What weapons were used in the Napoleonic wars?

Answer 1

The British infantry used the Brown Bess Musket. Some units had the Baker Rifle. Cavalry carried straight swords or sabres. Napoleon thought the rifle too slow to re load. The French & others used lancers as some cavalry, Uhlans in german. Artillery varies in calibre from 3 to 64 pounders, though in the field a weight of shot larger than 12 pounds was uncommon, unless used in a siege role.

Muskets in this era were flintlocks; a piece of flint struck a steel frizzen to ignite a pan of powder, the ignition of which ignited a powder charge in the barrel, which forced a round lead ball down a smooth bore with a great deal of windage (the barrel was larger than the ball so that fouling would not make it impossible to load). These weapons were almost all loaded by ramming the ball and the powder down the muzzle end (artillery and small arms included).

Rifles were slow to reload because the round had to fit tightly so that the barrel's grooves would spin the bullet. This was effected by the use of a leather patch, and the whole had to be pushed down very hard. Fouling made it nearly impossible to reload rifles after very few shots, so they had to be cleaned constantly. Rifles were uncommon and unpopular, and were used by only two British Regiments (the 95th and 60th), a number of Prussian and Austrian Jager units, and American woodsmen.

Artillery consisted of guns (cannon), which fired directly at the enemy and delivered either solid iron balls, or 'canister' (a hail of smaller balls); howitzers, which generally fired indirectly and delivered explosive rounds; and mortars, which used indirect fire to attack entrenched positions, or the interiors of fortresses with usually fuzed explosive bombs.

Answer 2

Infantry were armed with the Musket. Muzzle loaded it could, in expert hands, fire 4 or 5 rounds in a minute. The British had some units using the Baker Rifle, it was slower to fire but more accurate, especially at longer ranges. The Bayonet was common to all. Cavalry sometimes carried the Carbine, the Sabre was common to all light cavalry,( Hussars, Chasseur a Cheval) some were also Lancers. (The British had no lancers at this time) Heavy cavalry(Heavy Dragoons, Cuirassier) carried straight swords. Artillery varied in calibre from 3 to 12 pounds, ranging up to about a mile. Howitzers fired over obstacles and used exploding shell, Shrapnel was in its infancy as were Congreve Rockets. (Which were very innaccurate)

Answer 3

Muzzle loading cannons, muzzle loading flint lock muskets.

Answer 4

Rifles, muskets, bayonets, swords, sabres, lancers. pikemen and massed artillery.

Answer 5

Guns