Matchlock Hand Mortar

Matchlock · 10th July 2012, 06:04 PM

Hi Deus,

Welcome to the forum.

No single hand mortar (Katzenkopf) solely equiped with a matchlock ignition is recorded.
Wheellock hand mortars of the late 16th-early 17th c. however were often combined with an additional snap-matchlock or tinderlock serpentine on the left side of the wheel.
They are also called grenade launchers.
Most of them feature cast-bronze barrels but a few samples are known to be mounted with wrought-iron barrels (see bottom attachments in post # 4).

Atached first are two mortars in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum München, both made in Nuremberg:
the upper with a combined snap-matchlock and wheellock, ca. 1590, the safety-catch missing;
the lower with a wheellock, and featuring an extremely flared fishtail butt, ca. 1600;

next a sample with combined snap-matchlock and wheellock ignition, Nuremberg, ca. 1590, and retaining its safety-catch; in the British Museum London.

Best,
Michael

10th July 2012, 06:04 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi Deus, Welcome to the forum. No single hand mortar (Katzenkopf) solely equiped with a matchlock ignition is recorded. Wheellock hand mortars of the late 16th-early 17th c. however were often combined with an additional snap-matchlock or tinderlock serpentine on the left side of the wheel. They are also called grenade launchers. Most of them feature cast-bronze barrels but a few samples are known to be mounted with wrought-iron barrels (see bottom attachments in post # 4). Atached first are two mortars in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum München, both made in Nuremberg: the upper with a combined snap-matchlock and wheellock, ca. 1590, the safety-catch missing; the lower with a wheellock, and featuring an extremely flared fishtail butt, ca. 1600; next a sample with combined snap-matchlock and wheellock ignition, Nuremberg, ca. 1590, and retaining its safety-catch; in the British Museum London. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 11th July 2012 at 12:30 AM.