Extendable stocks

[kruzer1]

Researching my next build I came across several wheelocks from the 1530's that had extendable stocks. Does anyone have any more pictures or information on how they looked (all I have is a side profile).

I was able to talk to one gentlemen who handled one and he said they screwed into the stock into a metal insert. Here is a picture of one example... any more information is appreciated.

 

[cynthialee]

Interesting. A concept that has been around and come around numerous times and is still with us. A removable, collapsible or folding stock is rather useful in many ways.

Such a firearm would have been a rich mans {nobleman's} gun. Certainly not a military weapon or a gun of the lower classes.

I love weapons that are not common but undoubtedly historic.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I find the belt hook interesting....

 

[kruzer1]

It's an interesting specimen and I am planning it as my next build... to my knowledge no one has tried to recreate this wheellock...

The extendable stock is understandable for what I understand of the period. At that time "shouldering" a stock was a new idea and most early firearms were held in the air next to the face (think Japanese matchlock) It is a nice way to shoot for fast moving shots.

This firearm was trying to be the best of both worlds- you could shoot it the old way on moving game or unscrew the butt plate and "shoulder" it in the new style when you had a chance to do an aimed shot.

I agree though I would not have thought an extendable butt stock was more a 20th century invention not 16th.

Also as far as the belt hook is probably for riding horseback... I scaled this up to what I thought was full size. Ended up with about a 23" barrel and the entire length was about 38"... probably one of the earliest carbines. :grin:

Another interesting thing is the tubular peep sight on the rear - similar to early matchlocks. I think this would help support the argument that they were not there just to hold matchcord and were not a sight... since there were no matches involved in the use of this firearm I say it is pretty solid that in this case it was a sight :idunno:

 

[Canute Rex]

This reminds me of two things.

In my search for Italian wheellocks I found two examples, very similar, of carbines with folding stocks. Hinge on the bottom behind the trigger guard, thumb button for a catch on top of the wrist. One was described as a "blunderbuss", but aside from the flared muzzle it was 60 caliber.

The other thing has to do with the tubular peep sight. Back in Galileo's time astronomers would look at the sky through slightly tapered tubes. Even without lenses they thought that the tube would concentrate the light. Perhaps the tubular design is a holdover from that. I mean, shading doesn't do any good with a peep sight.