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Matchlock · 1st August 2010, 09:46 PM

Hi Vicente,

I do hope to be able and comprehensively reply to your demanding questions.

1. A musket is tradionally a heavy military (non-decorated) gun; the term seems to have arisen in the mid 16th century and probably goes back to the Spanish term mosquito for the stinging insect and soon became especially synonymous of the 'sting' of a hot lead ball.
So there generally are a few basic criteria for defining a true military musket:

- long and heavy (meaning ca. 156-170 cm and 7-10 kg from ca. 1560 to 1620, and ca. 140-150 cm and 4-5 kg from ca. 1625-1680); these data are valid for both matchlock and wheel-lock muskets

- usually without decoration, apart from a short time span between ca. 1590 and 1618 when some high quality Suhl and Swiss muskets were delivered with ornamentally carved stocks

- barrel never rifled!

2. The definition of whether any kind of restoration or embellishment has been carried out at some later than the working time requires close and intense studies which take decades - meaning that you either have to trust a serious expert or take some hazardous adventures. Sorry but it's just as easy as that.

3. The butt trap, the cover of which may be a later addition on 'your' rifle, originally was not a 'patch box' like on Kentucky rifles but usually contained either reserve lead balls (the rests of grayish color can often be seen) or accoutermens like a spanner or cleaning tools like a scourer and worm.

Best,
Michael

1st August 2010, 09:46 PM	#8
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi Vicente, I do hope to be able and comprehensively reply to your demanding questions. 1. A musket is tradionally a heavy military (non-decorated) gun; the term seems to have arisen in the mid 16th century and probably goes back to the Spanish term mosquito for the stinging insect and soon became especially synonymous of the 'sting' of a hot lead ball. So there generally are a few basic criteria for defining a true military musket: - long and heavy (meaning ca. 156-170 cm and 7-10 kg from ca. 1560 to 1620, and ca. 140-150 cm and 4-5 kg from ca. 1625-1680); these data are valid for both matchlock and wheel-lock muskets - usually without decoration, apart from a short time span between ca. 1590 and 1618 when some high quality Suhl and Swiss muskets were delivered with ornamentally carved stocks - barrel never rifled! 2. The definition of whether any kind of restoration or embellishment has been carried out at some later than the working time requires close and intense studies which take decades - meaning that you either have to trust a serious expert or take some hazardous adventures. Sorry but it's just as easy as that. 3. The butt trap, the cover of which may be a later addition on 'your' rifle, originally was not a 'patch box' like on Kentucky rifles but usually contained either reserve lead balls (the rests of grayish color can often be seen) or accoutermens like a spanner or cleaning tools like a scourer and worm. Best, Michael Last edited by Matchlock; 2nd August 2010 at 12:25 AM.