A Myth: Early 16th C. European Matchlock 'Pistols'

Matchlock · 28th December 2013, 04:17 PM

Right, Marcus,

Matchlocks did exist as tiny copper-alloy cast pistols and muskets with fishtail butts in early 17th c. Great Britain. Interestingly enough, the pistols all are shaped like ball- or lemon-butted wheellock 'puffers' but the (mostly missing) mechanism is a matchholder (this the first sample I see to have a spring attached).
They were used with real powder, as some samples with blown barrels prove, their bore being ca. 2-3 mm.

I photographed an impressive number of them in the reserve collection of the Museum of London, where most of them were excavated.

What I do like a lot is that finely made revolving cylinder and barrel now mounted on a carriage. I am convinced that it originally was part of a wheellock or snaphaunce revolver shaped like the 8-shot 'puffer' attached; it bears the mark of Hans Stopler of Nuremberg and the date 1597 - does anybody happen to know in what museum it is?
Btw, this is definitely not 'the world's oldest revolver', as the text states; revolving cylinder systems were known since at least the 1580's. When Samuel Colt undertook a vacation, he employed the idea from 16th c. weapons he saw in old collections, and from Elisha Collier et al.

Best,
Michael

28th December 2013, 04:17 PM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Right, Marcus, Matchlocks did exist as tiny copper-alloy cast pistols and muskets with fishtail butts in early 17th c. Great Britain. Interestingly enough, the pistols all are shaped like ball- or lemon-butted wheellock 'puffers' but the (mostly missing) mechanism is a matchholder (this the first sample I see to have a spring attached). They were used with real powder, as some samples with blown barrels prove, their bore being ca. 2-3 mm. I photographed an impressive number of them in the reserve collection of the Museum of London, where most of them were excavated. What I do like a lot is that finely made revolving cylinder and barrel now mounted on a carriage. I am convinced that it originally was part of a wheellock or snaphaunce revolver shaped like the 8-shot 'puffer' attached; it bears the mark of Hans Stopler of Nuremberg and the date 1597 - does anybody happen to know in what museum it is? Btw, this is definitely not 'the world's oldest revolver', as the text states; revolving cylinder systems were known since at least the 1580's. When Samuel Colt undertook a vacation, he employed the idea from 16th c. weapons he saw in old collections, and from Elisha Collier et al. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 29th December 2013 at 11:36 AM.