A stupendous hand cannon

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Philip

...Thanks for offering me a visit to the Barcarena factory, I had no idea it was in your neighborhood...

Well, it is not; i gave you a wrong idea. It is not far from Lisbon (Oeiras county), by the Barcarena stream, whose waters powered the mills (galgas).
... but the visit invitation remains .

Originally Posted by Philip

...Years ago I had a couple boxes of 8 mm ammunition for the Modelo 1886 rifle marked to this powder-mill; the "bullets" were made of wood and there was very little powder in the shells. I think that they were made either for volleys fired as ceremonial salutes...

Yes, for military funerals, as also for simulating fire exchange in trainning exercizes and so. I didn't use simulated ammo in my service, but i once had a 7,9 mm for the Mauser, with a brownish wood round point "bullet".

Fernando