Today we’re on the range with the famous 1777 Charleville Musket. The Charleville is known for being one of the first firearms used my the American military forces during the American War for Independence. After rousing victories at the battle of Yorktown, the French began coming to the aid of and supporting the ‘scrappy’ American colonists in their efforts to win independence from Europe.

In this video I share some history of this famous military musket and experiment with some live fire demonstrations based on the historic use of this flintlock.

My 1777 Charleville is a modern Italian reproduction, I believe to be from Pedersoli but many of the marks have been removed over the years. I purchased this musket from a good friend, but other versions of it are still available on the market. Notably, I’ve seen them available through Dixie Gun Works in Tennessee. Other retailers like the Log Cabin Shop, Track of the Wolf, and Deer Creek Products may also carry them. At the time of writing, imported muskets like this one have been hard to find. Check with your retailer of choice monthly for up-to-date information on availability.

This musket is a 69 caliber smooth bore, with a long 42” barrel and heavy walnut stock. The hardware is iron and has a “used” grade patina. The lock is a concern for many with Italian reproductions, but the lock on my musket has been wonderful. In a full day of shooting for two videos, I shot over 20 shots in succession and only experienced some “clatches” with the lock at the end of the day. The lock is a durable heavy lock but moves with good speed. The delay is not noticeable in video recording unless you look at the slow-motion footage.
When I purchased this musket, it had a second lock included. I am not sure which lock is the original that goes with the musket, or if the one in it now has been modified. Based on the reviews I see, I suspect the lock on mine has been tuned.

The video I used to make these cartridges is by Mike Beliveau:

The cartridges used in this video were made up of simple components, .67 cal cast lead round balls, 2F GOEX Blackpowder, some newsprint, and some cotton twine. Traditionally, the paper would have been thicker and not printed with the current events of my local area. The string could have been linen as well in the period. I do the best I can at the time to recreate these items accurately but I recognize more work and research is needed.

In the future, I hope to recreate these cartridges in a better, more accurate manner.

Learn more about the 1777 Charleville with these resources

“American Martial Flintlocks” by Robert M Riley

The Flintlock Musket: Brown Bess and Charleville 1715–1865

Basics of the Charleville Musket

How France’s legendary military long arm shaped history

Premade paper cartridges are available from Grimcrack & Bunkum

More information on paper cartridges and military arms history can be found at PaperCartridges.com

Fife and Drum Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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