Arquebus vs. Musket — What's the Difference?

Utilized a burning match to ignite gunpowder.

Often utilized a flintlock mechanism.

Required less physical strength than later firearms.

Required significant physical strength to operate.

A matchlock firearm known for its light design.

Used in various military formations and tactics.

Influential in early gunpowder warfare.

Dominated military engagements with its firepower.

Early form of a portable gun.

A heavy firearm used from the 16th century.

An arquebus ( AR-k(w)ib-əs) is a form of long gun that appeared in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. An infantryman armed with an arquebus is called an arquebusier.

A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating heavy armor. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket went out of use as heavy armor declined, but the term musket continued as the name given for any hand held long gun until the mid-19th century.

Variant of harquebus.

A smoothbore shoulder gun used from the late 1500s through the early 1800s.

To shoot with an arquebus.

A kind of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of an army, originally fired by means of a match, or matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock) were successively substituted; ultimately superseded by the rifle.

A sort of hand gun or firearm a contrivance answering to a trigger, by which the burning match was applied. The musket was a later invention.

(falconry) A male Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus).

An obsolete firearm with a long barrel

The male of the sparrow hawk.

A species of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of an army. It was originally fired by means of a match, or matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock) were successively substituted. This arm has been completely superseded by the rifle, and is now only of historical interest.

A muzzle-loading shoulder gun with a long barrel; formerly used by infantrymen

Arquebuses were widely used from the 15th century until they were gradually replaced by muskets in the 17th century.

A musket is generally heavier, has a greater range, and often uses a flintlock mechanism, compared to the lighter and simpler matchlock arquebus.

An arquebus is a light, early form of a matchlock firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries.

The introduction of the arquebus and later the musket led to the decline of armored knights and the rise of infantry as the dominant force on the battlefield. It also led to changes in formations and tactics, such as the use of volley fire and the square formation.

Soldiers typically carried ammunition in a bandolier or pouch, which included prepared cartridges (a measured amount of gunpowder and a ball wrapped in paper) for faster reloading.

The musket offered greater firepower, range, and was more effective in volley fire due to advancements like the flint

Both the arquebus and the musket fired round lead balls, but musket balls were typically larger due to the larger bore of the musket.

Neither weapon was particularly accurate by modern standards, with effective ranges of about 100 meters or less. The musket, however, generally had a slightly longer effective range due to its larger size and heavier ammunition.

These firearms were initially handcrafted by skilled gunsmiths, which made them expensive and somewhat rare. As technology and techniques improved, production became more standardized, especially for muskets.

Yes, both firearms required significant maintenance to keep them functioning properly, including cleaning the barrel and mechanism to prevent fouling from gunpowder residue.

Wet weather could severely impact the effectiveness of both weapons, as moisture could dampen the gunpowder or cause the match of an arquebus to go out.

Yes, specialized troops called arquebusiers and musketeers were trained to use these firearms. Their training and tactics differed significantly from those of traditional archers or pikemen.

The loud noise, smoke, and lethal potential of the arquebus and musket had a significant psychological impact on the battlefield, often causing terror and chaos among troops not accustomed to these powerful firearms.

The rate of fire for both the arquebus and the musket was quite slow, typically only one to three shots per minute, as loading was a cumbersome process.