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Guide to Muzzleloaders
As muzzle-loaders are the most frequently mis-identified firearms on the site, I'm creating a simple guide to their understanding and identification.
Flintlock vs Percussion
The flintlock, introduced in France in the early 17th century, was the first practical method of firing a gunpowder weapon without using a burning match. It used a piece of flint held in a set of jaws called a cock, striking a piece of steel called a frizzen, igniting a small powder charge in a flash pan. This would then ignite the main charge.
The percussion lock, otherwise known as a caplock, was introduced in England and America in the 1820s. It used a hammer striking a fulminate of mercury cap on a nipple, the flame of which would then ignite the main charge. This was significantly simpler, faster and more reliable than the flintlock.
Musket vs Rifle
The term "musket" refers specifically to smooth bore firearms without rifling, which are inherently inaccurate and can typically only be used to about 75 yards. Rifles refers to rifled weapons, whether breech or muzzle loading. When rifles were first introduced to military use in the late 18th century, they were a specialist weapon used by soldiers separate from the musket-armed line infantry.