Springfield Model 1812 Musket
| Springfield Model 1812 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Musket |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1814–1865 |
| Used by | United States Confederate States |
| Wars | American Indian Wars Mexican–American War American Civil War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Eli Whitney |
| Designed | 1812 |
| Manufacturer | Springfield Armory Various private contractors |
| Produced | 1814–1816 |
| No. built | c. 30,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 9 lb (4.1 kg) |
| Length | 58.0 in (1,470 mm) |
| Barrel length | 42.0 in (1,070 mm) |
| Cartridge | Paper cartridge, buck and ball/musket ball (.65/16.510 mm) undersized to reduce the effects of powder fouling |
| Caliber | .69 in (17.526 mm) |
| Action | Flintlock/percussion lock (conversion) |
| Rate of fire | User dependent; usually 2 to 3 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,000 ft/s (300 m/s) to 1,200 ft/s (370 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 50 to 100 yd (46 to 91 m)[1] |
| Maximum firing range | 150 to 300 yd (140 to 270 m)[1] |
| Feed system | Muzzle-loaded |
| Sights | A front sight cast into the upper barrel band |
The Springfield Model 1812 was a .69 caliber flintlock musket manufactured by the United States in the early 19th century.
The War of 1812 revealed many weaknesses in the earlier Springfield Model 1795. The Model 1812 was an attempt to improve both the design and manufacturing process of the musket. The design borrowed heavily from the French Charleville Model 1777. The Model 1812 arrived too late to be of use in the War of 1812 but would later become standard to regular infantry and militia units.[2]
The Model 1812 was a .69 caliber smoothbore musket, with a 42-inch (107 cm) barrel and a 54-inch (137 cm) stock, and a total length of 58-inch (145 cm). The Model 1812 was produced only at Springfield Armory and by independent contractors: the Model 1795 would continue in production at Harpers Ferry Armory into 1819.[3]
The Model 1812 was produced in a quantity of almost 30,000 between the years 1814 and 1816.[3] It was replaced by the Springfield Model 1816. However, the Model 1812 remained in service for many years, and was even used in the American Civil War, mostly by the Confederate forces. By the start of the Civil war, the weapon was considered to be old and obsolete but was needed to fill arms shortages.[4]
Some Model 1812 muskets were later converted to percussion lock firing mechanisms. The percussion cap system was much more reliable and weather resistant than the flintlock system used on the Model 1812 in its original configuration.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b Barbieri, Michael (2013-08-26). "How far is "musket-shot"? Farther than you think". Journal of the American Revolution. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
- ^ a b "Guns on the Early Frontiers" by Carl P. Russell, Published by U of Nebraska Press, 1980
- ^ a b "Guns of the Old West" by Charles Edward Chapel, Published by Courier Dover Publications, 2002
- ^ "A Civil War Treasury" By Albert A. Nofi, Published by Da Capo Press, 1995
External links
