Originally Posted by Matchlock

Originally Posted by Cavalco

I'm waiting
:rolleyes:

Hi,
Please be patient and allow till tomorrow, for me to finish my first post and attachments.;):eek:

Thanks to you for your great welcome. I've been reading - basically watching - the forum mainly because of your work.

I've been reading the entry on snap tinderlock http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15306. Did that type of mechanism wear a trigger?

It says in the text that the round lateral push-button on the lock plate acted as a trigger that would release the cocked serpentine, making it snap forward and get the piece of glowing tinder in touch with the powder on the igniting pan.


In Barcelona in 1529 over eight thousand [8270] troops embarked to accompany the emperor on his trip to Italy. We know from René Quatrefages - "La revolución militar moderna. El crisol español" / Modern Military Revolution, the Spanish melting pot - that among the shooters had "escopeteros" and "arcabuceros" or arquebusiers. For example, the company of Diego de Andrade, 279 soldiers, had 81 arquebusiers and escopeteros 27. The arcabucero charged more than the "escopetero".
I've been intrigued for years - no kidding - about the difference between escopetas and arquebuses, and assumed that the difference was calibers, but I also thought that there might be differences in the mechanisms triggering or in the material they were made: brass or iron.
The word "escopeta" is used in Spain regularly since 1508 - was previously used "espingarda" - and it seems the term was adopted in Italy from the word "schiopetta" but involving the same weapon. But clearly were different weapons, for two categories of soldiers resulted.

I add an image to display further details and questions. The arquebus red circle, has no key.
I understand that you mean a lock mechanism,
instead of key.;):)

Is it fired with fuse?
Sure, as it did not have a lock mechanism it had to be fired using either a fuse/match or an igniting iron.


In the tails of the arquebuses with red circle you can see a piece. In the arquebuses of the German soldiers not appear

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Originally Posted by Cavalco

Thank you so much for your work. I'm just an amateur, but I'm really interested in the subject. I appreciate it sincerely. I'll read it carefully

Regards, Carlos Valenzuela

Sure. A lock, not a key :rolleyes: The spanish word "llave" is both lock and key.


Hola! Carlos,

It is my turn to say thank you for studying my writings; that's why I take all that toil ... ;)

I was aware of the fact that llave meant both; Fernando, the other forum Spaniard interested in early firearms, once told me so.


Thanks for the clarification

Wadding for the load It is always used?

It usually was; the reason being that the balls used with 'military' muzzle loading guns actually were of smaller caliber than the barrel bore. It quickened the loading procedure but if the gun was held, or aimed!, muzzle down, the ball would simply roll out.
It is the author's thesis that by ca. the 1540's, paper cartridges came in use.
Now the arquebusier, especially on horseback, would put the cartridge between his front teeth, ripp off the the ball, pour the gun powder in the barrel, "spit" the ball down the bore, crumble the paper and stuff it into the muzzle, to prevent the ball from falling out. Then he would simply ram the whole load home with the ramrod, prime the pan and was ready to fire.

I have been looking for more information about the parade entry in bologna. Several relationships about the same. I have found it interesting to note one:

Della venuta e dimora in Bologna del sommo pontefice Clemente VII. per la coronazione de Carlo V. imperatore celebrata l'anno MDXXX. Cronaca con note documenti ed incisioni (1842) f.31/p.75
https://archive.org/details/dellavenutaedimo00gior

finalmente una compagnia di moschettieri a cavallo intorno a quaranta carri di polvere, palle, e diverse munizioni; da ultimo tre vessilliferi, ed un drappello di moschettieri a piedi, che chiudevano questo trionfale corteggio

[English google translation]
finally a company of musketeers [on horse] riding around forty wagons of powder, balls, and other munitions; least three standard-bearers, and a squad of musketeers on foot, which closed this triumphal procession

I always thought there had not been musketeers walk to the 1560s :confused:

Oh yes, they usually had to. They were the infantry, after all, the foot soldiers.
It is only in those stupid Dumas movies about The Three Musketeers that you see them without a musket but always on horseback, or riding a coach instead ...:D

Greetings, Carlos

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Originally Posted by Cavalco

Thanks for the answer.

About wadding and paper cartridges, I watched your two threads:

The Use of Wadding in 14th to 17th Century Gun Loading
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12290

Mid to Late 16th Century Patrons for Paper Cartridges
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8540


Very interesting! :)