At last ... a blunderbuss with a bronze barrel

[Fernando K]

Dear Fernando

Glup.............................................. .........

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Fernando K

Dear Fernando

Glup.............................................. .........

.

[rickystl]

Hi Fernando

WOW!! CONGRATULATIONS !! What a wonderful piece. That has to be one of the most interesting blunderbuss I have ever seen. Talk about a hybrid ! LOL
I too have never seen even a typical Spanish miquelet lock - much less a Portuguese lock - with a brass lock plate. You usually only see a brass lock plate on higher end English/other European guns. But the detailed quality of this piece certainly qualifies in that category. The carving and engraving are wonderful.
As you note, the English style butt stock and plate are very unusual for a shoulder arm coming from this Region. Also, as you note, the slight cast-off of the butt stock, usually reserved for longer barrel fowlers/rifles to assist the shooter while pointing/aiming. But I can't imagine the cast-off being an advantage for a blunderbuss. Hmmmm.
Another thing I notice is the trigger itself. While obviously functional, it appears rather plain compared to the rest of the gun.
Anyway, again, congratulations. What a great addition to your collection.

Rick

[rickystl]

External Lock Safeties: The external dog style safety behind the hammer seems to have appeared around the Mid-17th Century - at least on English locks. On locks from that period, it was the only means of a safety as the tumblers on vertical sears had only one firing notch or one slot hole in the case of horizontal sears (ala snaphaunce). By the last quarter of the 17th Century, with the wider use of the true French style flintlock with the second safety notch on the tumbler, these dog style safeties started to disappear. Apparently they were simply considered unnecessary by this time. Although you do occasionally see a specimen from the late 17th to early 18th Century with the dog catch used as a secondary safety. But these show up on sporting/private contract style guns.
However, as Corrado mentions, the use of the dog style catch as a secondary safety persisted well into the percussion era in the Hessian/Austrian/Dutch Regions. I've always thought this curious.
The swivel style safety in front of the hammer seems to be a unique feature to Portuguese style locks. Acts as a secondary safety while engaged, and a hammer stop when disengaged. Actually a clever idea. But it would take an extra movement to disengage while the dog style would automatically disengage when the hammer is pulled back into firing position.
Then, sometime about the end of the first quarter of the 18th Century the external safety re-appeared on some sporting/private contract type guns. This time in the form of a sliding secondary safety. Apparently, this sliding safety was deemed useful enough the the British military included this, and other features in their last flintlock officially produced. The photo shows this exact lock dated 1835, and includes the sliding safety, internal frizzen spring, and semi-waterproof pan. An attempt to include all the latest and best features. However, this period also was the beginning surge into the percussion period. So this very late period flintlock never saw much use. In fact many were never even mounted to guns and quickly became surplus. That is why you can often find these locks available today in pristine mechanical condition like this one.
Anyway, it's interesting these external safeties were in use back and forth for some 200+ years.

Rick

[fernando]

Rick, much obliged for the kind words .
... And, no sir; you don't need an extra movement to disengage the safety device. The hammer 'round' foot is designed in a way that, while having an insertion to hold the safety device in half cock position, is also built in a manner that pushes it off, when you roll it around and up to full cock position.
... If i make myself understood.


.

[rickystl]

Hi Fernando

OK. Yes I now understand. I did not know this. Thanks. Is the safety on the lock in the photo the only safety ? Or does it act as a secondary device ?

Rick

[Philip]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Hi Fernando

OK. Yes I now understand. I did not know this. Thanks. Is the safety on the lock in the photo the only safety ? Or does it act as a secondary device ?

Rick

Hey Rick, thanks much for your explanation of dog catch history and introducing the sliding safety concept to add context to our discussion.

Here are the three different detached locks that I got last year in that German auction, A is the "three screw" hybrid, B is the so-called "half Portuguese, half French" style, and C is the "knot lock". Note that all three use the interior workings of the French flintlock. But only B has a tumbler with half- and full cock detents -- thoroughly French mechanicals albeit with Portuguese stylistic flourishes on the cock and frizzen spring design. A and C have one-notch tumblers, with the external brake serving as the only safety.

Given the Portuguese love of combining mechanical and stylistic features, I wouldn't be surprised if Nando or another forumite has a gun with one of the above lock types combining both a brake and a half-cock notch. A custom job for a sportsman who wanted a doubly safe lock on his gun. What I show here appear to be production items, likely made in Liège for export to Portugal's colonies.

