Dating Earliest Barrels: the Importance of the Position of the Touch Hole

[Spiridonov]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

An interesting tiller gun with octagonal wrought-iron barrel, ca. 1460-80, sold for a hammer price of 7.200 euro in the same auction as the foregoing item.
The barrel was struck with a maker's mark on the underside (!), a segmented circle, and the rear end of the wooden haft retained an old reinforcing wire binding.
Overall length 127 cm, bore 16 mm.

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It's one of the most beautiful barrels, I have ever seen. The shape of it is typical and at the same time unusual. According to my calculation barrel length is about 318 mm and the stock length is 952 mm

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Spiridonov

It's one of the most beautiful barrels, I have ever seen. The shape of it is typical and at the same time unusual. According to my calculation barrel length is about 318 mm and the stock length is 952 mm

Your calculation is doubtlessly very exact, Alexender,

Please accept my warmest 'thanks'!


Best,
Michael

[Andi]

Hello you both - thank you for this little jewell

[Matchlock]

Yes, Andi,


Precious jewels they are indeed, those tiny miniature illuminations in medieval manuscripts!

Even if we take into consideration that the monks who carried out those delicate works in the scriptorium of a monastery already employed magnifying glasses with wooden frames since at least the 14th century (!), the result is absolutely admirable!


Best,
Michael

[Spiridonov]

Michael. Is it possible that such large touchhole due to corrosion? I'm afraid that with such a large touchhole at such small caliber will be very low compression. It seems that diameter of touchhole is about 6-7 mm (by the way is this hole canycal or not? what is the diameter of hole at top and bottom?)

[Marcus den toom]

These are some black and white pictures of haquebuts from Belgium. Sadly i could not find any other pictures of these pieces.

The first one is situated at the "Museum vleeshuis" in Dendermonde. It is broken at the breech what would sugest that it blew up. The overall condition also shows that it was found in the ground or at least corroded for a long period of time. The muzzle section with its front sight (?) is a bit larger than the ones in the illustraion in post 27. Plus they where most likely made in Belgium allowing for a somewhat later date of 1520-30.

The second one is also from the museum Vleeshuis and has been corroded very badly. It is also looks cleaned and will most likely no longer have the patina of almost 500 years on it. The expected hook is vague if present at all. The muzzle section is somewhat less prominent and large than the foregoing sample and can be dated to 1510-20.

The third one is also from the same museum and is in much better condition, but still cleaned. The decorations and the muzzle section would sugest a date of 1530-40s. There also appears to be a iron ramrod sticking out?

The fourth is a total mystery mainly because there is only one picture. It is stated to be a four barrel gun, which would be very rare. Though different from the meyrick gun (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=barrel+mace) it still appears to have some of the same features. But without any other picture this is just a guessing game.


More samples can be found here.
http://balat.kikirpa.be/results.php?...inkval=haakbus


I hope i am at least right about some of the dates, it is hard without our friend Michl. Hopefully we can make him proud by continuing his studies and use the foundation he gave us.

[fernando]

Good stuff, Marcus.
Carry on .