours.

[@johnnottahcal5725]

@@Real11BangBang I read that vent hole not drilled. I’m not a ‘gunsmith’. Do you have a video that maybe you’ve made but not posted on the Boobtube to give me the confidence that I can do it without ruining a piece of history. (sorta 😊) Found it! 😎

[@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike]

Can you use Glock "clips" in these?......... Stay cool, hopefully this heat wave is on its way out.

[@Real11BangBang]

we were just watching your lance video looks awesome!

[@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike]

@@Real11BangBang Thanks. It's a new learning experience with a cavalry weapon that was used very little during the early years of the Civil War. The Confederate lancers threw theirs away after the battle of Valverde N.M.

[@Real11BangBang]

lol kinda like bringing a stick to a gunfight

[@richardlahan7068]

Most of the plethora of versions and modifications only make a difference to collectors and were invented by collectors. Of course, this does not apply in all cases.

[@patstrzeszewski3240]

Didn't the french have a 1716 marine musket?

[@Real11BangBang]

Yes they did and if memory serves it was the basis for the 1717 which became the standard for the entire french military.

[@duk1847]

How can i get a 1728 charleville ?

[@Real11BangBang]

look on military Heritage

[@DungNguyen-or4ft]

Cho tôi hỏi charleville 1777 and 1766 cái nào mạnh hơn vậy 😅

[@Real11BangBang]

The 1766 had on paper the most reliable lock from any lock ever invented. However, it has been my experience. The 1777's tilted pan is more reliable so I would say the 1777 is probably a stronger musket

[@DungNguyen-or4ft]

​@@Real11BangBang tôi xin cảm ơn à tôi là người vietnam tôi ủng hộ video của anh❤🇻🇳😁

[@300routasydan2]

That's hilarious for me , mord foreigners know about Charleville's riffles than french themselve . Am born at Charleville Mézières ( Charleville ) and i've seen those riffles when i was a little boy .