Last updated: December 12, 2023
Place
Fort Christiansvaern Arsenal
NPS Photo: Kahle
Quick Facts
Location:
Fort Christiansvaern
Significance:
While revolutionary for their time, these rifles would soon become obsolete with the advent of rifling.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark sided with the French after an attack on its Capital, Copenhagen, where the British absconded with most of their naval fleet. The wars ended in 1815, and Denmark saw a need to improve its military capabilities. In 1828, the Danes adopted a new pattern of flintlock musket, the Model 1828. This musket evolved from the earlier pinned and wedge retained barrel designs to the French influenced system that used flat, spring-retained bands to secure the barrels.
The Danish Model 1828 was a traditional muzzleloading, flintlock ignition, smooth bore musket with a 41” long (.70 caliber) barrel secured by three flat, iron, spring bands. The muskets were 56 ½” in overall length and stock was made of beech wood. The guns were iron except for a brass trigger-guard bow, brass side-plate and a small brass plate in the top of the stock. A fixed rear sight was in the same manner as the Prussian Model 1809 muskets and a front sight was attached to the forward strap of the upper barrel band. The design was credited to Danish Colonel Wildenradt and Ordnance Master Kurtzhals. The gun utilized the Danish Kyhl spring secured socket bayonet.
At the time, these guns had no major advancements over previous types of muskets, such as rifling or percussion caps, and interchangeable parts, all of which came later in the late 1840s-1850s. None-the-less these guns represented survival and power to those who wielded them and death and oppression to those who found themselves at the wrong end of the barrel.
The Danish Model 1828 was a traditional muzzleloading, flintlock ignition, smooth bore musket with a 41” long (.70 caliber) barrel secured by three flat, iron, spring bands. The muskets were 56 ½” in overall length and stock was made of beech wood. The guns were iron except for a brass trigger-guard bow, brass side-plate and a small brass plate in the top of the stock. A fixed rear sight was in the same manner as the Prussian Model 1809 muskets and a front sight was attached to the forward strap of the upper barrel band. The design was credited to Danish Colonel Wildenradt and Ordnance Master Kurtzhals. The gun utilized the Danish Kyhl spring secured socket bayonet.
At the time, these guns had no major advancements over previous types of muskets, such as rifling or percussion caps, and interchangeable parts, all of which came later in the late 1840s-1850s. None-the-less these guns represented survival and power to those who wielded them and death and oppression to those who found themselves at the wrong end of the barrel.