The oldest known handgun in existence, ca. 1400-10

Matchlock · 28th April 2012, 03:04 PM

More examples of period artwork illustration of ca. 1430, Alamannic-Swabian, Ms Rh hist. 0033b, Swiss Central Library, Zürich.

Illustrated are tiller arquebuses with iron barrels, very close in shape to my gun, with reinforced breech section and not yet equiped with a hook (!) but fitted with what is recorded to be the earliest mechanical igniting device for a piece of tinder or coal, known to have been in use since at least the first years of the 15th c.
Please cf. similar illustrations posted above.

One barrel is shown being cleaned with a scourer.

I realize that in English this type of arquebus should actually be called a long gun or longarm; what is defined as a handgun would be called Faustfeuerwaffe in German.

Best,
Michael

28th April 2012, 03:04 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More examples of period artwork illustration of ca. 1430, Alamannic-Swabian, Ms Rh hist. 0033b, Swiss Central Library, Zürich. Illustrated are tiller arquebuses with iron barrels, very close in shape to my gun, with reinforced breech section and not yet equiped with a hook (!) but fitted with what is recorded to be the earliest mechanical igniting device for a piece of tinder or coal, known to have been in use since at least the first years of the 15th c. Please cf. similar illustrations posted above. One barrel is shown being cleaned with a scourer. I realize that in English this type of arquebus should actually be called a long gun or longarm; what is defined as a handgun would be called Faustfeuerwaffe in German. Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 28th April 2012 at 05:06 PM.

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