What kind of guns were used during the 1700s?

The number one by big majority was the smooth bore flintlock, both pistol and longarm. They could fire several times per minute, but pretty short range (only 20 to 40 feet against a single man sized target). They couldn't be used in the rain or wet conditions at all. read more

Some matchlocks were used. But took a long time to wind them back up for the next shot, and still couldn't be used in the rain. Rifles were used mainly for hunting, but had some military uses as well. For the 1700s, they were accurate for a pretty long range, up to 200+ yards. read more

Also, remember that during the Revolutionary War, our Navy was primarily private. We launched only 64 ships, and relied on 1,697 privateer vessels. These were mostly warships, mounting 14,872 guns to the U.S. Navy's 1,242. read more