MALAYSIAN MATCHLOCK MUSKET FOR COMMENT

[Cerjak]

This musket has a heavy 144cm octagonal barrel with a weight about 4.8 kg and with a smooth bore in 20 mm overall size 172 cm.The dark wood stock is fitted with an ornate cast brass lock with an external spring ( damaged) and heavy serpentine.
Any comment on it will be welcome
Best
CERJAK

[estcrh]

A very nice rare matchlock, is the barrel signed like the Japanese matchlock, and is there a threaded barrel bolt like the Japanese matchlock. Since you have the barrel out can you take some pictures as I can not remember ever seeing one of these with the barrel removed.

[rickystl]

Yes, please. I second Estcrh's request ref the barrel. It does indeed look like it's installed similar to the Japanese matchlocks but with the addition of a cross pin. If so, the breech can easily be removed. Additional barrel photos would be great.
Yes, too bad about the mainspring. But still a very nice piece.
Rick.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Yes, please. I second Estcrh's request ref the barrel. It does indeed look like it's installed similar to the Japanese matchlocks but with the addition of a cross pin. If so, the breech can easily be removed. Additional barrel photos would be great.

Rick.

Rick, some Japanese matchlocks have also have a hole in the barrel bolt for inserting a removal tool. They also have a removable brass barrel protector with a complex brass wedge, the Malaysian matchlock seems to have the barrel protector built into the pan.

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Rick, some Japanese matchlocks have also have a hole in the barrel bolt for inserting a removal tool. They also have a removable brass barrel protector with a complex brass wedge, the Malaysian matchlock seems to have the barrel protector built into the pan.

Hi Estcrh.
Yes, I see what you mean. OK, the hole in the breech plug is just to assist with a removal tool. I was also thinking the square hole in the stock is used to keep the breechplug tight in the barrel similar to Japanese matchlocks (?). I was just curious to see if the breechplug design of the Malaysian and Japanese matchlocks were similar. It would not have surprised me if they were.
Rick.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Hi Estcrh.
Yes, I see what you mean. OK, the hole in the breech plug is just to assist with a removal tool. I was also thinking the square hole in the stock is used to keep the breechplug tight in the barrel similar to Japanese matchlocks (?). I was just curious to see if the breechplug design of the Malaysian and Japanese matchlocks were similar. It would not have surprised me if they were.
Rick.

Rick, that is correct on both assumptions I think, although many Japanese matchlock owners have a hard time believing that the barrel bolt (bisen) on their Japanese matchlocks actually can be removed as they are often completely stuck to the point that they sometimes get broken off in the attempt. Some are not square though, I have seen round ended Japanese barrel bolts. Here is a picture of one that I have, it made cleasning the barrel a lot easier.

[Cerjak]

Hi RICK and estcrh,
The barrel don't have any marks and I'm pretty sure that the breech can't be removed.
The musket is already reassembled but I will check again later.
Best
Cerjak

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Cerjak

Hi RICK and estcrh,
The barrel don't have any marks and I'm pretty sure that the breech can't be removed.
The musket is already reassembled but I will check again later.
Best
Cerjak

Cerjak, the reason I asked was this images showing what looks like a barrel bolt with a hole like in the Japanese matchlocks.

[Cerjak]

Estcrh

I this aditionnal picture you can see that there ins't barrrel bold for this barrel
Best
Cerjak