Engraved Flintlock Rifle, France 1807

Description of the Product

A fine replica of a rifle made in France in 1807. Rifles like this would have been in use within the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) shaping the world we live in now. This rifle decorated with engraved decorations would have been suitable for any gentleman going on a hunt and could have been used even in military settings. Rifle like this could have been seen not only in Europe but throughout the globe because France had large colonies with active trade and exports from France. At the beginning of the 19th century France was the most powerful Empire within Europe, conquering much of Europe and dominating the second largest colonies after Britain from North America to Africa and to Southeast Asia.

When loading a flintlock gun, black powder from a gunpowder horn was first poured into the barrel or a ready-made powder cartridge wrapped in paper was inserted into the barrel. A bullet, typically a ball cast from lead, was pushed after the powder. The bullet was pushed to the bottom of the barrel with a long ramrod, which made the charge a tight package at the back of the barrel. When the trigger was pulled, the hammer swung forward and the flint attached to the jaws struck the frizzen. The sparks generated by the impact ignited the ignition powder in the pan. This “flash in the pan”, in turn, burned to the barrel side of the gun along a small channel, igniting the actual gunpowder charge which propelled the bullet to its target.

During the early 19th century both rifles and muskets were in use. In a musket the inner surface of the barrel is smooth and in a rifle the inner surface of the barrel has riflings, spiral grooves that force the bullet to rotate when fired. The rifle is more accurate compared to a musket and the bullet's range is longer as the bullet's rotation stabilizes the bullet's trajectory. In military use, for example in Napoleon's army, rifles however were not widely used at this time because rifles were more expensive to manufacture and loading a rifle is slower. Surprisingly accuracy and better range were not as useful as could be imagined on battlefields filled with thick black powder smoke. The musket’s faster rate of fire was more important in the warfare of early 19th Century when large formations of troops were used in war.

The bullet of the musket can be slightly smaller than the barrel and the ball can be dropped faster and easier into the bottom of the barrel. In a rifle, on the other hand, the bullet must be exactly the same size as the barrel for the riflings to catch the bullet and make the bullet rotate. Even a small amount of dirt in the barrel inner walls caused by previous shots will make the next charge difficult to load. The barrel of a black powder rifle has to be cleaned more often than the musket barrel causing delays on the battlefield.

The rifles were, of course, a welcome novelty among muskets due to their better precision and longer range, and were common in hunting and in army special forces. Hunters, snipers and scouts didn't have to invest in the maximum rate of fire as accuracy was more important than speed for them.

This engraved French rifle from 1807 is a great addition to every collector’s collection from this important turning point in European history. The high-quality carvings and finish of the wooden parts and the decorative metal parts give this replica rifle valuable and high-class appearance. The stock has a decorated metal butt plate.

• This gun is an exact replica of the original. The replica matches the original in size and weight. The mechanisms of the weapon are working. The weapon can be cocked and dry fired like a real one. The ramrod is not detachable. Due to the materials used, the mechanisms cannot withstand continuous cocking and firing for long periods.
• Genuine wood and cast metal has been used to make this replica weapon. Zamac differs from steel in many respects, so the structure of the gun does not withstand pressure, it cannot be used to fire bullets, nor can it be converted to a functional weapon by any means.
• Replica guns such as this do not require permits in Finland, nor in many other countries. However, since the gun looks real, it should not be carried in public.
• A replica gun is perfect for historical re-enactment, on a theater stage, in film productions, for collectors of historical memorabilia, and as decoration.
• Length: 110 cm
• Weight: 1,98 kg
• Manufacturer: Denix, Spain

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