Early 1500s Snapping Matchlock carbine

[TobJohn]

Italian Snapping matchlocks ?. Intreaging any pics ? .
Regards Rudyard

I had meant matchlocks like the original post in this thread, which was a Brian Anderson piece.
In general though, is there anyone making pieces like these (some pictures are original pieces and some are replicas). I believe they are all pre 1550 pieces/replicas of pieces.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Not exactly what you want, but to get you shooting now, Veteran Arms offers this early matchlock arquebus. I bought one and am taking extensive measurements and I intend to build a few, maybe even one or more styled like some of the ones you posted above.

Then I will sell this one here. The ones I build will not be for commercial sale, but to make them for friends. I'd be glad to share the prints, but beware this will be a while away as I have 3-4 or more builds on the bench already.

 

[TobJohn]

Not exactly what you want, but to get you shooting now, Veteran Arms offers this early matchlock arquebus. I bought one and am taking extensive measurements and I intend to build a few, maybe even one or more styled like some of the ones you posted above.

Then I will sell this one here. The ones I build will not be for commercial sale, but to make them for friends. I'd be glad to share the prints, but beware this will be a while away as I have 3-4 or more builds on the bench already.

View attachment 150702

Flint62Smoothie, I would be interested in seeing the prints! I am in no rush.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

John,
The first two pictures you share above are from the Michaels Tromner collection.
He also posted the detailed pictures of the gun in your picture number four, but did not own that piece, and also deatiled photos of the lkst picture you attached.
The wee short snaplock you show in picture three, would be better served with tinder rather than matchcord.

Very best,
Richard.

 

[TobJohn]

John,
The first two pictures you share above are from the Michaels Tromner collection.
He also posted the detailed pictures of the gun in your picture number four, but did not own that piece, and also deatiled photos of the lkst picture you attached.

Very best,
Richard.

Yes, you are correct. The last picture I even took directly from one of his threads. As I have been trying to research matchlocks/early modern warfare, all roads lead back to Michael's posts on Vikingsword. I am new to these communities, but I can tell he is such a tragic irreplaceable loss. I believe you actually knew him, right? My condolences.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Yes, John, I knew Michael.
He was sometimes a little impatient with those who questioned his knowledge, but he was invariably right!...and invariably knew it!
I believe he had more original matchcord than any known museum.
It was so sad to see some of his most cherished pieces sold off after his death. including the Tusco -Emilian piece (1520's) at the top of picture one.
This is one I made a copy of some time ago, but after Michael's death.

All the ebst,
Richard.

 

[TobJohn]

Yes, John, I knew Michael.
He was sometimes a little impatient with those who questioned his knowledge, but he was invariably right!...and invariably knew it!
I believe he had more original matchcord than any known museum.
It was so sad to see some of his most cherished pieces sold off after his death. including the Tusco -Emilian piece (1520's) at the top of picture one.
This is one I made a copy of some time ago, but after Michael's death.

All the ebst,
Richard.

He certainly reached an enviable state in his collection when he had so many incredible pieces to display, he was keeping multiple original bandoliers and meters of slowmatch in a wooden cabinet.

 

[DuncNZ]

How do you define a "Snapping" matchlock . I have always thought of it as a matchlock where the serpentine is cocked then fired on pulling a trigger which releases a sear , not swung over by slowly squeezing a lever . I have shot a .40 or .44 matchlock made by Rudyard which had a dragon barrel with a cannon muzzle, it had very fast ignition , a mutual friend lent it to me for a while .

 

[BrianL]

Not exactly what you want, but to get you shooting now, Veteran Arms offers this early matchlock arquebus. I bought one and am taking extensive measurements and I intend to build a few, maybe even one or more styled like some of the ones you posted above.

Then I will sell this one here. The ones I build will not be for commercial sale, but to make them for friends. I'd be glad to share the prints, but beware this will be a while away as I have 3-4 or more builds on the bench already.

View attachment 150702

I would also be very interested in a set of prints please. I am semi retired with a machine shop at home and time on my hands.

 

[TobJohn]

How do you define a "Snapping" matchlock . I have always thought of it as a matchlock where the serpentine is cocked then fired on pulling a trigger which releases a sear , not swung over by slowly squeezing a lever . I have shot a .40 or .44 matchlock made by Rudyard which had a dragon barrel with a cannon muzzle, it had very fast ignition , a mutual friend lent it to me for a while .

