Revoling wheellock pistol
- Thread starter Flint62Smoothie
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These revolvers are NOT standard cavalry equipment. They do not conform to the period combat style. A cavalry regiment is fighting as a unit in formation, closing distance to a tercio, firing of TWO shots (pair of pistols) and then rettreats to reload and reform. An individual trying to fire all 6 rounds would spend too much time infront of the enemy and be a lone target. It would also take forever to reload in comparison to the rest of the regiment disrupting the tempo. Im not avare of any ilustration showing such a revolver in combat. Here is a "simple" sixshot from 1600-1610 made in Nurnberg.
Mle,
I cant think where anyone said they Were standard cavalry equipment.
Caracole became standard cavalry drill as you say.....
I cant think where anyone said they Were standard cavalry equipment.
Caracole became standard cavalry drill as you say.....
I had brought up the possibility, because multishot wheellocks survive in surprising numbers.
I am not very knowledgeable on sporting arms, so I am wondering if there was a common sporting use for wheellock pistols, besides target shooting for fun?
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They all look amazingly pristeen like in a jewler's case. Maybe none of these were ever actually fired? I think Sam has a good point - too bad we can't ask the makers.
I'll bet a dollar to a donut that Sam Colt got his idea of his famous revolver patent from such a weapon!
Since there are a coupple of examples that are not decorative and are produced in a more simple quality, I believe they were actualy INTENDED to be sold for practical use. But they didnt cantch on because Officers just simply didnt see how to implement them in combat. Remember Colt was not the instant succes either, or the whole Springfield Trapdoor vs Winchester story. Sometimes the Army just wants to go safe.
Yes Colts original revolver was not the overwhelming success for the Army or law enforcement...until the Colt Walker was introduced to the Texas Rangers...its success in that venture put Colt on the map which led to the the civil war successes for Colt going forward. The rest of the story is then told. Ah, the Winchester/Springfield trap door was another long winded story between the military and law enforcement !
I assume Collier probably saw them first, which then inspired Colt.
The Royal Armouries has a video on the snaphance version of these guns:
The people want wheellocks, Mr Ferguson!
The Royal Armouries has a video on the snaphance version of these guns:
The people want wheellocks, Mr Ferguson!
the history of military procurement is so fascinating. A great lesson on how actual quality/advanced features can be one of the last considerations. Unless you are Swiss…
In this period, it’s just a complete sh!t show.
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One practical example is that the swedish cavalry in the Great Northern War actualy did not use their pistols at all. They just endured the first enemy volley and then stormed in with swords while the enemy cavalry was reloading. And they prevailed most of the time.
A tactic they learned from getting crushed by the Polish multiple times! It’s interesting that the cavalry revolution often only looks at Western/central Europe in isolation
