The Charleville musket was the primary musket used by the French during their participation in the American Revolutionary War. These smoothbore muskets were named after the armory in Charleville-Mézières, Ardennes, France. It was also distributed to the Americans, and later became the basis for the pattern of the Springfield Musket of 1795. They are 60 1/2 inches, with a 45 inch barrel, and have "U.S." stamped on the buttstock. This was done to prevent soldiers from taking them when soldiers discharged. It fired a .69-caliber ball, smaller than the Brown Bess, and which normally allowed for less windage than contemporary muskets. It had a fire ratio of approximately 2-3 shots per minute, and a maximum range for 200 meters, although only fairly accurate for up to 50 meters. Charleville muskets were shipped from France to America in three parts: lock, stock and barrel – giving origin to the phrase "lock, stock, and barrel."
