Author Topic: Charleville Carbine?  (Read 2445 times)

allegiant120

  • Guest
Charleville Carbine?
« on: August 12, 2017, 04:35:00 PM »
My buddy has what appears to be a french charleville carbine. What puzzles me is the lack of markings can anyone identify what this is?






Offline JV Puleo

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 934
Re: Charleville Carbine?
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2017, 09:22:43 PM »
If there is one thing the French never scrimped on, it is markings. Missing those, I'd say the lock and probably the barrel are commercial copies, probably made in what is now Belgium, in the French style. The stock has a very late profile... If I had to guess, I'd say completely commercial product, c.1816-1820. Is there a bayonet lug? It's also quite likely its a cut down commercial musket.

What is now Belgium was an integral part of the French empire from 1794 until 1815. Very few, if any, arms were exported during this period, which coincides with the Quasi-War (1798-1800) and the Napoleonic wars. Needless to say, virtually all Belgian made arms went to the French military and their allies. After the War of 1812, with Belgium now an independent country (which it had never been until then) the export market opened up and we start to see large quantities of arms, especially cheap muskets made on French patterns, exported.

allegiant120

  • Guest
Re: Charleville Carbine?
« Reply #2 on: August 14, 2017, 07:35:41 AM »
Thank you for the info,he says there is some proof marks on the barrel ear the tang. I have not seen it in person yet. I am way more well versed in civil war period firearms, I was considering purchasing as I was wanting somthing fairly representative to the rev war era and by the sound of things thats not what this is.

Offline JV Puleo

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 934
Re: Charleville Carbine?
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2017, 07:27:52 PM »
Its not even close.