Breech loading 1450-1550

[Matchlock]

The extremely fine and perfectly preserved Vienna breech loading wheel-lock pistol, like the harquebus posted above made by Simon Arnold, Augsburg, ca. 1540.

[Matchlock]

And the ca. 1700 Thurn & Taxis flintlock rifle, re-stocked in the mid 18 th century, together with its original leather collar containing 11 numbered rifled (!) cartridges - with number 12 inserted in the breech.

Michael

[Pukka Bundook]

Michael,

The piece by Christof Arnold shows Solomon was quite right............" There is nothing new, under the sun..."

It seems this very modern action was used with very little alteration (except putting hinge on other side) by Jacob Snider, to convert muzzleloading P '53 Enfields to breech-loading in 1860's.
Does pushing back on the tunnel sight withdraw a bolt which passes forward into the breech-block?

For some time, I've wanted to make a wheellock mechanism, and a self-spanning one would be very interesting!

Re. the snap tinder lock;
What was the tinder made from?
I know hemp was used when attainable as slow-match, but do not recall hearing what "tinder" was used in the snap-lock.

The pistol you show above, is one of the very best I have ever seen, and the file-work is beautifully executed! a very crisp and stunning example.
On this arm, I can clearly see the bolt which engages the breech-block.

Re. the flint-lock,
What a headache it must have been! ...making each cartridge with exactly the same geometry so each frizzen would spark well! It was a long way ahead of it's time!!

Thank you again for the marvelous pics!!

Richard.

[Matchlock]

Richard,

Tinder was made of fungus growing on the trunks of trees. It was dried, soaked in salpeter and cut in rectangular, rather short pieces, each meant to be used for one shot only. This piece of tinder was put in the small head of the matchholder; with 15th to mid-16th century guns, the heads of their matchholders were actually too tiny to receive the rather thick matchcord.

The tinder was lit by means of a piece of glowing coal or smoldering match.

If I may direct you to

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7077

you will see a piece of tinder in the head of the matchholder of an early 15th century gun.

I have to say that exchanging opinions with you is much fun, thank you for keeping me going.

Michael

[Matchlock]

Richard,

Here are some historical early 15th (the b/w one dated 1411) and early 16th century illustrations showing the use of pieces of tinder in snap locks - and sometimes the thick matchcord employed to light them.

I posted some these before in my thread on the Battle of Pavia, 1525.

In some of the illustrations you can clearly see that the matchholders' heads are way too small to take the thick matchcord wrapped around either the guns or the harquebusiers' arms.

Michael

[Matchlock]

More.

[Matchlock]

One more.

Michael

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

And the ca. 1700 Thurn & Taxis flintlock rifle, re-stocked in the mid 18 th century, together with its original leather collar containing 11 numbered rifled (!) cartridges - with number 12 inserted in the breech.

Michael

Maybe i failed to see this post when it came in.
This rifle is a stupendous example of gunmaking ... art ... not smithing .

.

[Matchlock]

In the Koninklijk Leger Museum (Army Museum, Brussels).

m

[Matchlock]

For two personal wheellock breechloaders of Henry VIII, please see
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...634#post164634

m

[Maurice]

Swivel-gun / ship's canon.

I made this image in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam a few months ago.

This Dutch cannon was excavated from the reclaimed Haarlemmermeer in the second half of the 19th century.
It may have been used during the Battle of Haarlemmermeer in 1573.
The wooden support on which the cannon is mounted with six wrought-iron bands can swivel on an iron pin, allowing for greater accuracy in shooting at enemy ships.

[Matchlock]

Thank you so much, Maurice,


For this nice and good-quality contribution of yours!

Judging by the short, swamped and rounded muzzle section and the engraved roped frieze at the rear end of the barrel, this piece can be dated be as early as ca. 1510, so it really saw service for quite a long time.


Best,
Michael