rifles and muskets

[Mickgayler]

what is the difference between a rifle and a musket

[shaneystar2]

All about rIfles and muskets here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musket

[redheap]

basically rifling was a newer development that added grooving on the inside barrel of the gun so that the bullet spun properly when ejected from a blast. meant the bullet/charge etc went straighter and thus encouraged much greater accuracy

[s.smethurst]

yeah, i agree, also the musket could be found around the time of guy faurks, erm around civil war, that was there version of todays guns

[KebabMeister]

During the late 18th Century and early 19th Century, both the musket (Brown Bess) and the rifle (Baker rifle) were used by the British Army. The musket being the standard infantry weapon throughout the war with France and during the Peninsula War (1812-1815). The rifle being used by 'skirmishers' from the 5th Battalion 60th Regiment and 95th Regiment (Rifle). The rifle had a slower loading period oweing to the rifled barrel, but it was far more accurate and to a greater range as well.

[bondy]

Muskets were smooth bored and fired balls where as rifles used pointed bullets which were spun by the rifling in the barrel and were faster and more accurate. Also the bullet contained its own charge so there was no problem with getting your powder damp and you didn't have to keep recharging the barrel and and lighting the fuse again . The rifle was a huge advance.

[KebabMeister]

Bondy, the early rifles didn't use bullets with cartridges, they were exactly the same as the musket apart from the barrel being rifled.

[mike b]

I used to be known as D'Artagnan at work, because the boss kept telling me "You musketeer on time!"