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Colonist rifles during revolution
- Thread starter cwalk13
- Start date
Just as a followup - you asked what rifle was used most by the Americans in the Revolutionary War.
The Brown Bess and Charleville were not rifles. They were muskets.
Washington (like Bonaparte before him) was not a huge fan of rifles, and so while they were being built in America at the time, their use was limited to specialist units. The rifles were made by many manufacturers, but were collectively known as "Pennsylvania Rifles" and were usually built by German gunsmiths based on "Jager Rifles" they would have been making for hunters.
The Brown Bess and Charleville were not rifles. They were muskets.
Washington (like Bonaparte before him) was not a huge fan of rifles, and so while they were being built in America at the time, their use was limited to specialist units. The rifles were made by many manufacturers, but were collectively known as "Pennsylvania Rifles" and were usually built by German gunsmiths based on "Jager Rifles" they would have been making for hunters.
Thanks for the history lesson. Always interesting to learn about things you never knew. 👍🏻👍🏻
Captain Daniel Morgan's Riflemen used Pennsylvania rifled flintlock muskets. During an exhibition they were able to put rounds in a 7 inch target at 250 yards - a feat that most American shooters can't repeat today.
This longer practical range allowed Morgan's Rifleman to snipe at Colonel Howe's forces as they retreated through New Jersey - staying inside their range, but outside of the range of the British Regulars. They also pretty much wiped out Tarelton's forces in the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina. It is said that Timothy Murphy, one of Morgan's Riflemen, killed General Fraser during the 2nd Battle of Saratoga from a distance of 300 yards with a "Long Rifle".
Most of these "Long Rifles" were under .50 caliber. Although capable of much longer shots than muskets, they were slower to reload than muskets - that sometimes proved fatal to riflemen who let the enemy close with them, especially is they typically did not mount bayonets.
It is thought that Hezekiah Wyman used one of these "Long Rifles" while picking off British Regulars as they marched back to Boston from Concorde.
This longer practical range allowed Morgan's Rifleman to snipe at Colonel Howe's forces as they retreated through New Jersey - staying inside their range, but outside of the range of the British Regulars. They also pretty much wiped out Tarelton's forces in the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina. It is said that Timothy Murphy, one of Morgan's Riflemen, killed General Fraser during the 2nd Battle of Saratoga from a distance of 300 yards with a "Long Rifle".
Most of these "Long Rifles" were under .50 caliber. Although capable of much longer shots than muskets, they were slower to reload than muskets - that sometimes proved fatal to riflemen who let the enemy close with them, especially is they typically did not mount bayonets.
It is thought that Hezekiah Wyman used one of these "Long Rifles" while picking off British Regulars as they marched back to Boston from Concorde.
