Thread: A tiny cannon
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Old 4th June 2009, 12:57 PM   #19
Matchlock
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
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Default How Early 15th Century Handguns Like the Berne Gun Were Aimed

Three illustrations from a book on warfare by Johann Hartlieb, 1436, showing tiller handguns being aimed by the support of small targes (Austrian State Library Vienna, Cod. 3062).

Ignition is still done manually, by the use of small igniting irons and sometimes by another man, and the short barrel guns do not yet have recoil hooks. This sort of backs up my thesis that hooks did not seem to have appeared before ca. the 1430's-40's.

I owe the images to Ed - thanks, my friend!

Michael
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Last edited by Matchlock; 4th June 2009 at 04:53 PM.
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