I'm looking for historical examples/depictions of left-handed matchlocks

[TradShooter]

Manuscript illuminations are certainly not something to use as supporting evidence. They are artist renderings made from his imagination, from information given to him or memory. Also, looking at that illustration, it certainly does not conclusively show the musket’s being fired from the left shoulder. It may be, or may be from the breast, as was pointed out above.

I noticed you went back and edited your previous post after I replied to it. In case there's any misunderstandings about my intentions here, I'm not setting out to prove any theory that left-handed guns were not uncommon back then. That's a ludicrous idea. Left-handedness in general is rare. I'm simply providing you guys with evidence I've found for left-handedness being evident in renaissance-era combat, and asking if you (the experts on guns) can provide me with examples of left-handed matchlocks.

In your extensive research, can you share how many of the Ottoman left-handed matchlocks are there in existence? Must be quite a few, or were they were that accommodating only to their left handed archers?

That's a tall order, considering arsenal records from that period A) weren't always as meticulous as modern ones and B) have had much more time pass to wither away into dust.

Once again, I am simply providing you guys with what I've found, and asking if you can provide any other examples. So far I have provided two physical examples of left-handed matchlocks (an arquebus and a pistol), and an eye-witness account of handgonners shooting off the left shoulder.

I will accept the criticism you and others have provided about my chonicle illustration, I just thought it was worth posting because, as I said, it's interesting to me that the artist chose to show gunners in both left and right-handed positions in the same group, whereas typically the period illustrations I've found tend to show gunners firing all in the same position (that being right-handed).

 

[Cptesco]

Here is a left hand flintlock I just bought at auction. Have not had a chance to shoot yet

 

[TradShooter]

Here is a left hand flintlock I just bought at auction. Have not had a chance to shoot yet
View attachment 118775

I appreciate the reply, but this thread is asking for matchlocks.

 

[Cptesco]

I appreciate the reply, but this thread is asking for matchlocks.

My mistake Sorry

 

[PathfinderNC]

Below is a matchlock pistol with a left-handed lock, likely of South-Asian origin. Matchlock pistols in general were rare, but definitely not unknown in Asia. Some were used by cavalry, so one possible explanation for this left-handed lock could be to allow a rider to control the reigns with his right hand (but that bit is only speculation).

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/88/13/ba/8813baa858bfec63828c05711ca7cd1e.jpg

Interesting statement but what documentation is there that matchlock pistols were used by cavalry? (Wheel locks saw such use extensively) It seems improbable at best. Unless the cavalry is moving at a very, very slow gait that is. It would seem a formidable task of maintaining a burning match ember, clamping it and readjusting it in the cock jaws, all while trying to control your mount and maneuver in battle

 

[TradShooter]

Interesting statement but what documentation is there that matchlock pistols were used by cavalry? (Wheel locks saw such use extensively) It seems improbable at best. Unless the cavalry is moving at a very, very slow gait that is. It would seem a formidable task of maintaining a burning match ember, clamping it and readjusting it in the cock jaws, all while trying to control your mount and maneuver in battle

Indeed, quite a formidable task. But I have seen references to Sikh, Maratha, and Mongol/Manchu cavalry using matchlocks from horseback. Keep in mind that matchlocks were the dominant firearms in those cultures right up to the 19th century, so "easier" cavalry firearms like wheellocks weren't readily available to them.

As an example, here is a quote concerning cavalry matchlocks in India during the second Anglo-Maratha war. If you'd like other references just let me know and I can try to go back and find where I left them...

"...the Maratha cavalry practiced caracole tactics. The Maratha cavalry armed with matchlocks came within thirty yards of the enemy force, fired their handguns and then retreated and after reloading came again and fired their pieces. This process was repeated. The Sikh cavalry, like the Maratha cavalry, were equipped with matchlocks, swords and spears."
That's from page 81-82 of Military Manpower, Armies and Warfare in South Asia by Kaushik Roy (2013 edition).

By the way, I'd like to apologize if my earlier post to you asking for counter-evidence seemed aggressive or like I was looking for a debate. It's been a rough day and I didn't think it through. My bad.

 

[TFoley]

Well, Sir, you seem to be providing all the evidence that anybody could possibly want to learn about, whereas the rest of us are left floundering in the wake of your illuminating and well-documented conclusions.

