Japanese Matchlock Pistols and Rifles/Muskets

[Unk]

I startet shooting muzzle loaders and i have a different percussion Pistols, a Flintlock Pistol and an percussion Musket. That's enough for the beginning most people will say, but i'm very curios about japanese matchlock Pistols and Muskets.

Does somebody know, where to get stuff like this? I would like to shoot them, so no decoration replicas needed. I've heard/read about arsa but it seems the website is down, so they maybe finished making guns?

Selfbuild Kit or finished Weapon, anything? Would be very nice if somebody got some infos about this.

thanks alot,
Jens

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Unforunately there are no US-sourced kits, but Old Guard Manufacture from Poland, who posts on here under that same name, will make you one, or even just the serpentine snaplock action. Search on that name and PM or Private Message them.

The only options are to find a Miroku made one that Dixie Gun Works used to sell. This is a 50-cal smoothbore of military/aresenal fashion, of a heavy straight profile octagonal barrel.

The other option is to procur a suitable real one from a pawn shop or auction and have the barrel reamed smooth (good as new!) by Bobby Hoyt for ~$60, where he also checks the breech plug and tough hole.

But BEWARE auction prices are up there! As I've bid on over TWO dozen by now and all have gone for well over $1K, liely closer to $2K and that's before the 20 to 25% Buyer's commission is added. And those are for 'plain Jane' versions, without much inlay or ornamentation.

For your enjoyment, also see here of a few of us shooting a Miroku replica:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...japanese-‘tanegashima’-snap-matchlock.176306/

And then the one I'm currently restoring:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...iginal-japanese-tanegashima-matchlock.162819/

 

[Unk]

Unfortunately... if i would life in US, but as i'm from Germany, a Poland based manufacturer doesn't sounds too bad for me

Thanks for the info, i will definitely check him out

The pawn shop / auction thing is not really an option for me. I'm no collector and want to shoot it, so buying an original one is far to expensive and even if i would have the money, i would have to spend even more to get it to save shooting condition, and to get approval from german "Beschussamt" to be allowed to actually shoot it.

Thanks, also for the links to pictures and shooting

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

FWIW I'd bet you could get a real one from a European auction site for less than a new one might co$t you from Old Guard. I quoted you "USA prices" for what it would cost me - over here - and yet my friends - over there - tell me they can get the same antique arms locally for about 1/3rd to 1/2 of what it will eventually cost me.

Then of course, some Countries' export laws are soooo outrageous that they either will not ship them to the US or the cost of shipping exceeds the price of the arm. Even Italy just charged me export fees as a rifle ... for the shipment of 2 old barrels. Locks only, ship out as 'parts'.

And I recently tried to buy a powder tester or eprouvette that looks like a pistol, but it doesn't shoot a projectile, as the powder explosion only forces open a cap that's lodged against a stout spring. The cap locks onto a circular ratchet with numbers around the perimeter, so the higher the #, the stronger the powder. Anyways, England declared that to be a pistol and would not ship it to me.

 

[TobJohn]

If you get one at a German Auction (unfortunately Hermann Historica doesn’t have any right now) is it possible to get one that’s already proofed and okay to shoot? Do antiques need to be proofed or checked out went transferred to a new owner?

apparrently barrels are a bit of a bottleneck for some European builders and no one makes an authentic replica of Japanese barrels, anyway, so I agree with Flint that auctions may be the best bet.

 

[Unk]

It depends... -> if the gun is an original single shot/barrel muzzleloader and was made before 1891 no official proof is needed. Buying and selling muzzle loaders in germany is not a big problem as they are not restricted (you only need to be over the age of 18, only powder is restricted). It gets more complicated if it has to be shipped between countries, as every country has other regulations.

If it is an old gun from 1800+ and you want to shoot it, its also advisable to get it checked by a gun smith. If condition is good enough to still shoot it or not, even if you don't need an offical proof sign.

I have refurbished an old percussion musket from around 1850. No proof needed, but was checked by muzzle loader gun smith afterwards, as i was afraid it maybe will blow up right into my face

I will check for auctions, but i'm not sure if this is "in my budget" as normaly old guns in good condition attract collectors and get very pricey

 

[TobJohn]

It depends... -> if the gun is an original single shot/barrel muzzleloader and was made before 1891 no official proof is needed. Buying and selling muzzle loaders in germany is not a big problem as they are not restricted (you only need to be over the age of 18, only powder is restricted). It gets more complicated if it has to be shipped between countries, as every country has other regulations.

If it is an old gun from 1800+ and you want to shoot it, its also advisable to get it checked by a gun smith. If condition is good enough to still shoot it or not, even if you don't need an offical proof sign.

I have refurbished an old percussion musket from around 1850. No proof needed, but was checked by muzzle loader gun smith afterwards, as i was afraid it maybe will blow up right into my face

I will check for auctions, but i'm not sure if this is "in my budget" as normaly old guns in good condition attract collectors and get very pricey

Thanks for the thorough explanation! The Capnball channel has a video on how even antique muzzleloaders need a modern proofing to be shot, so I wasn’t sure if Germany was the same.