# Why did archers become obselete by the 1800s?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-archers-become-obselete-by-the-1800s/237310>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 30, 2004, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-archers-become-obselete-by-the-1800s/237310 "2004-03-30T14:55:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-archers-become-obselete-by-the-1800s/237310/21 "2004-03-31T04:11:15Z")

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> [@Exgineer](#):
>
> and eventually scrounging water to pour down the barrels instead of drinking it

If I’m not mistaken, the practice would have been to drink the water, and use urine to clear the musket barrel. Reduce, reuse, recycle. 🙂

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