Blunderbuss with Cork Mail markings

[fernando]

Originally Posted by corrado26

... There has been a blunderbuss-gun introduced in the Austrian cuirassier-regiments. 12 men of these regiments used so called "trombones M 1759" with a horizontally very wide muzzle ...

Suggestive example, corrado; thanks for sharing it. If i may say, this one falls into atypical connotation, both because blunderbusses generally have flared muzzles and its nickname trombone doesn't reflect its actual barrel shape ?.
But speaking of muzzles, one may consider the 'duck beak' version (as we call it here), in a French example of the XVIII century, here scanned from the catalogue of the Ducal Palace of Vila Viçosa (Portugal).
From the same armoury, we may also appreciate an English fortress/navy blunderbuss, from the same period, with a rather 'scary' muzzle.
... and another example for a similar purpose, this time Portuguese, from the XVII-XVIII century, with a steel octogonal/tronco-conic barrel with silver decoration, equipped with prominent brass sights, an iron swivel device and a typical Portuguese lock.

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[corrado26]

Originally Posted by fernando

this one falls into atypical connotation, both because blunderbusses generally have flared muzzles and its nickname trombone doesn't reflect its actual barrel shape ?.

No, "trombone" has nothing to do with the barrel shape. It may have been my fault to translate the Austrian name "Kürassiertromblon M 1759" into an English obviously wrong expression - sorry!
corrado26

[fernando]

Oh, i see; Tromblon, the French term for blunderbuss. BTW, the term in portuguese is Bacamarte.

[CutlassCollector]

As Jim has already mentioned blunderbusses were widely used at sea in many sizes. From swivel mounted for the ships rails and small boats to hand held for boarding parties.

A 1797 list of equipment requisitioned for the first three US frigates - United States, Constellation and Constitution with around 40 guns each - included 44 blunderbusses. Approx 1 for every 3 guns but by 1822 the navy allowance was recorded as 1 to every 10 guns.

Similar to coaches the ease and speed of loading on a moving platform or small boat must have been a major advantage. Although it is said that a trained shooter could discharge 3 musket rounds a minute from a standing position, the rate of fire was lessened for kneeling or sitting.

This drawing of a Pyrotechnic Blunderbuss is from 'Boarders Away' and was apparently widely used by the Dutch. The dart was set alight before firing and the chains and barbs were designed to catch in the sails to set them on fire.

CC