Pirate swords and weapons

[M ELEY]

I think the description of the bandoliers makes sense for several reasons. Obviously, the guy with the most armament stands a better chance of winning. One-shot flintlocks in a battle had limited effect unless you had more. Secondly, remember that these folks loved to intimidate simply by their looks. Blackbeard purportedly set fuses in his beard and under his hat on fire to appear like the devil himself! They exaggerated their appearance, so a multi-brace of pistols did just that. As far as the Queen Anne types being of smaller caliber, you didn't necessarily need a huge .70 cal hand cannon! These folks were fighting in close proximity on the deck of a ship. Their swords, far from being huge rapiers or broadswords, were shorter hangers. The Queen Anne types were lighter for carrying in bundles and had just as lethal effect at close range!