British adopt jezzail after service in Afghanistan

I suspect they already had better in the 1840s. The problem in the First Afghan War was simply that the tactics they used weren't really suited to the terrain, not that their weapons were inferior. I have yet to see data on how good the typical jezail actually was, and I suspect it's no better than a European 'wall musket' and inferior to a late 19th-century military rifle.

Now, native troops armed with jezails, that I could see, and I think they had those. At least until they started giving them more modern rifles.
 
After a quick look at the wiki link, looks to me like the difference is that jezzails had larger bores and longer ranges. So, somewhat like anti-material rifles. Too heavy for skirmishers, i would think. I could see specially-trained troops more akin to snipers being equipped with something similar. For all i know, they were. I doubt that jezzails, as such, would be adopted. I could see a British designed and manufactured weapon inspired by jezzails.
 
interesting, but I think more than anything it was the tactics where it was deployed along with the training of men that did the Jezzail any real service. I mean it was even said that on flat ground, the British won. So even if the Jezzail could hit farther the successes of the weapon would not be enough for the British to outfit an entire group with such rifles. Not to mention the warning at the onset of the article about how dangerously close the flash pan is to the face.
 
I doubt that jezzails, as such, would be adopted. I could see a British designed and manufactured weapon inspired by jezzails.

The British had a weapon like that. the 'wall musket', also built in naval versions to be used from mast tops. I don't think it was ever very widespread, but it served the same purpose - a long-range heavy caliber weapon to fight at standoff distance.

Not suire they had any on hand in India, though.
 
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