Landsknecht Arquebus and Petronel

[Rudyard]

If you watch the Japanese movies of the time where common infantry were using matchlocks against samurai you will see that the infantry held their weapons four to five inches away from their faces. I'm hoping this analog helps.

Dear Mr de Kam While actors might have fired that way and Though since the art of fireing matchlocks is ALL there allowed generally its more than plausible that hold was correct if Matchlock shooters in Europe might hold theirs differently. These being popular guns for the MLAIC International events of' Tanagashima' & the sitting position one . I followed these events but stayed with European style Snap Matchlocks mostly after the 'Mary Rose 'recovered guns on that plan . which other than going without the cheek stock are essentially what the Japonees copied & have too many similarities to consider other origins than the Venetian' AK' of the times . Might be the Portugues traded off a shortened off example but nothing Portugues beyond that .I suspect the traders got rid of a stock worm eaten or smashed to the unsuspecting Japanese ( and chuckled all the way back home !.) This is not the official MLA IC view but there not gunmakers and prefer to go with the fable so as to please the Japonees teams .I was at the first in the US MLAIC events at Quantico Va 1980 ?or there abouts .The prize giving had the usual pot hunters USA & German teams so often it got' oh hum' then the Japonees placed and the onlookers went wild with the pleasure that at last the Japonees teem won some thing! .They dressed the part gave away whalebone vent pics, one fired a hand held massive M lock.. While I often placed 'as of right 'to shoot for NZ I wasn't into the natty blazer Team stuff it didn't suit why normal lifestyle (Card carrying grub!),but I made various teams Matchlocks & other guns .
Regards Rudyard

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

If you watch the Japanese movies of the time where common infantry were using matchlocks against samurai you will see that the infantry held their weapons four to five inches away from their faces. I'm hoping this analog helps.

I would not use movies as a viable resource …

If you watch the YouTube videos of the Matsumoto Gun Corp from Japan, whom has brought the ceremony, artistry, culture and shooting the Tanegashima back to life, they do hold the butt of the stock against their cheek.

But as Rudyard says, yes the forward hand does handle most of the recoil.

Watch the video here, shooting my replica 50-cal, courtesy of @rickystl:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...japanese-‘tanegashima’-snap-matchlock.176306/

 

[TobJohn]

I would not use movies as a viable resource …

If you watch the YouTube videos of the Matsumoto Gun Corp from Japan, whom has brought the ceremony, artistry, culture and shooting the Tanegashima back to life, they do hold the butt of the stock against their cheek.

But as Rudyard says, yes the forward hand does handle most of the recoil.

Watch the video here, shooting my replica 50-cal, courtesy of @rickystl:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...japanese-‘tanegashima’-snap-matchlock.176306/

Thanks for linking that. That seems exactly how the less aggressively curveds style of petronel should be shot:

 

[RAEDWALD]

The way the Jap ones where held or the wheellocks that had cheek pieces the fore hand grips the fore end in such a manner as to counter the recoiling & the cheek is held enough to sight the sights , I see the natural curve on the wood does conform to the ideal .Still takes a bold man to fire either sort .( Its probably how Hockey was invented ).
Whimsical Rudyard

Ah hockey. Like rugby but with a 3 foot stick in hand. When I was a teenager I was shocked by the foul language and vicious violence of the girls school sides we played against. But then playing girls schools was the whole point of forming our hockey team.