Guns International #: 101459176
Seller's Inventory #: 20134

Category - Antique Rifles - Flintlock - Antique Rifles - 1500-1850

Category
Antique Rifles - Flintlock
Antique Rifles - 1500-1850

PIERRE GIRARD Made Antique French CHARLEVILLE Model 1777 FLINTLOCK MUSKET Revolutionary and French & Indian War Era Musket

Description:
PIERRE GIRARD Made Antique French CHARLEVILLE Model 1777 FLINTLOCK MUSKET

Revolutionary and French & Indian War Era Musket

Here we present an antique French Charleville Model 1777 Flintlock Musket, made circa the late 1780s at St. Etienne, France by Pierre F. Girard. He was a noted member of the “Girard” gunmaking family and was a Contractor to the King, in 1717. The Charleville smoothbore musket, garnering its name from the main armory in Charleville, France, was the standard issue flintlock musket for the French Empire throughout the mid-18th and early-19th centuries. The original musket was first delivered in 1717, and over the next several decades, saw many revisions and improvements, making them a lighter, better fighting musket. With training, a single soldier could fire off between two and three rounds per minute. It was originally chambered for a .69 lead musket ball, as compared to the British “Brown Bess”, which chambered a .75 ball. Its effective range was really quite short by modern standards. That said, battles during the 18th and early 19th century were very closely fought and usually settled with the bayonet. The Charleville musket served in many conflicts, including the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812.

In the United States, the Charleville is perhaps most famous for its use against the British colonists during the French and Indian War—part of the Seven Years War—and then in the colonists’ hands against Britain during the American Revolutionary War. In fact, over 100,000 Charleville muskets were purchased by the American Colonies, making this one of the primary weapons in the conflict. The Charleville was highly desired and said to have out-performed the British Brown Bess. The musket had such an impact on the Americans that their first domestically made muskets were heavily patterned on the Charleville.

The breech is marked “88” and “o58” is stamped on the upper tang. There is a large “M” stamped onto the left stock. A crown over “S & E” and “P. GIRARD” are engraved on the lock. “2” is marked on the left side of the stock and “£” in the interior of the stock cutout.

The overall condition is good. The action is strong. The top of the hammer is broken leaving the upper jaw loosely seated on the jaw screw. The bore is smooth and gray. The stock has some old slivers along the barrel and there is a spot on the left side nearer the muzzle that looks like it fended off a sword cut. The butt plate is missing the tang screw but the plate is held fast by the lower screw. Here is a rare and great example of a French flintlock musket to display and collect!

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 42-1/2 inches.

Caliber: .69

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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ancestryguns

$2950

#20134
 

SOLD

Antique: Yes