Original Rare U.S. Revolutionary War Era French Model 1768/73 “Charleville” Percussion Converted Musket by Maubeuge Arsenal

Original Item: Only One Available- as used in the American Revolution and Napoleonic war. Once as numerous as Brown Bess Muskets the French equivalent was referred to as the CHARLEVILLE Musket. However, Charleville was only one of the manufacturing Arsenals, the predominant one being St. Étienne. The design was first introduced in 1717, and went through numerous versions over the years such as the 1763 and 1766 variants, which were supplied in some quantities to the American Colonies during the Revolutionary War. This example is a Modèle 1768/73 Musket, typical of the pattern from just before the American revolution as France undertook a massive upgrading of earlier weapons in their arsenal. This type of musket is described in the book Battle Weapons of the American Revolution by George C. Neumann on page 94, item 44.MM FRENCH INFANTRY MUSKET. Such weapons were definitely in the inventory of American Colonists during the French and Indian war as well as the American Revolutionary War.