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Getting ready to shoot a matchlock as a newbie

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The first time I fired a matchlock, the guys warned me not to squeeze the sear bar too quickly, which I did. You know how if you stub a cigarette into an ashtray full of sand, it snuffs immediately? Yeah, you can do that with 3F, too. šŸ˜³
Jay
I had that happen while first trying the snapping matchlock. Itā€™s even more unnerving when you have to manually remove the match! I got a bunch of tinder fungus to try next time, though.
 
I got a bunch of tinder fungus to try next time, though.
Ya' just gotta LOVE how the coal head on the birch polypore tinder fungus glows! No ash there! Ignition is INSTANT!

TFungus.jpeg
 
"When trying to cheek stock it, my face was uncomfortably close to the pan and that caused a lot of spray in my face."

John: That may be an indication that the way these petronels were held is the way you showed in your first photo, with your right hand forward of your chest, similar to that shown in the original artwork. (?)
 
The first time I fired a matchlock, the guys warned me not to squeeze the sear bar too quickly, which I did. You know how if you stub a cigarette into an ashtray full of sand, it snuffs immediately? Yeah, you can do that with 3F, too. šŸ˜³
Jay
And that may be why the Jap matchlocks have weak springs and the serpentine sits very close to the pan area.
 
"When trying to cheek stock it, my face was uncomfortably close to the pan and that caused a lot of spray in my face."

John: That may be an indication that the way these petronels were held is the way you showed in your first photo, with your right hand forward of your chest, similar to that shown in the original artwork. (?)
Weirdly, a lot of art shows the gunners basically holding the pan under the face. I assume its a case of the art being left up to the artists interpretation, but also a goofy detail. If the artists were trying to base the position on something, it could be them messing up the perspective while trying to show the soldiers holding the gun in front. Another possibility is that they are depicting it based off how soldiers describe it, which would make a lot of sense because we are struggling with the same problem of how to interpret the use of petronels!


Petronelle, Spanien, Franz Hogenberg, 1579.  1a.jpg

DG00973.jpg

Massacre_de_Vassy_1562_print_by_Hogenberg_end_of_16th_century - Copy.jpg

Bataille_de_Coutras.jpg
 
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Well, these are only artists renditions. So we have to try and add some logic. LOL Notice how the artist shows holding the petronels from their right side, while others are holding from their left side. I think we can safely assume that even in this period most people were right-handed. That's why the locks/pan are on the right side, usually. (No offense intended here Flint). But showing the hold on the left was probably just wanting to show the guns, as you probably determined. At very close ranges, in the heat of battle, the shooters probably didn't even try to aim at their enemy. Just pointed the gun in front of them and fired. Similar to the first sketch above.

Rick
 
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For matchlocks with a forward dropping serpentine, I assume the serpentine itself serves as a flash guard. That is at least how it (mostly) seemed to work with my lever arquebus.
 
Richard, you don't have a Tanegashima on you do you? šŸ˜„
Nhaa You don't need a Tanagashima You need a 'Mary Rose' Matchlock Venician the AK of its day . 'Pommy B 'had one of my make & it shews on a video of him & Pukka fireing the matchlocks I think he sold it but will know where it went,ask him. Knocking one out at this end was once simple but getting such horrific anti social things sent today is decidedly difficult just ask Tobjohn ! . Only other plan might be buy a 40 cal or 45 smooth oct brl blank 7/8th" A F or what you fancy .Then I might knock up a wooden barrel prop . They are allowed to post (The virtue of 40 cal is you get max velicity with little attendant recoiling ) The MLAIC matches are 55 yards on the bigger ISU target, or bunny if you like rabbit stew ,(Many do very nice gravey with chips ) Ime being a bit silly but might be a plan ".Where theirs a will there's a sobbing relation " well Pam Ayres reckons so .What think you re the draft ?.
Rudyard
 
We may have an answer for the incorrect handling of petronels in at least one example.

IMG_0589.jpeg

This print, which I posted previously, is allegedly based on an original by Jacques Le Moyne, who was a first hand witness to the events. Unfortunately, almost all of his original work was destroyed, so this print is a replica from memory by Theodore de Bry. A European artist that never visited the new world. A European artist creating the print also explains the natives using European formations. The recreation by a different artist is additionally unfortunate because the alleged original artist actually did witness combat and would have been a valuable source.
 
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