Infantry Weapons

This article is confined to weapons used by infantry in British India.

Musket

The infantryman's weapon from 1650 onwards was the muzzle loading smooth bore flintlock musket. Manufacture was standardised to facilitate repair and ammunition supply and led to the production of Land Pattern muskets which were nicknamed Brown Bess. From the Long Land Pattern in 1722 developed the Short Land Pattern and In the 1760s the India Pattern was produced for the East India Company. This last was in service until 1854.

Rifle

The first rifled weapons were rifled muskets which were originally converted smooth bore muskets. The Pattern 1853 Enfield replaced the Brown Bess and was in service until 1867. Its introduction with greased paper wrapped cartridges was a major cause of the Indian Mutiny.

The Snider-Enfield breech loading rifle was introduced in 1866 and was in service with the British Indian Army almost to the end of the 19th century.

Though the Martini-Henry breech loading rifle was introduced in 1871 it did not come into service in India until 20 years later.