Regarding the blunderbuss / dragon / musketoon family of weapons, I gather they were used somewhat extensively in the 18th - 19th Centuries for naval warfare, notably by pirates, and also to some extent by cavalry (isn't 'dragoon' derived from 'dragon' as in the short blunderbus?).

That is interesting about the rifles in the US Civil War I thought it was mostly still smoothbore muskets at least in the early part. I know by the end the North had lever-action rifles which must have conferred a huge advantage I would guess?

G