[sal]

ChrisPer, thanks for your reply on my inquiry concerning early matchlock sporting firearms. My main interest is with European firearms. I have a poor photo copy of an American Rifleman article from March,1953 entitled "The Earliest Known Rifle" where the author, William G. Renwick, shows a photo of a early firearm owned by Maximilian 1. The author claims that the barrel is rifled and has provided four grainy photos showing the muzzle of the barrel showing what appears to be spiral groves. Per the article,the gun is decorated with the single-headed eagle crest used by Maximilian 1 between 1493 and 1508 . The photo shows a short gun with a cheek piece on the left side of the stock, a multi-diameter round barrel, and a rear peep sight. The gun is missing it's lock, but it appears to have had a snap matchlock. The gun still retains the staples that held the lock. The author also included a copy of an illustration made by Joerg Koelderer, Maximilian 1s court artist, that pictures several similar looking firearms. I will use your advice and continue to research this project, but will certainly keep Maximilian 1s firearm in mind when I start the build process. Thanks for your input..sal