Vintage Replica Wheellocks made in Spain

[Joe D]

Hello everybody! I love and collect European Renaissance-era weapons and armor, and I love firearms of the time -- but especially, I have a thing for the Wheellock.
I have only seen about 3-5 or so on the entire internet, but apparently there used to be non-firing replica Wheellock pistols made in Spain, in the 70s or so. Tourist pieces/souvenirs found in shops, so I've heard.
Does anyone know about, or maybe even have, something like this?

As more of a reenactor, these non-firing Wheellock replicas are extremely intriguing to me.

 

[Commodore Swab]

For a brief time there were some being made in India. There is Bolek and another I hear another making wheellocks in Europe. I am currently working on one with another almost ready to start.

 

[Joe D]

For a brief time there were some being made in India. There is Bolek and another I hear another making wheellocks in Europe. I am currently working on one with another almost ready to start.

I love Bolek's work, but I would prefer something non-firing.
What kind are you working on?

 

[Commodore Swab]

A 1600's long gun with a rifle shoppe lock and a late 1500's also with a rifle shoppe lock (waiting on a rayl barrlel). I get the locks as cast and build them myself

 

[Joe D]

Do you happen to know about these vintage non-firing replicas?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Check out Pirate Fashions. All should be aware however, that Alden bought what he hoped to be a replica from them that could be fired ... and he had many build & quality issues with it. Might be fine for a reenactor though ...
https://piratefashions.com/products/puffer-wheel-lock-pistol

 

[Joe D]

Check out Pirate Fashions. All should be aware however, that Alden bought what he hoped to be a replica from them that could be fired ... and he had many build & quality issues with it. Might be fine for a reenactor though ...
https://piratefashions.com/products/puffer-wheel-lock-pistol

Thank you for your suggestion. I love the looks of the Wheellocks on Pirate Fashions, but unfortunately I can't afford something like that. I'm more in search of a non-firing Wheellock which is strictly decorative, or a prop.
I will post pictures/links to examples later.

 

[hawkeye2]

Denix (https://www.denix.es/en/catalogue/colonial-and-pirate-1492-xviii-c/) makes non-firing "replicas" but I don't see a wheellock nor remember them making one.

 

[glidingdoc]

Where could I go for a working, firing wheelock smoothbore 36 inch barrel or possibly a side by side shotgun wheel lock? I am in the UK where the laws a rather strict about firearms . A "Shotgun License " allows us to own a smooth bore gun with a minimum barrel legnthof,(I think) about 32 inches.

I would really like to own a wheelock shotgun and, even better, a side by side shotgun with wheel locks.
Steve

 

[Felix the Cat]

Where could I go for a working, firing wheelock smoothbore 36 inch barrel or possibly a side by side shotgun wheel lock? I am in the UK where the laws a rather strict about firearms . A "Shotgun License " allows us to own a smooth bore gun with a minimum barrel legnthof,(I think) about 32 inches.

I would really like to own a wheelock shotgun and, even better, a side by side shotgun with wheel locks.
Steve

In UK a shotgun is a smoothbore firearm with a minimum barrel length of 24" and less than a 2" bore..

Wheelocks are bulky and expensive.. although I would never say never, I would think a double wheelock is almost impossible.. It would certainly not look like anything produced after 1800.

The wheelocks that do exist are mostly German from the 15th and 16thC and have survived because they were extremely expensive to make and hence valuable and owned by people with money to spend..

 

[Felix the Cat]

.

 

[Joe D]

I would think a double wheelock is almost impossible.. It would certainly not look like anything produced after 1800.

Well of course not after 1800, that's much after the hay day of these guns. Double wheellocks did exist in the 17th century, from repeaters, double barrels and even revolvers, and some of these were even breach loading.
It'd be possible, although I'm not sure how it'd be a shotgun. It would be a donderbus/blunderbuss at best.

 

[Joe D]

Where could I go for a working, firing wheelock smoothbore 36 inch barrel or possibly a side by side shotgun wheel lock? I am in the UK where the laws a rather strict about firearms . A "Shotgun License " allows us to own a smooth bore gun with a minimum barrel legnthof,(I think) about 32 inches.

I would really like to own a wheelock shotgun and, even better, a side by side shotgun with wheel locks.
Steve

First and foremost, I've seen amazing Wheellock work from a man named Bolek Maciaszczyk, who I would probably recommend first. Or, the Rifle Shoppe also seems like a reputable maker. I think either would be good to work with on such a custom project, although it would be expensive.