Having been advised by a number of us here that left-handedness is a comparatively rare trait, and that, by your own efforts, you have established that the largest body of left-handed military were not only archers, rather than users of firearms of any kind, but may not have been naturally left-handed but were required by their own military etiquette to be left-handed so as not to turn their backs to their king, surely it is plain that left-handed firearms were back then, and still are, a rarity.

In an effort to provide some support for what is probably a lost cause, I asked a friend of mine who is a 'common soldier' in the English Civil War re-enactment society - AKA The Sealed Knot - about left-handedness in that organisation. BTW, if you are not familiar with this bunch of a few thousand men and women [and youngsters], they use the weapons and tactics of the most recent English Civil War - 1642 - 1648 - to re-enact battles and scenarios á la N-SSA.

A member for over thirty years, he has never seen a left-handed matchlock, nor anybody using one in a left-handed fashion.

His own matchlock piece is a non-firing original. He does not shoot it, but I'm led to believe that he shouts a loud 'BANG' at the appropriate moment.

 

[TradShooter]

Well, Sir, you seem to be providing all the evidence that anybody could possibly want to learn about, whereas the rest of us are left floundering in the wake of your illuminating and well-documented conclusions.

I don't know that I'd call my research "illuminated" ... Personally I feel like the one floundering trying to grasp at straws for the extistence of left-handed matchlocks, while you all seem pretty confident in your statements of their almost non-existence

Having been advised by a number of us here that left-handedness is a comparatively rare trait, and that, by your own efforts, you have established that the largest body of left-handed military were not only archers, rather than users of firearms of any kind, but may not have been naturally left-handed but were required by their own military etiquette to be left-handed so as not to turn their backs to their king, surely it is plain that left-handed firearms were back then, and still are, a rarity.

Certainly, I've never tried to dispute that they were a rarity. I simply came to this forum asking whether anyone could provide examples of left-handed matchlocks. I'm in total agreement with you all that left-handed shooters would have been a rarirty in any case. I was simply trying to point out, via my examples of left-handed archers, swordsmen, and even a left-handed arquebus I found, that the existence of left-handed soldiers back then can be established, and thus we shouldn't automatically write off the posibbility of left-handed matchlock guns just because we've heard that folks back in the old days were superstitous/prejudiced against left-handedness. Clearly they weren't so prejudiced against left-handedness that nobody was able to fight that way during the period, as my examples hopefully show.

In an effort to provide some support for what is probably a lost cause, I asked a friend of mine who is a 'common soldier' in the English Civil War re-enactment society - AKA The Sealed Knot - about left-handedness in that organisation. BTW, if you are not familiar with this bunch of a few thousand men and women [and youngsters], they use the weapons and tactics of the most recent English Civil War - 1642 - 1648 - to re-enact battles and scenarios á la N-SSA.

A member for over thirty years, he has never seen a left-handed matchlock, nor anybody using one in a left-handed fashion.

His own matchlock piece is a non-firing original. He does not shoot it, but I'm led to believe that he shouts a loud 'BANG' at the appropriate moment.

Thanks for your help. The English Civil War would, in my view, be too late to find any left-handed matchlocks in a military context. By that date not only had mass firearms drill/formation been well established (all of which relied on right-handed maneuvers) but firearms themselves were being produced to a much more standardised patterns than they were in the 15th and early 16th centuries. So far, in the European context, the bits of evidence for left-handed gunners that I've found have all been from the earlier, less standardised period of firearms, e.g. 15th and early 16th centuries.

 

[chiller]

Many years ago, when having a custom flintlock musket made by a well-known builder (I am left-handed), I asked if he knew of any examples of left-handed flintlocks. I was told that many double barrel flintlock shotguns were made. Therefore, many left and right locks were available. A good maker back-in-the-day could easily make a left-handed musket as a special order. Yes, he has seen one or two antique examples and are very rare.

 

[TradShooter]

Many years ago, when having a custom flintlock musket made by a well-known builder (I am left-handed), I asked if he knew of any examples of left-handed flintlocks. I was told that many double barrel flintlock shotguns were made. Therefore, many left and right locks were available. A good maker back-in-the-day could easily make a left-handed musket as a special order. Yes, he has seen one or two antique examples and are very rare.