[M ELEY]

This is an amazing weapon, Fernando and it has your name on it! Perhaps it was yours in a former life! Not a gun person, but of course I must point out (if no one else previously has done already) the possibility of this being a naval piece. Brass and bronze blunderbuss were popular with sailors for obvious reasons. Bronze was resistant to the brine air of a ship which rapidly corroded iron weapons (It is why solid brass-hilted swords so unpopular with infantrymen due to sweaty hands and the possibility of dropping it was ignored by naval forces). There is a direct correlation with brass muskets and blunderbuss used in sea service.

The bayonet on yours does in fact appear to have been removed contemporary with its usage. The three main places you see these blunderbuss are at sea, used as defense as coach guns/to discourage robbery in shops and as defense on fort walls (these types usually mounted on a swivel). I'm not familiar of this type of bronze weapon ever being carried by foot troops. If naval, it is very possible that the bayonet was removed for practicality. On a ship, the blunderbuss main purpose was to discourage boarders clambering over the side of a ship, blowing a hole through a charging gang of mutineers or some such. Not much time or real purpose to having a bayonet. In any case, just my thoughts and I think you have an amazing piece for your collection!

[fernando]

Originally Posted by rickystl

...OK. Yes I now understand. I did not know this. Thanks. Is the safety on the lock in the photo the only safety ? Or does it act as a secondary device ?...

No Rick; primary ... and sole !

[fernando]

See how early this safety brake system was implemented, used in earliest known "pistols" to clavinas (petronels) from the second, third and last quarters XVI to first quarter XVII centuries, in the various types of lock.
(not per quoted order)

.

[Philip]

Originally Posted by fernando

Rick, much obliged for the kind words .
... And, no sir; you don't need an extra movement to disengage the safety device. The hammer 'round' foot is designed in a way that, while having an insertion to hold the safety device in half cock position, is also built in a manner that pushes it off, when you roll it around and up to full cock position.
... If i make myself understood.


.

Obrigado, Nando. I examined my locks again, and what you say has opened my eyes to what I had wondered about but didn't understand at first. There is a subtle bit of mechanical engineering that enables the effect that you describe. The três parafusos lock A and the fecho meio à portuguesa e meio à franzesa B in the images previous have the cock base shaped with a little projecting "tongue" below the safety engagement notch -- As the cock is pulled back fully to arm the mechanism, the rotating base makes this tongue push the brake out of the way, allowing the cock to travel its full arc to contact the frizzen. Ingenious!

What we have here is what mechanics call a "cam", and there is prior application in the case of wheellocks, whereby a cam turned by the rotating wheel spindle pushes the pan-cover activating arm forward on its pivot to open the pan and expose the priming powder.

I am now a lot more enthusiastic about the Portuguese brake than i was before now. Whether this will grow into Daehnhardtian exuberance depends on whether I can get used to the idea of using two hands to activate a safety mechanism, as opposed to the convenience of half-cock.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Philip

... I am now a lot more enthusiastic about the Portuguese brake than i was before now...

Adding to that, the fact that the disengagement is mechanically (self) operated and does not depend on gravity odds like in the dog lock ... am i right ?

Originally Posted by Philip

... Whether this will grow into Daehnhardtian exuberance depends on whether I can get used to the idea of using two hands to activate a safety mechanism, as opposed to the convenience of half-cock.

If i get your point ... can't you do that with two fingers (thumb & index) of the same hand ?

[rickystl]

I've never actually held a Portuguese lock to study. So this information is most helpful. I was completely unaware of the "cam" action of pushing the safety catch forward while positioning the hammer in the firing position. The catch/brake would not have to move forward very much. This safety is a much more interesting feature than I originally imagined. And very clever.

Philip: Thanks for the photos of the three locks. I was drooling on my keyboard when I first viewed them. They look to be in wonderful condition. And really shows the variety/combinations of Portuguese lock making. And thanks for the informative descriptions. So interesting.

From a shooter's perspective: When I shoot my replica 17th Century English musket, with a Jacobian style transition lock, engaging the safety is very simple. After firing, I simply lower the musket to my waist. Then, while pulling the hammer back with my thumb at the same time pulling upwards on the dog catch with my two smaller fingers till it engages the notch in the hammer. You can do it without looking after you get use to it. Still, it's not as convenient as the second notch on the tumbler for the reason that Philip explains.
I can't visualize the safety on the Portuguese locks being any more difficult. Just pulling the hammer back and at the same time using the index finger to pull the catch backward. Just a different method accomplishing the same thing.

Rick