Charleville Musket Modèle 1763
Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1763
Also known as: Fusil modèle 1763, Charleville Model 1763, Model 1763/66
Overview
The Charleville Musket Modèle 1763 is a .69 caliber flintlock smoothbore musket and a key pattern in the long-running French Charleville series. Introduced after the Seven Years' War, the 1763 reinforced and standardized the design with heavier furniture and three barrel bands, and was soon lightened into the Modèle 1766. Large numbers of Charleville muskets, including the 1763 and 1766 patterns, were shipped to the American colonies and became the principal infantry arm of the Continental Army, directly inspiring the first United States Springfield muskets.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4600 g (162.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1524 mm (60.00") |
| Barrel Length | 1130 mm (44.49") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Flintlock |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Muzzle Velocity | 427 m/s (1401 fps) |
| Effective Range | 46 m (50 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 183 m (200 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | White Metal |
Calibers
- .69 Caliber Musket Ball · primary — also known as 0.69 in, 17.5 mm ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Features: Smoothbore Barrel, Muzzle Loaded, Three Barrel Bands, Socket Bayonet Lug, Ramrod
Variants
- Modèle 1766 (Light Pattern) — Lightened
Base model
Service history
Operators
- French Army · adopted 1763 · as Fusil modèle 1763
- Continental Army / United States
Conflicts
- American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
Production
Production years: 1763-1777
Produced at the French royal arsenals of Charleville, Saint-Étienne and Maubeuge; superseded by the Modèle 1777.
Origin
Country of origin: France
Discontinued: 1777
Notes
Barrel and weight figures vary slightly across arsenals (Charleville, Saint-Étienne, Maubeuge) and individual examples; the 1763 was a heavier 'reinforced' pattern later lightened as the 1766. Muzzle velocity is approximate for a period smoothbore.
Background
Tens of thousands of Charleville Model 1763 and 1766 muskets shipped from France armed the Continental Army, and the pattern was so influential that the United States' own first national musket, the Springfield Model 1795, was a near-direct copy of it.