Jezail rifle. Unusual version ?

Philip · 2nd December 2006, 06:09 AM

Fernando,
I don't know what the functional purpose is for the elongated steel "tab" attached to the barrel ahead of the bolster. Ward's specimen has something similar. This is not a usual feature on percussion musket/rifle barrels from Europe. Looking at pictures of Sind guns fitted with flint- or matchlocks, I see no similar feature.

In Elgood's FIREARMS OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD, cited above, the photo of 3 guns on p 169 contains an example (the middle one, a matchlock) with a double sling swivel just as yours has. I am trying to figure out the purpose of this; a single one would seem to be perfectly adequate, unless one of the loops was for the attachment of a chain holding the touchhole pricker (which is usually housed in a conical metal receptacle attached to the right side of the stock ahead of the trigger).

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2nd December 2006, 06:09 AM	#12
Philip Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 1,036	Fernando, I don't know what the functional purpose is for the elongated steel "tab" attached to the barrel ahead of the bolster. Ward's specimen has something similar. This is not a usual feature on percussion musket/rifle barrels from Europe. Looking at pictures of Sind guns fitted with flint- or matchlocks, I see no similar feature. In Elgood's FIREARMS OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD, cited above, the photo of 3 guns on p 169 contains an example (the middle one, a matchlock) with a double sling swivel just as yours has. I am trying to figure out the purpose of this; a single one would seem to be perfectly adequate, unless one of the loops was for the attachment of a chain holding the touchhole pricker (which is usually housed in a conical metal receptacle attached to the right side of the stock ahead of the trigger).