MAS Modele 1822 Pistol
Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne · Pistol · Discontinued · 1822
Also known as: Pistolet Modele 1822, French M1822 Cavalry Pistol, Modele 1822 T
Overview
The MAS Modele 1822 is a French single-shot muzzle-loading cavalry pistol introduced in 1822 as the standard sidearm of the French mounted arm. Built around a .69 caliber smoothbore barrel and a forward-action flintlock, it was produced at the French royal arsenals including Saint-Etienne, Maubeuge, Mutzig, Tulle and Chatellerault. From the 1840s onward large numbers were converted to the percussion cap ignition system (Modele 1822 T), and some received rifled barrels (Modele 1822 T bis). Many were exported and saw service in conflicts across Europe and were imported into the United States for use during the American Civil War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1300 g (45.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 352 mm (13.86") |
| Barrel Length | 200 mm (7.87") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Flintlock |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | None |
| Muzzle Velocity | 250 m/s (820 fps) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Polished Steel |
Calibers
- .69 Caliber Musket Ball · primary — also known as 0.69 in, 17.5 mm ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Smoothbore Barrel, Brass Furniture, Iron Ramrod, Lanyard Ring, Belt Hook Cavalry
Variants
- Modele 1822 T — Percussion Conversion
- Modele 1822 T bis — Percussion Rifled Conversion
Service history
Operators
- French Army · adopted 1822 · as Pistolet modele 1822
- Confederate States Army
Conflicts
- French conquest of Algeria (1830-1847)
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Production years: 1822-1858
Produced across multiple French royal arsenals; large numbers later converted to percussion ignition.
Origin
Country of origin: France
Discontinued: 1858
Notes
Smoothbore .69 caliber single-shot flintlock; widely converted to percussion in the 1840s-1850s. Weight and dimensions vary slightly between arsenal production batches.
Background
The Modele 1822 was among the last generation of French flintlock service arms, bridging the Napoleonic-era pattern weapons and the percussion revolution. Surplus examples crossed the Atlantic and armed Confederate cavalry during the American Civil War.