Thread: What is the earliest contemporary description or illustration of a blunderbuss
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Old 19th November 2013, 08:54 PM   #30
Matchlock
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
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Originally Posted by dana_w
I have some serious doubts about the “Blunderbuss Gun”. It looks a lot like some 18th or even 19th century Blunderbusses that I have seen attributed to Turkey / North Africa and the tourist trade. What do you think?


Hi Dana,


I think you are quite right with your guess, especially as the muzzle flares that abruptly. I'm afaid a good black powder load and a couple of musket balls (as was the usual load for blunderbusses, not just 'blunder') would have blown that barrel to kingdom come ...

Back to the facts: this 'Mayflower' curiosity features a genuine early-style Northern European flintlock mechanism of ca. 1690-1700.


Best,
Michael
Last edited by Matchlock; 19th November 2013 at 09:17 PM.
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