As a U.S. government owned and operated factory, Springfield Armory
manufactured mostly flintlock muskets for the United States armed
production in 1795, the Armory’s first muskets were copied
from French weapons used by Americans in the Revolutionary War. Production continually increased until 1811 when over 12,000 muskets were produced. These weapons were made using the traditional European manufacturing system, employing workers who each specialized in the creation of only a few component parts. The expanded demands of the War of 1812 found too few muskets available at the national armories. Half of those in storage needed rebuilding before they could be issued to soldiers. As a result, Springfield Armory ceased production of new muskets so that they could focus on rebuilding. They did, however, develop a handful of improved and newly designed muskets that formed the basis of the musket model manufactured in 1815, after the war had ended.