Unusual Flintlock Lock

[Slowpoke]

Robin sent me a book this weekend that had a picture of an unusual flintlock that the forum might be interested in.... I wonder how much it would cost to get Chambers to make me one.

S'Poke

 

[musketman]

I seen reference to those before, the idea behind it was to have 4 shots before you needed to reload it...

You would, of course work back towards the breech in susession...

Loading went as followed: powder, patched roundball (paper patched or cloth), overpowder card, repeat three more times...

Care must be taken not to cock and fire the wrong hammer, otherwise...

 

[roundball]

Read something about those also but the article only had a sketch, not a photo...I guess with a single trigger there would be a single long sear with multiple tumbler engagement tips?

 

[Stumpkiller]

I believe they are called "superimposed." I have a book titles "Firearms Curiosa" that discusses these.

They give you multiple opportunities to screw up the loading process (and you have to pack that first charge REALLY tight or firing the rest jambs the next ball past the first vent).

 

[insurrection1517]

Wow! That things amazing. I can't believe it worked.

 

They were built way back, I think even before the flint - to the matchlock? I seem to recall seeing a photo of a superimposed matchlock- but can't recall where.
: I don't expect the charges were very high, and the closeness of the locks sort of shows that. Actually, the charges seem to be fairly long, given a calibre of .45 or .50. Perhaps there was an extra wad on TOP the ball behind the powder of the load in front it. It would be extra insurance against chain disharge, and take up some of that space as well. I am thinking you'd want the vent just into the base of the charge, to allow for some wadding up action from pressure in front, expecially for the second charge in the barrel. I expect by the time the first charge loaded or last to fire was let off, that paricular ball would be a fairly snug fit.

 

[musketman]

Notice that none of the flints have a fold of leather or hammered lead to hold them secure...

 

[roundball]

And the tip is broken off the top of the third hammer.

The flints look odd too...wonder if they're pieces of wood just for photo purposes

 

[musketman]

I don't expect the charges were very high, and the closeness of the locks sort of shows that.

What if they were higher charges used? When the fourth one was fired, it packed the third ball down tight under recoil using Newton's 3rd law of motion...

When the 3rd charge was fired, it seated the 2nd charge to the proper depth, and so on...

By the time that bottom charge is finally fired, it would be firmly packed from 3 previous recoils...

 

[Herb]

The House on the Rock museum near Dodgeville, Wisconsin has three or four of these.

 

I am surprised any of these survive as they were prone to blow up according to everything I've read! It seems even firing them in proper order did not insure a chain firing...

 

[Doc Arroyo]

My guess is that they survive BECAUSE a few of them did blow up! After that not many of them were ever loaded again!!!!!