Arrows?

[PhDBrewer]

This is one of the oldest firearm known to shoot arrows.
Great write up by Michael Trommer. (As usual!)
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7499

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

An original:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15788&highlight=arrows


See here for an old post of someone here shootin’ arrows out of a hand gonne:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/arrows-in-handgonnes-work-real-well.19263/

 

[TobJohn]

The Chinese and Koreans used them as some of the first MLRS system:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huo_Che

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hwacha

 

[rickystl]

Period experiments shooting arrows from a gonne seem to be a natural progression from the crossbow.

Rick

 

[smoothshooter]

You might want to have a look at Robert Held's Age of Firearms. I don't recall what exactly is in there, but Held is likely to have something.

Robert Held’s book “ The Age of Firearms “ is the single best reference for firearms and gunpowder development and use from their inception through the 1870’s.
The peripheral information included therein about warfare, politics, superstitions, human behavior, and the various social classes is fascinating and sometimes pretty funny. Possibly the most enjoyable book I have ever read. I still pull it out and read parts of it at times.
The book contains copies many period woodcuts and very high quality detailed drawings of the guns and related items. The detailed drawings were done by the author’s VERY skilled wife.
This book was the very first book on the subject matter I ever got. I was 13 years old at the time. (I am 68 now).
Copies are still available on the internet, surprisingly. Not very expensive either. I bought a spare in excellent condition for something like $18 or $23 or so. They are typically large, soft cover.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

 

[Rudyard]

Robert Held’s book “ The Age of Firearms “ is the single best reference for firearms and gunpowder development and use from their inception through the 1870’s.
The peripheral information included therein about warfare, politics, superstitions, human behavior, and the various social classes is fascinating and sometimes pretty funny. Possibly the most enjoyable book I have ever read. I still pull it out and read parts of it at times.
The book contains copies many period woodcuts and very high quality detailed drawings of the guns and related items. The detailed drawings were done by the author’s VERY skilled wife.
This book was the very first book on the subject matter I ever got. I was 13 years old at the time. (I am 68 now).
Copies are still available on the internet, surprisingly. Not very expensive either. I bought a spare in excellent condition for something like $18 or $23 or something like that. They are typically large, soft cover.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I agree it is a good reference , My ones hard cover you can never have too good a library .certainly paid me having one and that one was one of the first along with J .N .Georges ' English Guns & Rifles 'closely followed by Blackmores' British Military Firearms '50 shillings net . and his 'Guns & rifles of the world" both bought 1966 & for the sporting side Eric Parkers revised 9th Edition of Lt Col Hawkers ' Instructions to young sportsmen ". Now I must have two hundred useful works & some I contributed to the author's Being ever happy to aid them create such useful works for us all 'Students of arms ' as De Witt Bailey modestly added to his letter heads
Rudyard

 

[andy52]

There were steel flechettes used by; the Germans in WW I, they came in a wooden box and were thrown or the box tipped over, from planes.
Saw a box of them in the former Technical Museum, Ultimo, Sydney, when there on a school excursion.
Darts were about 8 in long

We used them in Vietnam at the time they were called "Lazy dogs".

 

[andy52]

I've read that some of the first firearms shot arrows. I did a forum and net search but found little info. Is there a reliable source with details and has anyone built or tested replicas? Just curious, thanks for any help.

In theory, they might work but why not just use a crossbow?

 

[TobJohn]

Period experiments shooting arrows from a gonne seem to be a natural progression from the crossbow.

Rick

Good point.

Slings were certainly a familiar item and had used lead bullets for centuries, but it doesn’t seem like they had much influence in the period handgonnes were developed.

 

[rickystl]

REF: Posts # 28 and 29 above.

While there is obvious evidence that they at least experimented using arrows with gonnes, it does appear that it may have been a short lived experience (?) The range and accuracy may have proven less than a large crossbow.

 

[TobJohn]

REF: Posts # 28 and 29 above.

While there is obvious evidence that they at least experimented using arrows with gonnes, it does appear that it may have been a short lived experience (?) The range and accuracy may have proven less than a large crossbow.

Stone and then lead bullets were also probably faaaaarrrrrr easier logistically. Don’t need any skilled labor to make them. An armor piercing bullet, at that time, could just be lead poured into a rudimentary mold, opposed an armor piercing bolt which needed someone able to make hardened steel. Much easier to store and transport, too.

 

[GBG]

In theory, they might work but why not just use a crossbow?

The only possible reasons I can think of are more power, faster reloading, no need for physical strength or cocking/drawing mechanisms to span the bow (some had 700 to 1200 Lb draw weights). I've also read that very early gonnes and guns terrified the enemies' horses, helping to stop or slow down cavalry charges.

The little info I've found said that navies were the last to use (flaming) gun arrows to set the enemy ship's sails and rigging on fire. Maybe gun launched arrows had greater range than bows or crossbows?