Fusil

[Comfortably_Numb]

I find it odd that this forum in particular uses that word so often. It means "gun", but no gun in particular.

 

[Rancocas]

My dictionary says; "A light flintlock musket."

 

[Grenadier1758]

While fusil, fuzee, fuke and other variants mean a general term for a gun, when we use it here on the board, we most often are talking about a light, smooth bored fouling piece. Most often a flintlock.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Mike,
It's original meaning was a flintlock gun. Fusilliers were originally French soldiers with flintlock muskets used to defend artillery and powder supplies during the 1660s-1680s. The reason was the flintlock was much safer around the powder kegs than the matchlock muskets used at the time. Of course the meaning changes with context. What so many here forget when they write "fusil" is that the operative words are "de chasse", or "ordinaire", or officer's, or light infantry, etc. So adding to your comment, "fusil" just means flintlock gun, nothing more. Using terms like fusil to mean one thing (French fusil de chasse) is a symptom of the modern marketing of things that put items into catalogs of things for sale that never existed in the days when everything was hand made.

dave

 

[Flintandsmoke]

For me personally, if I say Fusil I’m specifically referring to the French grouping of guns, fusil de trait, Fusil fin, and fusil de chasse

 

[Capt. Jas.]

At least it refers to a gun instead of the shooter, e.g., fowler.

 

[IanH]

For me personally, if I say Fusil I’m specifically referring to the French grouping of guns, fusil de trait, Fusil fin, and fusil de chasse

Ditto. French, flintlock, smoothbore, of some kind.

 

[IanH]

At least it refers to a gun instead of the shooter, e.g., fowler.

Guilty as charged. Good point.

 

[Brokennock]

For me personally, if I say Fusil I’m specifically referring to the French grouping of guns, fusil de trait, Fusil fin, and fusil de chasse

Ditto. French, flintlock, smoothbore, of some kind.

For you personally?
But that isn't how language works. Is it?
What if someone just decides, "hey, for me personally, corvette refers to all American domestic sports cars", and, "I'll refer to all foreign sports cars as a Ferrari."
Can everyone be expected to know what he is talking about?

Language matters, words have meanings.

 

[BillinOregon]

Now, Brokennock, we all reflexively think of a nimble French sailing warship smaller than a frigate, with a single deck of guns when we hear "corvette," right?

 

[Brokennock]

Now, Brokennock, we all reflexively think of a nimble French sailing warship smaller than a frigate, with a single deck of guns when we hear "corvette," right?

No, just us history weirdos





Let's face it,,,, the vast majority of people if asked would think "frigate" is a swear.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Fusil is used more on this forum than any other place. In fact I don't recall the use anywhere else. It's such a generic term. Folks will post "I'm building a new fusil." Which means I'm building a flintlock gun. I never know what they mean. There is a thread going on in the gunbuilding section that the builder has stated he's building a fusil de chasse. It certainly isn't. There seems to be mass confusion over French guns in particular.
And then there is the term "Trade Gun" which seems to mean anything that isn't rifled. Drives me crazy. And, it isn't a far drive.

 

[tenngun]

Over the years what we call a particular gun has changed.
Musket originally referred to an extra heavy two man gun that operated as flank protection on a battlefield. While not a fast shooter it covered what a SAW is used for on today’s battlefield
It evolved in to the one man smoothbore bayoneted gun, then in to the rifled pieces.
It was once the cock that carried a flint, and the hammer the frizzen.
Rifles were screw bores.
Fusil was French guns, and fusil today is often a shotgun.
The British northwest gun, trade gun was called by Americans a London Fuze in writings of the time.
Generally on this forum we say fusil to mean a French civilian gun or a civilian smoothbore in flintlock that has a long barrel and heavier construction.
Fowling gun a light fusil.
A smoothbore built on a rifle platform is a smooth rifle or rifle mounted fusil
Roll your eyes at this point.
We try to be all technical but red is red and not to be confused with scarlet or ox blood, and red isn’t pink, ( a word that wasn’t invented yet) and the Red Coats could have their reddish orange of the infinity or the deep red of the officers
If you see fusil on this forum think context
If you have sinus problems you could have a runny nose, a cardiac arrhythmia or stuff falling out of your riflemans shirt

 

[rich pierce]

Early on in the hobby, most folks textbooks are suppliers websites. At least 2/3 of folks stay there comfortably, numb to the availability of well-researched books that offer far more historical knowledge.

Hahahaha did you see what I did there? In reality, Mike is one to ask about original guns. Not poking the bear.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

It's a sad state of lack of knowledge for sure. Oh, I hate the term "smoke pole" too.

 

[IanH]

All niche scholars and sophisticates are perpetually annoyed by the ignorance of the proletariat. Get over it.

 

[Kmcmichael]

The lexicon changes. In South Texas I seem to remember a shotgun was called fusil as well as escopeta. Until now I thought escopeta was slang derived from the word broom, escoba. I was wrong. Uncle Evil was correct according to Google.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

All niche scholars and sophisticates are perpetually annoyed by the ignorance of the proletariat. Get over it.

I can't and I won't. The masses must be educated. Also, a "smoothie" is something you drink, NOT shoot.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

"Rock lock" must also be eliminated.

 

[Kmcmichael]

All niche scholars and sophisticates are perpetually annoyed by the ignorance of the proletariat. Get over it.

As it should be. I will gladly try to remember the correct term.