 

[MSW]

Is Bolek the same fellow who posted as Replasza ? (spelling unsure) … he was from Poland... fantastic work … I haven't seen his posts in a while

 

[Teleoceras]

MSW:

Is Bolek the same fellow who posted as Replasza ? (spelling unsure) … he was from Poland... fantastic work … I haven't seen his posts in a while

Yes he is. I sent my Wheellock Mechanism to him for repairs a few years back. Just be warned he has a huge backlog so expect a wait.

 

[TFoley]

Where could I go for a working, firing wheelock smoothbore 36 inch barrel or possibly a side by side shotgun wheel lock? I am in the UK where the laws a rather strict about firearms . A "Shotgun License " allows us to own a smooth bore gun with a minimum barrel legnthof,(I think) about 32 inches.

I would really like to own a wheelock shotgun and, even better, a side by side shotgun with wheel locks.
Steve

Here in UK the minimum length for a shotgun barrel is 24". Be advised that the wheelock action is the most complicated firearm ever devised up until the invention of the machine gun, and the words ecomomical and wheellock do not fit together well. What you are asking for is a. costly and b. VERY costly.

 

[glidingdoc]

Any idea how much?

Given that Mr. Bolek has such a huge backlog of work, are the any UK gunsmiths who can either supply or manufacture a wheelock musket?

Steve

 

[TFoley]

TMK there is nobody in the UK who commercially makes either a wheellock or matchlock firearm of any kind, long or short. All those that we see being used by re-enactment groups such as The Sealed Knot are shooting Indian-made replicas of matchlocks that have been drilled through and are therefore classed as Shotguns. I don't know of anybody anywhere who makes a commercial wheellock firearm any more, although I recall a Spanish-made pistol many years ago - discounting for the moment the famous Polish gunmaker who makes museum replicas of extreme elegance and expense.

 

[Rudyard]

Well in 1973 or 74 I took an original Wheellock lock to India with hopes of getting it produced along with other locks & powder flasks. I went to Cawnpore ( Kanpur if you like ) The Birmingham of India . They were afraid that if one small group of workmen made it all' in house' they would sell the idea to other merchants so it got farmed out in pieces to a number on artizans who copied each piece they got so the entire went together but needed much re working to get it functional . I sold numbers and made two rifles useing them worked up into c1660s Germanic rifles I kept one and a spare lock. The rest no idea but I was under capitalisd and the market then wasn't as informed as today. so I gathered up doubles & falling blocks and gave up the struggle . "Youth was cheap wherefore we sold it , Gold was good we hoped to hold it , And today we know the fullness of our gains " Kipling from' Xmas in India' MY development but of course they hawk it off to any who might buy them, some to the US but got flat reaction . Indians think only of Rupees ethics don't come into a Bundook whallas day . Some year later one Paul Jacobi offered wheellocks and carbine and pistols were offerered in the US again few takers . It was the "Gotta get a Hawken" era . . . Ive done years of Rennactment mostly F&I in the US but any thing going was fine ' its a gig go for it' so I did Confereate riverboat man some times on Blennerhassett Island Ohio . But some did order Matchlock & English lock so I produced them . I have made just eight wheellocks . & I hunted many miles of New Zealand forested mountains. but while its fine pyrites is a bogey I used mostly fragments broken up from gem shops held in short pieces of wood and glued which generally gave two shots but then were blasted away of broke up. Not so much a problem in large game hunting but be a regal pain if you were shooting clays . As to the super duper fast ignition this is a fable since it is the setting of the vent & its form that really decides a faster shot . Sure the cheek stock is odd to moderns but if you hunt the miles I did it seems normal . Anyway what interest this is to readers I cant but guess but its what Ive found Regards Rudyard

 

[arcticap]

The MLF member AAOG is a professional gun maker in Argentina who makes handmade wheellock pistols.
He has a website and a Facebook page.
In one thread where he shows an .86 caliber rifle that he built, I posted the following contact info.:--->>> https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/big-bore-rifle-86.113373/

"I have also visited their facebook page.
Just type this name into the search box on facebook: Armas Antiguas Osvaldo Gatto
Everything can be translated with mouse clicks."

This thread shows his wheel lock pistol with videos showing how it works:--->>> https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/german-wheelock-pistol-builder.111170/
His Facebook page also lists his website.