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8th June 2019, 01:22 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 7
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Handgonne or not ?
Hi !
on top of being a collector i do quite a lot of metal detecting in the south of France. A few days ago i found what i think to be a "handgonne". I found it not far from a ruined tower and a small spanish church in the vicinity of Perpignan in the south of France. The spot is a strategic hilltop in a region where the kingdom of France and the Kingdom of spain fought over centuries. When i cleaned it, it was packed with remains of black powder. But i can not find a "touch hole". I read somewhere that some kind of early handgonne had no touch hole and were ignited by the front end of the barrel . thanks for sharing your knowledge Last edited by fernando; 8th June 2019 at 01:34 PM. |
8th June 2019, 01:39 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
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Welcome to the forum, Via Dixiane .
I have re-uploaded your images using the forum attachment features and moved your thread to the European section, where members should come around to comment on your curious item. |
8th June 2019, 11:54 PM | #3 |
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Tennessee, USA
Posts: 52
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Certainly too small for a handgonne, but not too small to be a signal mortar.
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8th June 2019, 11:59 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Tennessee, USA
Posts: 52
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Does the bottom have any kind of socket, or what remains of such?
Can’t edit my prior post... it takes a while to show up. |
9th June 2019, 02:24 PM | #5 | |
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Location: Portugal
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Quote:
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9th June 2019, 02:37 PM | #6 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,694
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Via, i confess it is new to me that early gonnes might not have a touch hole.
Still this is a mysterious piece. Can you take a picture of it, but not inclined, you know, featuring its actual front look? and give us its measurements (height, width and bore) ? |
9th June 2019, 02:52 PM | #7 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 803
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To me, it looks like a breech from an early breech-loader, but why no touchhole I cannot say, unless it is filled with rust and hidden....
Best regards, Richard. |
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