Matchlock Petronels, Germany, ca. 1550-1600

Matchlock · 6th May 2014, 08:04 PM

One last glimpse into the large-bore muzzle ...

Note that the iron finial (German: Setzerkopf) of the wooden ramrod is threaded for a little tool like a worm or scourer, to clean the barrel or pull out the ball.
I attached three photos of my collection of 16th/17th century worms and scourers.

All guns preserved at the Landeszeughaus Graz equiped with a so-called 'patch box' (German: Kolbenfach) in their buttstocks, still retain their original worm and scourer in that stock recess - these little tools have been in there since the guns entered the Graz armory 500 to 350 years ago! The Graz armory was turned into a museum in the second half of the 17th century!!!
On early guns, that buttstock recess, beneath a sliding wooden cover, actually was not for storing patches but little accesories like these. Butt trap would be the correct English term.

I attached a close-up of a matchlock pertronel of ca. 1566-70 in the Graz armory, with the box cover detached, and showing the two tools, as well as close-ups of them.

A very fine, Nuremberg-manufactured military wheellock musket of ca. 1600 in my collection, with straight, so-called German buttstock (deutscher Wangenschaft), also retains these two tools in the butt trap. It came from the Graz armory.
Like almost all weapons in Graz, mine, too, is preserved in virtually mint condition throughout, with the lock plate retaining its original bluing, and the original pyrite wrapped in a strip of lead, and clamped in the jaws of the dog for 400 years!
Two photos attached.

Best,
Michael

6th May 2014, 08:04 PM	#24
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	One last glimpse into the large-bore muzzle ... Note that the iron finial (German: Setzerkopf) of the wooden ramrod is threaded for a little tool like a worm or scourer, to clean the barrel or pull out the ball. I attached three photos of my collection of 16th/17th century worms and scourers. All guns preserved at the Landeszeughaus Graz equiped with a so-called 'patch box' (German: Kolbenfach) in their buttstocks, still retain their original worm and scourer in that stock recess - these little tools have been in there since the guns entered the Graz armory 500 to 350 years ago! The Graz armory was turned into a museum in the second half of the 17th century!!! On early guns, that buttstock recess, beneath a sliding wooden cover, actually was not for storing patches but little accesories like these. *Butt trap* would be the correct English term. I attached a close-up of a matchlock pertronel of ca. 1566-70 in the Graz armory, with the box cover detached, and showing the two tools, as well as close-ups of them. A very fine, Nuremberg-manufactured military wheellock musket of ca. 1600 in my collection, with straight, so-called *German buttstock* (deutscher Wangenschaft), also retains these two tools in the butt trap. It came from the Graz armory. Like almost all weapons in Graz, mine, too, is preserved in virtually mint condition throughout, with the lock plate retaining its original bluing, and the original pyrite wrapped in a strip of lead, and clamped in the jaws of the dog for 400 years! Two photos attached. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 6th May 2014 at 09:34 PM.