A light musket or gun used by infantry soldiers in the 16th and 17th centuries, smaller and less powerful than standard muskets.
From Spanish calivera or Italian calibro (caliber), referring to the weapon's bore size; used in English military contexts from the 1500s onward.
The caliver was a game-changer for armies—lighter and faster-loading than earlier muskets, it helped shift warfare from crossbows and pikes to firearms, democratizing combat power.
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