That is basically it. There are also the ones that use a button as the trigger, which are from the same-ish era. A couple of those are on my post. It looks like a lot of the Brian Anderson ones are that style, but I may be wrong.
I believe it has been posted on this forum before, but here is a video on one:

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Dunk . One of mine has the chisled dragons Cant recall the one you fired might be Trevor Mc leans . ? but I like the draggon stuff so might be some other . Nigels had the tulip muzzle sort might be that one , Some exported had dragons , Matchlock mad cant resist it .
Regards Rudyard

PS If you troll back you will see the dragon muzzle of my own Snap M lock R

 

[DuncNZ]

Hi Rudyard , I borrowed this off Ray Irving who borrowed it off someone else . The local boy scout troop all had their first shots with this firearm . Not many kids can say they learnt to shoot with a matchlock .

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Dunk Yes that was made for Noddy viz Noel Huggard its same as Nigels Dutch in style Under the barrel it says " Matchlock shooters of the World Ignite ! " " You have nothing to lose but your brains ! " Noddy was a union rep. twas number 84 of 1988 .
Nigels bone inlade is no 82 same year. G Witt had an earlier style number 96 of 1990 not that he deserved it.All shot for NZ at the Phortziem World champs . I seem to have made few .
'
Regards Rudyard
dont know why it went slopeing letters or even the bold black letters This E gajet just does that

 

[TobJohn]

Because this thread is already about 1500s snapping matchlocks and this was not enough for its own thread:
I had assumed this was mislabeled and was actually a handgonne:

Matchlock muzzle-loading gun - Royal Armouries collections

But I just found its exact pair in lefthanded format, showing the lock mechanism:

Gewehr: Linksseitige Handbüchse mit Luntenschloss

So far the simplest snapping lock I have seen, with not even a button to push the sear.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I see a sear bar on that right-handed early tinder snaplock ...

 

[TobJohn]

I see a sear bar on that right-handed early tinder snaplock ...

View attachment 195403

That’s an interesting observation! That can help explain why so much period art shows snaplock guns with left side serpentines. I had assumed it was the artist taking some liberties.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

If that is what it is ... that is the 4th type/generation of triggers observed on matchlocks ... sear bar, button, lever (or tiller) and then a true trigger.

Keep digging for more!

I would also guess that the sear bar shown precedes the button one like mine, where finally the RH'd shooter said the gunsmith ... "Hey look, I use my right-hand for pretty much everything, can you make that hand fire that arm?"

Whaddya think?

 

[TobJohn]

If that is what it is ... that is the 4th type/generation of triggers observed on matchlocks ... sear bar, button, lever (or tiller) and then a true trigger.

Keep digging for more!

I would also guess that the sear bar shown precedes the button one like mine, where finally the RH'd shooter said the gunsmith ... "Hey look, I use my right-hand for pretty much everything, can you make that hand fire that arm?"

Whaddya think?

It certainly looks the most primitive of the snapping locks, so I would assume it predates yours. Pukka or Rudyard may know better.

A lock I have only seen on replicas, but I have read about as being real, is a simple lever like my arquebus, but with a spring mounted externally against it. If that can be considered a lock.

My research white whale of the past couple of months is finding a convincing explanation of what type of arquebus was used at Cerignola in 1503.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Yes, handgonnes started out with “lit by punk” by the shooter or perhaps by the 2nd person (who may have been a ‘punk’ themselves, lol!) in the 2 man Team.

Then we had arquebus’s with a ‘S’-shaped serpentine lever on the side, hung with a longer lever arm to the bottom, so by sheer gravity it pulled the match away from the touch hole, where the shooter would aim & raise the bottom portion of the ‘S’ to drop the tinder/match to the TH to fire.

I’m completing one of those now & will post pictures when done.

 

[TobJohn]

.Then we had arquebus’s with a ‘S’-shaped serpentine lever on the side, hung with a longer lever arm to the bottom, so by sheer gravity it pulled the match away from the touch hole, where the shooter would aim & raise the bottom portion of the ‘S’ to drop the tinder/match to the TH to fire.

I’m completing one of those now & will post pictures when done.

That’s what I am shooting on Monday!