"16thC" Reproduction Wheellock Pistol?

As a (relatively) new member of this forum, I would like to ask the members of this group for their advice.

I would like to locate a reliable vendor who sells or can create a reproduction wheellock pistol (aka, a “puffer,” “dag,” etc.) ”“ second half of the 16th-century; Spanish/German/Italian style. Might anyone be able to recommend a creditable gunsmith(s), either custom or production, who could produce such an item?

Any practical suggestions/tips/pointers would be most gratefully received.

Many thanks!

Best regards,

Wil

Wil...
You can assume from the lack of replies to your question that 1) it is a difficult question to answer and 2) that wheellocks are not a topic of much discussion in these parts.

Wheellock mechanisms, as you undoubtedly know, were fairly intricate for their time and prone to get out of adjustment and break. Loss of the spanner would render a wheellock useless which was another reason they held sway for a relatively short time. The advantage of a well-tuned wheellock was quick and relatively sure ignition and the ability to fire it on horseback. Other than that it bridged the gap between matchlock and early flintlock systems.

As far as finding a quality, mass-produced wheellock, there really aren't any available. Some are made in India but if you have reviewed some of the posts on India-made firearms you know that the quality is spotty and they can be dangerous to fire with ball. Teak is the wood of choice and guns stocked in teak are found with voids and soft spots in the wood. You can certainly try one of those but whether you will satisfied with it will have to be determined by you. You probably won't get many glowing reviews.

Your other choice is finding a custom builder. I cannot recommend one. Dale Shinn has made a lot of these pieces and his quality was/is excellent but I do not know if he is still working. His guns were always very pricey but worth the money.

There are European custom makers out there but I cannot give you any contact information on any of them because I have never explored buying one of these guns and therefore have not researched it in any depth. The only advice I can give you is to keep looking and maybe someone will give you a lead that pans out.

Good luck.

Many thanks, sir, for at least confirming what I've suspected.

Dale Shinn was actually one of the first gunsmiths I thought of, as I'm fortunate to have one of his very fine, late 15th-/early 16th-century muskets, but I do not know if Mr. Shinn is still extant or how to contact him.

Here's hoping others Forum members may have some useful leads, in re: puffers...

- Wil

Hit "search" and type "Dale Shinn gun maker.

When I was at Leonard Day's shop in Northampton MA last year, picking up my matchlock, I saw a wheellock he was making. I have forgotten what kind of weapon it was for but it looked well made.

The odd thing about Mr. Day's wheellock is that it has a coil spring instead of the original V spring and chain. This makes it less cranky and troublesome, apparently. Inauthentic on the inside, but quite attractive and HC on the outside.

Mr. Day is easy to work with and good at what he does. I am happy with my matchlock. It is a simple mechanism but Mr. Day executed it neatly. His style is plain but clean. I'd say give him a try.

If you don't have to have a totally accurate lock as far as internals are concerned then coil springs are the way to go. I have a GRRW Leman Trade Rifle with a Kern coil spring lock and it is trouble free. Did not know Mr. Day was doing wheellocks but if he is then that would be a source for Wil.

MacRob46 said:

If you don't have to have a totally accurate lock as far as internals are concerned then coil springs are the way to go.

Click to expand...

Did not Leonardo da Vinci have some drawing of wheellocks with coil springs



:stir:
William Alexander

Hi Tinker. The ones I make use chain and a coil
spring like that on a screen door....sounds like
it too.
Wulf

Hi Wulf
I have not made one with a coil spring but I have seen old originals that did.

Got any pictures of yours? :bow:



William Alexander

Wilson W. said:

I would like to locate a reliable vendor who sells or can create a reproduction wheellock pistol (aka, a “puffer,” “dag,” etc.) ”“ second half of the 16th-century; Spanish/German/Italian style. Might anyone be able to recommend a creditable gunsmith(s), either custom or production, who could produce such an item?

Click to expand...

This is the man I would talk to
raszpla

Link

William Alexander

Agree....
Wulf

I have seen Razplas work on another forum, he is simply amazing, long european winters and to much time on his hands. He has made at least one puffa.

Cheers

Heelerau

I have a brace from a guy in The Czech I think it is I never knew directly. There are, dare I say, India-made ones as well.