A tiny cannon

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by fernando

Obviously you did super, my dear Michael

One thing is confusing me, though .
The recoil hook being simultaniously the barrel embracing ring. How 'rationaly' is it holding the barrel?
When you shoot the thing, with the hook stuck on the wall (or similar) the impact is in a direction that tends to cause the dismounting of the hook ... if i make myself understood?
Fernando

.

Sure, I often wondered about that phenomenon as well. Does not seem too logical right away...

On the other hand, if you look closely at how tight the ring fits the barrel, as well as consider the fact that the ring was drawn over when red hot and naturally had to shrink when cooling down I do not think it would have been moved considerably by the kick back. On my contemporary handgun the ring is riveted so hard that, although having been in use for quite some time, will not move even most minimally.

Additionally, the pronunced muzzle ring both on your hand cannon barrel and the one in Suhl would certainly have prevented the hook from slipping off.

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Fernando,

I should like to add that your short and cute barrel may well have been wrought as early as the second half of the 14th century. The hook of the Suhl piece is certainly a working time addition and the stock is most probably not the first. The Suhl Museum dates the barrel 'late 14th century'.

The criteria are:

1. The barrel is very short and stout - cf. 14th century barrels in the Berne Museum and in both your and my collections.

2. Note the formal similarity between the Loshult barrel (copper alloy, ca. 1330-50) and your barrels and the Suhl gun! See the rounded Romanesque rear ends, the tiny touch holes and the muzzle rings?

Best,
Michael