So know the concept of rifles have existed since at least early 17th century. Mabye even 16th century.
But their use outside mabye some sieges have listed sources.
One of the articles in the GNW compendium mentions rifles but I assumed the author simply didn't quite understand the concept of musket vs rifle.
I also noticed that in one of my books on Blenheim (the one by Charles Spencer)
He makes references to prussian units having some rifles. This comment was harder to ignore. As the author clearly knows what a musket is and the only time he used the world rifle was in reference to these prussians.
Even more so in the fact he clearly mentions the rifles as he claims they gave a tactical advantage. So the prussians had something the French and bravarians didn't.
But other than that reference, I've found nothing about rifles in early 18th century prussian army.
Now back to the swedes. I'm reading Englun's Poltova and the swedes deploy rifles to help chase away Russian dragoons. Englund makes clear these where "sporting rifles" usually reserved for officers. So from that I gather that many officers had rifles to hunt game. And gave them to the best marksmen for use in battle?
This might explain the lack of sources for the "prussian rifles" if like the swedes these rifles where personal sporting rifles of officers. They would not be in any official weapon lists