That's a good point, double-barreled guns are somewhat ambidextrous by nature. However, personally I have yet to see any double-barreled matchlock firearms. I have found multi-shot examples with revolving cylinders, but not the more common double-barrel arrangement that necessitates locks on both sides of the gun, like you and your associate were discussing on flintlocks.

 

[PathfinderNC]

"Clearly they weren't so prejudiced against left-handedness that nobody was able to fight that way during the period,"
Ahh as I suspected. It's about left-handed victim-hood.

 

[TradShooter]

"Clearly they weren't so prejudiced against left-handedness that nobody was able to fight that way during the period,"
Ahh as I suspected. It's about left-handed victim-hood.

Weren't you aware? Left-handers are the Jews of the shooting world. Such a long history of exodus and persecution

 

[PathfinderNC]

Weren't you aware? Left-handers are the Jews of the shooting world. Such a long history of exodus and persecution

 

[Wildrangeringreen]

Left handed people have more-or-less always been around. In the early modern period and prior, when virtually everything was made per the customer's order, you saw all sorts of stuff. Most things can be used ambidextrously, so there is no need to make it in reverse for handedness.

When you start getting into firearms with an actual lock mechanism, you started to see specialized lock-makers popping up; and like it has been mentioned, having a separate set of patterns and tooling to produce locks for roughly 10% of the population is either A- not worth the effort, or B- costs more per lock to pay for. Since most firearm purchasers weren't super wealthy (especially as we look into the late 1500's and early 1600's), it would make sense that they would buy the right hand gun, as they could afford it, and while inconvenient, a lefty is usually able to adapt (unlike asking most right handed people to shoot a left handed gun, you'd think you'd just asked them to jump off a bridge lol).

Close order military drill requires everything to be the same, and 90% of people are right handed, so obviously, you are going to write the manual and produce pattern guns for right handed people.

Good heavens, just because it wasn't common, doesn't mean it wasn't a thing lol.

 

[appalichian hunter]

God only made a few of us perfect, the rest are right-handed.

 

[TFoley]

Weren't you aware? Left-handers are the Jews of the shooting world. Such a long history of exodus and persecution

Holy smoke - there you have it!!! I fit the example -

a. I'm naturally a leftie, although like many lefties, I'm ambidextrous to an almost unbelievable degree.

b. I'm a black powder shooter, but

c. I'm Jewish, too! (AND a half-Irish former redhead).

So I have absolutely nothing going for me.

All I can say is oy.

 

[Rudyard]

I once made a left handed E C W caliver matchlock for a re enactor . & LH guns as wanted . But in general most are RH ed .Ive yet to make a cross eyed stock but would if some one order'ed it . Ive seen cross eyed wheellocks That's some challenge. .Re Petronels Robert Held's exellent book ' Age Of firearms' shews a long German example weight of 7 & half pounds . Mine I copied from a French Example now probably at the RA in Leeds mine is 50 cal 30" taper oct brl and no way do I find it comfortable to hold let alone aim from the chest as there pupported to be shot, may hap they had a breast plate & a leather coat that might work Their could be Petronel affectionadoes out there ?. Its all very interesting choose what.
Regards Rudyard

 

[DuncNZ]

This is a very vague picture of a left handed matchlock from a book called Weapons through the ages . I don't have the camera to take better photos of the fine drawings . The text says " wrongly shows the lock on the left of the stock " The bird shooters are most likely artistic licence .The way children draw aircraft with one wing up and one down to show the aircraft has two wings .I'd say go for it it can't be proven either way but the German left hander is all you need , I like the thumb trigger on the German ML

 

[toot]

I guess that blows a hole in that!? pun intended!

 

[DixieTexian]

I think to answer the question you have to take a bit of a step back challenge your assumptions a bit. What we recognize as a left handed lock today may not have been thought of as left handed by people of the time period. Maybe the maker wanted the lock mechanism to be visible to the off eye so that the shooter could see what was going on with it and tend to the match easier. Or would they have even considered handedness a thing when shooting a gun that requires both hands? About 30% of the population is left eye dominant and should be shooting what we consider left handed today, so maybe they just shot with their dominant eye and didn't consider handedness at all since both hands were required.