Jezail

Afghan Gunsmiths (various) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1700

Also known as: Jezzail, Juzail

Overview

The Jezail is a handmade muzzle-loading long arm widely used across Afghanistan and the wider region from the 18th into the 19th century. Built to order by individual craftsmen, no two are standardized: locks were either matchlock or flintlock (often salvaged Brown Bess lockwork from captured British muskets), barrels were sometimes rifled, and calibers commonly ran from .50 to .75 and larger. Its distinctively long barrel and horn-shaped stock gave it greater range and accuracy than contemporary issue muskets, and it was typically fired from a forked rest.

Specifications

Barrel Length	1270 mm (50.00")
Firing Mechanism	Single Action
Trigger Type	Single Stage
Magazine Capacity	1 rounds
Magazine Type	Internal
Effective Range	180 m (197 yd)
Rate of Fire	2 rpm
Barrel Rifling	None
Barrel Material	Steel
Stock Material	Wood

Calibers

Lead Round Ball (Musket) · primary — also known as round ball, .50-.75 caliber ball, patched ball

Features

Firing modes: Manual
Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
Features: Muzzleloader, Flintlock Or Matchlock, Forked Rest, Horn Shaped Stock, Handmade

Service history

Operators

Afghan tribesmen

Conflicts

First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-1842)
Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880)

Production

Production years: c.1700-1900

Handmade in unknown quantities by individual gunsmiths; no centralized production records

Origin

Country of origin: Afghanistan

Notes

Because Jezails were individually made, all specifications vary widely between examples. Barrel lengths from roughly 31 to 53 inches are documented; the value given is a representative long-barrel figure.

Background

Jezails earned a fearsome reputation in the Anglo-Afghan Wars: their long rifled barrels outranged British muskets, letting Afghan marksmen pick off troops from beyond return-fire distance. Dr. Watson of Sherlock Holmes fame was famously written as a veteran wounded by a Jezail bullet.