External Mechanisms on Matchlocks

[Treestalker]

I keep running into external matchlock mechanisms that people create, not historically correct, but look like fun. I'd like to see what our members can come up with. I like Rube Goldberg stuff and the crazier the matchlock the better, LOL! Who knows, I might just use one with a 9mm squirrel gun barrel I have, no qualms. sky's the limit. Thanks in advance, Geo.

 

[Rudyard]

I keep running into external matchlock mechanisms that people create, not historically correct, but look like fun. I'd like to see what our members can come up with. I like Rube Goldberg stuff and the crazier the matchlock the better, LOL! Who knows, I might just use one with a 9mm squirrel gun barrel I have, no qualms. sky's the limit. Thanks in advance, Geo.

Yer bring it on ! Well it is true that matchlocks do vary greatly and there is no particular pattern generally So its a bold & somewhat questionable man who says ''They never did that " .Since they do vary time wise & regionaly. I certainly turned out all sorts of variations and have seen some wild home built pieces that really stretched the imagination ,( If I think the ' Traditions conversion 'takes the biscuit ,) I mostly went for snap matchlocks but have hunted with common lock sorts . I hunted after deer & ferrol goats week long trips in these forested NZ mountains & once took The' Kopara 'Mountain man' top score against cap & flint rifles the Snap M lock had a 50 smooth & alternate 54 rifled barrel stocked in parts of an old church , Miro we think but it became a preffered timber . .I think matchlock shooters are very much like Chunk gunners They both have lots of fun at shoots .
Regards Rudyard

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Geo,
Am a little in the dark on your suggestion. do you mean a match lock that is Completely external in the works?
or one with some pats under the lock plate?
The latter is very common historically, so if you can give us an example of whats on your mind, that would be great!

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Youse asks … youse gets!

Here’s one that ‘D. Heckathorne’ made when he was just a kid! His description:

“I made this when I was a kid, I call it a 'kitchen matchlock' .The match lit when it struck the pan edge made from an old gas jet cap. It had a pan cover that moved when the match struck. You can see the fine pine stock probably made from a 2x6, powered by a piece of a screen door spring, with an old BB gun trigger.”

Now how’s THIS for ingenuity???

Edit: Correct surname of the builder.

 

[Treestalker]

I guess I was asking about matchlock mechanisms wholly or mostly external to the plate, just curiosity taking a turn I guess, LOL! Smoothie, that setup reminds me of various attempts at juvenile delinquency my esteemed older cousin Brent and I engaged in during our misspent youth. I recall us sliding down a muddy creek in an old bathtub with various diabolical homegrown implements of destruction in hand, seeking the elusive bullfrog, 'possum, 'coon and squirrel. I can remember destructive effects of common marbles projected at terminal velocity from gun barrels of common water pipe. Kudos to the inventor of the kitchen match ignition device pictured! Brings back lots of disturbing images of childhood in the age of American freedom, LOL!

 

[granth]

Youse asks … youse gets!

Here’s one that ‘D. eathorne’ made when he was just a kid! His description:

“I made this when I was a kid, I call it a 'kitchen matchlock' .The match lit when it struck the pan edge made from an old gas jet cap. It had a pan cover that moved when the match struck. You can see the fine pine stock probably made from a 2x6, powered by a piece of a screen door spring, with an old BB gun trigger.”

Now how’s THIS for ingenuity???

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Was it ever reliable? Seems like an interesting design to me!

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

He said it never failed to go off …

 

[granth]

He said it never failed to go off …

How interesting! I wish I was mechanically minded enough to make something like that.

 

[mckutzy]

Here's mine I recently completed.....
A conversion lock to the original flintlock it is. just having a few issues with it, so The match is in to get me by.
All external mechanism, including the trigger.
Didn't modify the gun to make it fit, just fitted the lock to the gun itself.

(I dug into where I got insperation from, it was from years back from a gent here named PitchyPine(I think thats hows he spells it), I saved a few pics of his creations, and this is what I got out of it.)

My thread from earlier....
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/traditions-flintlock-to-matchlock-conversion.145818/

 

[toot]

Youse asks … youse gets!

Here’s one that ‘D. eathorne’ made when he was just a kid! His description:

“I made this when I was a kid, I call it a 'kitchen matchlock' .The match lit when it struck the pan edge made from an old gas jet cap. It had a pan cover that moved when the match struck. You can see the fine pine stock probably made from a 2x6, powered by a piece of a screen door spring, with an old BB gun trigger.”

Now how’s THIS for ingenuity???

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now that is the cats a$$!!, I rely like it.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I made guns in the basement when I was a kid. Even mixed up propellant and ignitor. Wonder I still have fingers and eyes. Enneyhow, I'm sure I made some external lock mechanisms similar to what is shown above.

 

[cw1873]

My suggestion would be a trigger connected to a rack and pinion to move the serpentine, with a linkage to automatically open the pan cover. I've never seen that on a period piece, although none of those things was uncommon at the time.

 

[Rudyard]

My suggestion would be a trigger connected to a rack and pinion to move the serpentine, with a linkage to automatically open the pan cover. I've never seen that on a period piece, although none of those things was uncommon at the time.

This post seems to not relate to matchlocks except loosely' Nice Wheellock .
Rudyard

 

[cw1873]

This post seems to not relate to matchlocks except loosely' Nice Wheellock .
Rudyard

Thanks. I read the original question as: historically incorrect, Rube Goldberg matchlock ideas, so that is where I was going with my comment. I took it as a "crazier the better". Also, words are not my strong suit, so what was in my head, may not have out properly....

 

[Rudyard]

Oh that's allright I mangle up my posts as well I mean I can spell & write good stuff but the E gajet puts all kinds of goolies instead . There pernicious that way . Nice wheellock did you make it .
Regards Rudyard

 

[cw1873]

Oh that's allright I mangle up my posts as well I mean I can spell & write good stuff but the E gajet puts all kinds of goolies instead . There pernicious that way . Nice wheellock did you make it .
Regards Rudyard

I did make that wheellock. It's based on the Lauber book plans....loosely. I made it a while ago, and plan to do another sometime, it was fun to make.

 

[Rudyard]

Good on you !. Was it cheek stocked or like the Luois the 13th' boys gun' like 'Cutfingers' one .A shoulder stock . All good stuff choose what nice to see earlier stuff that takes some skill and emagination rather than the current fad for ' paint by numbers'' Builds '. Not familiar with the Lauber plans .
Regards Rudyard

 

[cw1873]

It is a pistol, 50 cal, 10" barrel.

 

[DuncNZ]

Although the matchlock had a reputation as being too fragile for soldiers to use , I'd guess it found its place with the military in horse pistols , using a matchlock pistol would have been an impossibility for a horseman or even as a concealed weapon .
matchlocks were still in use well into the flintlock and even caplock eras but not wheel locks
James Clavell , the author of the book "Shogun " had his hero and other Europeans armed with flintlock pistols in the matchlock era . I gave my copy away in disgust .

 

[toot]

I made guns in the basement when I was a kid. Even mixed up propellant and ignitor. Wonder I still have fingers and eyes. Enneyhow, I'm sure I made some external lock mechanisms similar to what is shown above.

look's like that you beat DARWINS THEORY!!