MALAYSIAN MATCHLOCK MUSKET FOR COMMENT
 

This musket has a heavy 144cm octagonal barrel with a weight about 4.8 kg and with a smooth bore in 20 mm overall size 172 cm.The dark wood stock is fitted with an ornate cast brass lock with an external spring ( damaged) and heavy serpentine.
Any comment on it will be welcome
Best
CERJAK

A very nice rare matchlock, is the barrel signed like the Japanese matchlock, and is there a threaded barrel bolt like the Japanese matchlock. Since you have the barrel out can you take some pictures as I can not remember ever seeing one of these with the barrel removed.

Yes, please. I second Estcrh's request ref the barrel. It does indeed look like it's installed similar to the Japanese matchlocks but with the addition of a cross pin. If so, the breech can easily be removed. Additional barrel photos would be great.
Yes, too bad about the mainspring. But still a very nice piece.
Rick.

Rick, some Japanese matchlocks have also have a hole in the barrel bolt for inserting a removal tool. They also have a removable brass barrel protector with a complex brass wedge, the Malaysian matchlock seems to have the barrel protector built into the pan.

Hi RICK and estcrh,
The barrel don't have any marks and I'm pretty sure that the breech can't be removed.
The musket is already reassembled but I will check again later.
Best
Cerjak

Cerjak, the reason I asked was this images showing what looks like a barrel bolt with a hole like in the Japanese matchlocks.

Estcrh

I this aditionnal picture you can see that there ins't barrrel bold for this barrel
Best
Cerjak

soory the picture

Also I 'm wondering what it is the use for this :,to secure the serpentine ?

Here is another example with a similar chain.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4410

Hi Estcrh.
Yes, I see what you mean. OK, the hole in the breech plug is just to assist with a removal tool. I was also thinking the square hole in the stock is used to keep the breechplug tight in the barrel similar to Japanese matchlocks (?). I was just curious to see if the breechplug design of the Malaysian and Japanese matchlocks were similar. It would not have surprised me if they were.
Rick.

Rick, that is correct on both assumptions I think, although many Japanese matchlock owners have a hard time believing that the barrel bolt (bisen) on their Japanese matchlocks actually can be removed as they are often completely stuck to the point that they sometimes get broken off in the attempt. Some are not square though, I have seen round ended Japanese barrel bolts. Here is a picture of one that I have, it made cleasning the barrel a lot easier.

Hi Estcrh.
With the exception of the hole in the bolt head, mine is exactly like yours. And the term bolt is probably more accurate in this case since it is not designed as the typical breechplug we are accustomed to seeing. My bolt came out without much effort. I re-applied Kroil oil around the edges of the bolt head off and on for about three weeks to give it time to penetrate. Then a little heat and it came right out with a cresent wrench. As I recall, the bolt is about 1.25" long. The head of the bolt does not really tighten into the barrel, but just snugs up flush to the breech face. It took me a while to figure out that the bolt is held in tight when the tapered square plug is returned to the slot in the breech of the stock. Had to hammer it back in using a wood block. (To get the barrel off I had to hammer against the iron pan using the same wood block. Took me about half a day to figure out how it all came apart. LOL).
When I saw the square slot in the stock of the Malaysian gun, By the barrel photos of the Mal gun above, I can't tell if it's similar or not.
Rick.

Here's my Japanese barrel: I stand corrected!!! It does have the hole in the bolt head. Somehow, I did not remember this (getting old). :o
I just remembered removing it with a cresent wrench. OH Well. :rolleyes:
Rick.

Rick, if you want it translated post pictures here.

http://thesamuraiarmourforum.com/boa...ju-accessories

Thanks Estcrh !!!
Rick

Cerjak, I think this image may explain the chain, it seems to be for holding the match cord.