thesethawa
36 Cl.
I calculated it in CC from the blueprint itself and converted it to drams online. I wanted to convert it to grains, but all I got was basically "grains are weight not volume"
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Handgonnes
- Thread starter thesethawa
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Yes, that'll happen. Converting a volume to weight is never going to work out well - it ignores density. 70gr by volume of 1Fg is going to weigh a deal less than the same volume of 3Fg due to packing.
Well said! Same here and that is my routine for range shooting, less I only light one end of the cord there.
The KEY is - be smart and be safe!
Years ago when I was young I carried a matchlock to go hunt with. I was bird and rabbit hunting. I walked quite a few miles with it too. When it was time to reload, I would take the cord off the gun and hang it on a tree branch or bush. Then step off a ways to reload. Then reconnect the cord and adjust as needed. Super careful though. My matchlock had a speed trigger like mechanism. So you had to be really careful with it or you might fire off the gun when you didn’t want too.
If I was alone at the range I might use a cord. Otherwise it would be a fuse. I would have the reloading stuff away from me to help ensure that no sparks or fire gets to it. Anyway how they did it in the past was amazingly risky all grouped together in formations. Scary stuff compared to what we do today.
Yeah making your own serpentine powder would be great. The quality of it had to vary greatly. As I remember it they got their potassium nitrate from old abandoned cesspits near the city or towns.
If I was alone at the range I might use a cord. Otherwise it would be a fuse. I would have the reloading stuff away from me to help ensure that no sparks or fire gets to it. Anyway how they did it in the past was amazingly risky all grouped together in formations. Scary stuff compared to what we do today.
Yeah making your own serpentine powder would be great. The quality of it had to vary greatly. As I remember it they got their potassium nitrate from old abandoned cesspits near the city or towns.
Fuse for a matchlock?!? “Trouble to keep the smoldering cord away when loading?!?” Ridiculous. I demonstrate matchlocks professionally- have for 20 years- using deGehyn’s manual the whole time. I supervise a cadre of paid and volunteer staff who, like me, load and fire as the manual instructs. We have never, in all the years I’ve been doing this, had an issue with keeping the match safely in the left hand with the gun while loading, and have never had the first problem. If someone can’t load and fire a matchlock safely the way it’s intended to be loaded, they ought to get a firelock so they don’t have to worry about it.
Jay
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I have fired numerous matchlocks they can all go off unwanted if useually it's on a range & all that happens is the gun fly out backwards from your arms if it hadnt gone & youve waited but as you release the serpentine it can & does kindle in what youve reconned was stubbed out .. this phenonama allarms by standers , But ide cooly pick it up & reload "You shot a rabbit "was expected comment .Not to question Mr Templins findings but I think much depends on the quality of the Match cord and I might have failed to make the best matchcord . on some occasions .
Regards Rudyard
Regards Rudyard
thesethawa
36 Cl.
If your cord was refusing to go out, you probably made good cord tbh. I'd think not going out easily would be desirable.
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I think the cord was well enough but it seemed to stub out hence the frozen wait while it hopefully lets fly into the target ((This was the Coutrtney
Cup at the MLAGB Short range champs on Short Siberia Range at Bisley ) The gun a common lock 12 bore piece not the best sort which is the snap matchlock kind and snuff like powder .Happy Match locking . Regards Rudyard
Handgonnes are an absolute hoot. My Veteran Arms/American Hasta reproduction is a riot:
You gotta get a pavise to brace it on. Have the full historical experience haha.
thesethawa
36 Cl.
Or a shield with a notch in it
Attachments
The accessories are the real draw of early gunpowder weapons haha
thesethawa
36 Cl.
For real, haha. I've been eyeballing some medieval style armor to match...
Attachments
Same! I have been looking at options for a sallet helmet and messer swords. My girlfriend has been a good sport about muzzleloaders, but spending a couple hundred on those may be the breaking point.
thesethawa
36 Cl.
To legally own a handgonne, helmet and sword is a minimum requirement...
Fitzhugh Williams
40 Cal
Same here. I went through the matchlock instruction using the Jacob de Gheyn manual along with a number of others and no one ever had a problem.
The fuse is not a safety measure. It is to replicate the long ignition time of packed serpentine powder.
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Interesting Thread. Earlier in this Thread it mentions early powder. So you guys might find this interesting:
One of my Albanian Tanchika muskets from the early to mid 1800's came with a load in the barrel. I removed the load and here is what I found. What was most interesting was the consistency of the black powder. It was more like cake flour than corn meal. I even took a tiny pinch of the powder and lit it with a match. And poof !! It still worked. I've read in this area of the world, many locations were still making powder the old way.
Rick
One of my Albanian Tanchika muskets from the early to mid 1800's came with a load in the barrel. I removed the load and here is what I found. What was most interesting was the consistency of the black powder. It was more like cake flour than corn meal. I even took a tiny pinch of the powder and lit it with a match. And poof !! It still worked. I've read in this area of the world, many locations were still making powder the old way.
Rick
This most likely accounts for the breech chambers found in many parts of the world Rick. so this Powder doesn't compress so badly.
I disagree ... I don't see any practical need for use of a fuse on handgonnes.
The ignition is still instant, albeit the combustion might take longer in milliseconds. In regards to 'packing' serpentine, or more correctly, mealed powder, packing it too loose resulted might result in a fizzle whereas packing it too tightly and it may not fire at all (not enough O2 on the surface grain to combust). This is why the chambers were dsigned as Richard posted above.
FYI, there is a complete chapter on the development and use of the early black powdahs in this excellent book:
