By: Friedrich Seiltgen

This July 4,th we celebrate our Independence Day from England.

This year, however, the freedoms fought for by patriots of the past are in never-before-seen danger.

With Joe Biden, the D.C. swamp creatures, and RINOs looking to work in a “bi-partisan” manner with the Communists to take away our guns, our Second Amendment rights are under siege!

The left continues to bloviate about how nobody “needs” an AR-15 to go hunting. I keep referring to my pocket Constitution and still haven’t found the Needs or Hunting Clause. The left conveniently “forgets” history when it suits them. For example, military-grade weapons were available for civilian ownership until quite recently. Citizens could purchase Thompson Machine guns, and Bonnie and Clyde wreaked havoc during their crime spree with a B.A.R.! As the saying goes, guns don’t kill, people do.

I know Gunpowder readers are enjoying their holiday weekend, but Joe Biden’s recent comments about the 2A and his threats to use F-15s and nukes against the American people made me think of comparing the weapons of the Revolution to the weapons that would be used if the Revolution occurred today.

Here are the Colonial “Assault Weapons” that freed us from the King’s tyranny:

The Brown Bess or “British Land Pattern Musket” was one of the most commonly used weapons of the Revolutionary War. This .75 caliber smoothbore flintlock rifle, weighing in at around 10.5 pounds, fired a musket ball to a range of 100 yards and was the workhorse of the Revolution for both sides. This British musket was common in the colonies prior to the war as the colonials were ordered by the crown to have weapons for their own self-defense.

The Kentucky Rifleor American Long Rifle was a muzzleloader that while accurate, played only a small role in the revolution compared to the musket. Militiamen and snipers effectively used this rifle to around 200 yards. This rifle was more time-consuming to reload, so its rate of fire was low. The Revolutionary War was about volume, and a good soldier with a musket could get off three to four shots a minute until the battle turned to a bayonet charge. But the Kentucky rifle was beloved by the colonials.

The Charleville Musket: the primary long gun of the French army, it was also used in great numbers by the continental army, as they procured almost 50,000 of these rifles. Produced in large numbers in Charleville, France, it was a .69 caliber smoothbore rifle, and as with most smoothbores, it was not the most accurate.

One of the major advancements in weapon technology was the Ferguson Breech Loading Flintlock Rifle. Because it allowed British soldiers to load the rifle from the breech instead of the muzzle, the rate of fire doubled to seven to eight shots per minute. Since the rifle loaded form the breech, it allowed soldiers to reload while laying down, giving them some cover instead of having to reload from the muzzle end while standing up.

The British were well equipped, but Colonials had to make do with what they could get their hands on. Local gunsmiths produced large numbers of weapons for the Patriots. During the Revolution, local governments created Committees of Safety, Correspondence, and Inspection. Those loyal to the king and dissenters of the committees were silenced by “Civil Excommunication.” These committees were a sort of “shadow government” that paid for locally produced weapons. The weapons varied in types and caliber and were usually marked simply “U.S.” to avoid the wrath of the British.

Patriots had to rely on local weapons of all types. Patriots used whatever weapons were at hand, whether they be guns, bayonets, swords, knives, tomahawks, or hatchets. Many early battles were lost by the colonials when the musket volleys stopped, and the bayonet charges began. British soldiers were issued bayonets, but colonials suffered, as there was a shortage of bayonets early in the war.

This would occur in a second revolution scenario also. Watch your copy of the original Red Dawn (I know you have one!); the wolverines assembled many captured weapons to use against the enemy.

The Bayonet was arguably the most crucial weapon of the war. The first known use of the bayonet was during the Thirty Years War. These crude, foot-long “plug” bayonets would slide over the barrel and prevented the firing of the weapon. Later “socket” type bayonets solved that problem.

Since the armies of both sides of the war were only effective about 20 percent of the time with their guns, bayonets were quite effective both physically and psychologically. As bayonets of the period were not especially sharp, soldiers would have to thrust that piece of steel into the enemy. The wound was more tearing than cutting, and victims would often bleed to death from the puncture. Bayonet wounds were also very susceptible to infection. Psychologically, the bayonet is a VERY effective weapon. No one wants a piece of steel stuck in them, and soldiers in general do not relish the idea of doing that to another human being.

Here are some of today’s so-called “Assault Weapons”:

The AR-15 is America’s favorite sporting rifle. Designed by Eugene Stoner for the ArmaLite Corporation, the AR-15 type rifle is currently the most popular rifle in the United States. The versatile beauty comes in all sizes, and calibers including 6.5 Grendel and .300 AAC Blackout!

The current rage is AR type pistols with an arm brace. Lots of firepower in a compact package. Biden thinks you shouldn’t be allowed to own an AR-15. I’ll bet many Gunpowder readers bought an extra AR just because the government doesn’t want you to have it.

The AK-47

Mikhail Kalashnikov’s AK has been around since 1948. It’s a large-capacity rifle that’s built tough, and it’s currently the most popular and widely used rifle in the world.

The Lever Action 30-30

The 30-30 has been around for more than 100 years, and why not? It puts out a .30 caliber bullet rapidly, is fairly cheap, and easy to operate. This is one of those “hunting rifles” the government will allow you to keep, for now anyway.

The Remington 870 12 Gauge Shotgun

Anyone reading my previous articles knows I am a big fan of the 870. I carried an 870 on many calls during my law enforcement days, and some officers thought I was behind the times. The 870 has a lot of “horsepower,” whether it’s breaching a door during a school shooting or putting multiple pellets of buckshot downrange to put down a shooter. Another weapon the government will allow you to keep, until they don’t.

Suppressors

While not a weapon itself, having a suppressor saves hearing during good times and surprises your enemy during bad times. Suppressor technology combined with the proper ammo can give you a “Hollywood quiet” firearm and an advantage over the bad guys.

.50 BMG rifles

Whether it’s a Barrett M82 .50 caliber or a .50 caliber conversion on your AR-15 upper, John Browning’s baby will get the job done. Capable of shots of more than 2,000 yards, a .50 caliber in the hands of a skilled shooter will ruin your day.

As you celebrate this holiday, think of what the Colonial Patriots died for and what you can do as a Neo-Patriot to preserve our Second Amendment rights and future Independence Days. Make no mistake folks: the left wants your guns. Not just your “assault weapons”… they want all of them. The flame of liberty is slowly being extinguished. Don’t let that happen.Your life and freedom depend on it!

Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism, Firearms, First Aid, Active Shooter Response, and Law Enforcement Vehicle Operations in Florida. His writing has appeared in The Counter Terrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International. Contact him at [email protected].