Model 1795 Musket
| Springfield Model 1795 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Musket |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1795–1865 |
| Used by | |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Eli Whitney |
| Designed | 1795 |
| Manufacturer |
|
| Produced | 1795–1818 |
| No. built | c. 150,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 10 lb (4.5 kg) |
| Length | 60.0 in (1,520 mm) |
| Barrel length | 42.0 in (1,070 mm) to 45.0 in (1,140 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) |
| Maximum firing range | 150 to 300 yd (140 to 270 m) |
| Feed system | Muzzle-loaded |
| Sights | A front sight cast into the upper barrel band |
The Springfield Model 1795 was a .69 caliber flintlock musket manufactured in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the United States.
The Model 1795 was the first musket to be produced in the United States by Eli Whitney at both the Springfield and Harpers Ferry armories. It was based heavily on the Charleville Model 1763/66 which had been imported in large numbers from the French during the American Revolution and which at the time comprised the largest number of muskets in U.S. arsenals at about 20,000 muskets. The Model 1795 was used in the War of 1812, after which shortcomings in both the design and manufacturing process of the Model 1795 led to the development of the Springfield Model 1812 at Springfield only, available Model 1808 were issued to the states by the Federal Government under the Militia Act of 1808, and eventually the Springfield Model 1816 at both armories.