A very fine Tusco-Emilian snap matchlock Landsknecht's harquebus, ca. 1525

Matchlock · 14th December 2008, 06:23 PM

A Pilsen snap tinder lock harquebus of ca. 1525-30, featuring the earliest form of a flash guard integral to the pan.

I was wrong, btw.: the ca. 1550 Innsbruck lock does not have a flash guard.

Michael

Matchlock · 14th December 2008, 06:33 PM

The flash guards of the 1539 Nuremburg harquebus and the one of. ca. 1540 from Straubing.

Michael

Matchlock · 14th December 2008, 06:34 PM

The Innsbruck detached lock.

Matchlock · 14th December 2008, 07:57 PM

Please see here for another period back sight with an inserted aperture:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7138

Michael

Matchlock · 14th December 2008, 08:02 PM

And an insight into the - most probánly interchangeable! - blade aperture.

Michael

Pukka Bundook · 15th December 2008, 03:28 PM

Michael,

Thank you for your answers.

I am still non-plussed by the wood spliced in, on the gun from the tower. ..(With the new-made lock)
If the pan was not originally fitted to the lock, the only other alternative I can think of, is that the stock was re-used, and fitted with the present barrel and lock. The stock appears to have had wood spliced in, ahead of the present lock, as well as above it, under the pan.

I suppose recoil damage could be the reason for the wood being added, but it doesn't really add up.

Re. the flash fence; It is interesting to see the developement of the flash-fence, over an approximate ten year period, from the very small fence, on your Pilsen tubelock of 1525-30, and the one on the Nuremburg of 1539,...fully fledged!
Re. aperture sights, made between 1530's and 1540's;
This is a very modern sight, I wonder why it fell into dis-favour?
I have seen this sight used later, but they were added to target guns and rifles, in the late 1500's. These target rifles appear to have been of an old fashioned form when made, but could possibly have been made that way to fulfill the requirements of a certain target class.
These guns were generally highly decorted and expensive, and it is on these later guns I have usually seen the replaceable sights.

On your last pictures Michael, the tunnel appears to have ben "staked"..as in punch marks in the top, to apparently hold the sight. Is this correct?

All best!

R.

Matchlock · 16th December 2008, 12:06 PM

Richard,

I am sorry to learn that my reply on the Tower/RA harquebus has not been able to satisfy your thirst for knowledge. I cannot explain for the sliced in pieces of wood any better, though. Blaming it on possibble recoil damages does not make much sense, I, too, am afraid.

You are definitely right in attributing tubular back sights mostly to target shooting; I have seen such oversized sights placed on matchlock, wheel-lock, and flintlock guns apparantly re-used for target shooting. Of course, these are mostly 19th century crude alterations.

I also agree that the use of replaceable aperture blade sights was the anticipation of a very modern feature long ago. The only reason I can think of why that idea was dropped for centuries is that the guns of those time periods just did not hit well enough to catch up with the exactly cut aperture sights.

You are, in my opinion, also right in commenting on the two staked punches on top of the back sight in order to hold the aperture in place. Of course, it was no longer easliy interchangeable after the staking.

Thank you for paying such detailed attention to my posts, my friend!

All the best,
m

14th December 2008, 06:23 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A Pilsen snap tinder lock harquebus of ca. 1525-30, featuring the earliest form of a flash guard integral to the pan. I was wrong, btw.: the ca. 1550 Innsbruck lock does not have a flash guard. Michael Attached Images

14th December 2008, 06:33 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The flash guards of the 1539 Nuremburg harquebus and the one of. ca. 1540 from Straubing. Michael Attached Images

14th December 2008, 06:34 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The Innsbruck detached lock. Attached Images

14th December 2008, 08:02 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	And an insight into the - most probánly interchangeable! - blade aperture. Michael Attached Images

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14th December 2008, 07:57 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Please see here for another period back sight with an inserted aperture: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7138 Michael

15th December 2008, 03:28 PM	#6
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Michael, Thank you for your answers. I am still non-plussed by the wood spliced in, on the gun from the tower. ..(With the new-made lock) If the pan was not originally fitted to the lock, the only other alternative I can think of, is that the stock was re-used, and fitted with the present barrel and lock. The stock appears to have had wood spliced in, ahead of the present lock, as well as above it, under the pan. I suppose recoil damage could be the reason for the wood being added, but it doesn't really add up. Re. the flash fence; It is interesting to see the developement of the flash-fence, over an approximate ten year period, from the very small fence, on your Pilsen tubelock of 1525-30, and the one on the Nuremburg of 1539,...fully fledged! Re. aperture sights, made between 1530's and 1540's; This is a very modern sight, I wonder why it fell into dis-favour? I have seen this sight used later, but they were added to target guns and rifles, in the late 1500's. These target rifles appear to have been of an old fashioned form when made, but could possibly have been made that way to fulfill the requirements of a certain target class. These guns were generally highly decorted and expensive, and it is on these later guns I have usually seen the replaceable sights. On your last pictures Michael, the tunnel appears to have ben "staked"..as in punch marks in the top, to apparently hold the sight. Is this correct? All best! R.

16th December 2008, 12:06 PM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Richard, I am sorry to learn that my reply on the Tower/RA harquebus has not been able to satisfy your thirst for knowledge. I cannot explain for the sliced in pieces of wood any better, though. Blaming it on possibble recoil damages does not make much sense, I, too, am afraid. You are definitely right in attributing tubular back sights mostly to target shooting; I have seen such oversized sights placed on matchlock, wheel-lock, and flintlock guns apparantly re-used for target shooting. Of course, these are mostly 19th century crude alterations. I also agree that the use of replaceable aperture blade sights was the anticipation of a very modern feature long ago. The only reason I can think of why that idea was dropped for centuries is that the guns of those time periods just did not hit well enough to catch up with the exactly cut aperture sights. You are, in my opinion, also right in commenting on the two staked punches on top of the back sight in order to hold the aperture in place. Of course, it was no longer easliy interchangeable after the staking. Thank you for paying such detailed attention to my posts, my friend! All the best, m