Original “Assault Weapon” of the American Revolution era?

NOPE!
I Give you the REAL DEAL Assault Rifle, the M-1855 Colt Revolving Rifle, Standard U.S. Army issue in .44 Caliber, 6 shots of 250 grain Conical loaded over 57 grains FFg, for 1880 FPS! Effective range out to 600+yards, dependent on the shooter! Colt made two variants for the Union Army, a Full length Musket and a Cavalry Carbine (Rifle) both with Bayonet! The Savvy Militia man would Custom order him self a Frontiers Carbine, caliber .50 or .54 ( Up to .68 caliber) and would generally load a 465 grain conical over 74 grains FFg for 2000 FPS and effective range to 800+Meters! Combined totals varied depending on source, but it's generally acknowledged to be in the neighborhood of 40,000 of all variants produced in Colts Factory, The rifles were also license built in 22 other countries, some ( Spain) shipping them to the Southern states for use against the Union, generally accepted numbers were around 6,000 supplied to the southern states Militias!

These Colts were much loved by those who understood the unique attributes these Colts had, while general troops and Militia hated them, they were messy, hard to clean, and following the "Official" Manual of loading, quite dangerous! However, in the hands of a skilled shooter who figured out the Army was stupid, and found the correct loading method, he and his rifle became a fearsome foe!

Here is a First Series Musket as issued ( Not mine, I don't have a musket in any variant)

Here is the vastly more popular Cav. Rifle! ( Not mine, but almost identical to one of mine)

My Baby, a MK-IV Frontiers Carbine, .50 caliber and it retains the original side oiler, SN 426!

The savvy Shooter had a selection of Bullet Molds and hand tools to make his custom projectiles, usually having trimming and shaping tool extensions of the mold it's self ( Colt's #15 Mold, and some times the lighter Colts # 9) , combined with the proper powders, these were unbeatable, even against more more modern metallic cartridge rifles! Sadly, they were passed over pretty quickly after the war, sales were still pretty brisk, but demand dropped to nothing after the Metallic cartridges came on the scene! Still, the Savvy Hunter often preferred the Colt for it's greater range and custom loading options!

 

This was a pretty nasty assault weapon in 1776.

Loaded with grapeshot it was a "spray and pray" weapon. A "privately owned" swivel cannon.

Along with muskets and great strategy it ended British control in North Carolina.

 

NOPE! These are "four score and ten years" too late!

 

M2 Carbine? 1944

 

.690 round ball and Buck and Ball loads at 25 yards. Ouch!

Keep in mind that unless the shot was high or hit something solid enough to stop it, that nearly 500 grain round ball is pretty nasty even if poorly aimed. It could bounce off the deck and still have enough energy to remove an arm or smash a leg to pieces. Looking at the way battles were fought at the time, with massed forces facing each other at reasonably close range it's a wonder anybody survived to tell about it.

 

Everyone is operating in the belief that EVERY firearm of the civil war or before, IS an Assault Weapon, but forgetting the actual meaning of that term! Define why you think a Brown Bess is an assault weapon, or why a Sharps would qualify! Under the specific terms, only the M-1855 qualifies!

 

Might be underpowered/outclassed, but used by our forces all the way up to the Vietnam period. Used by others for a bit longer.
Certainly not purpose-built to be an "sturmgewehr", but was adapted to fill the role.

 

I'd have no issue making war with one of these old Colts! It ain't the tool, it's the ability to use it in anger that counts!

 

What the gun grabbers like to point out is that when the U.S. Constitution and the 2nd Amendment were written "arms" were smooth bore muskets and a few rifles. They say that the only "arms" protected by the 2nd Amendment are those that existed when it was written...single-shot muzzle-loaders. If that was the case Blacks would still be slaves, Indians would be targets, Women would not have the right to vote, and Freedom of the Press would only apply to the printed word! The Constitution establishes ground rules upon which we have built. It has evolved, sometimes not for the best, and will continue to do so.
The Brown Bess and Charleville smooth bore muskets and the Pennsylvania rifle were state-of-the-art military weapons of the day and as such could be loosely termed "assault weapons" of that age. However, the current definition is a selective fire weapon with a detachable magazine and firing a "rifle" bullet!

 

I rather think "assault" is verb, describing an action. ANY weapon, any object even, can be used to assault a person. Even one's hand can be an "assault weapon".

 

True, and for ancient man sticks and stones were assault weapons!

 

I think the term ''assault rifle' 'is a fairly new copulation of words to scare you into thinking guns are bad...and they are!