The ultra wealthy won the beauty and engineering contest...back in the day

[XVIIc Wheelock]

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Just re-thinking...was this posted earlier? If so, I apologize...

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

And if that was not enough...how about a double barrel wheelock handgonne? Talk about a hand full fit to kill ! I hear one error...put a piece of "flint" in a dog?

 

[TobJohn]

And if that was not enough...how about a double barrel wheelock handgonne? Talk about a hand full fit to kill ! I hear one error...put a piece of "flint" in a dog?

That would probably be categorized as an arquebus. There are a shocking amount of double barrel wheellocks surviving.

Here are a couple more examples:

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

Amazing TobJohn, simply incredible! I had no idea!

 

[TobJohn]

Amazing TobJohn, simply incredible! I had no idea!

This is just a sample, too! I have a dream of someday being able to make the ones in the bottom picture…

 

[Sam squanch]

Were these actually used? Or just for show? Most of the owners were probably wealthy enough to have bodyguards with them everywhere.

 

[TobJohn]

Were these actually used? Or just for show? Most of the owners were probably wealthy enough to have bodyguards with them everywhere.

Most of them are directly from Royal or imperial collections, so probably not used as weapons. The double barreled wheellocks with dagger grips have a long spread of popularity, from around the 1540s-1600s, so maybe those were used in combat? The really plain examples at the bottom of my post are actually from the most prestigious owner (Charles V). ironic, given their lack of decoration. Charles has a different surviving wheellock from his collection in the painting of his victory at the battle of Mühlberg, so even when he took part of his imperial armory “into battle”, he chose a more conventional gun.

 

[XVIIc Wheelock]

TobJohn: How in the world did Charles V in the midst of battle, manipulate a wheelock with armored gloves and a pike in his hand??? Fantastic painting!

NOTE: I am not insinuating you were there !

 

[TobJohn]

TobJohn: How in the world did Charles V manipulate a wheelock with armored gloves??? Fantastic painting!

If I am remembering correctly, this painting by Titian is actually the main influence for the classic style of leaders on horses.

Despite the bulkiness for using a gun, it’s notable that Charles V is wearing lighter demilancer armor, and not full plate. He supposedly did participate in battles, to some degree, but I doubt he was doing much reloading. The wheellocks of this era actually used a big wingnut (visible in the photo further up and the painting) as a spanner, adding to the funkiness.

 

[Sam squanch]

I’m sure old Charlie was nowhere near the action.