While looking for examples of petronels, I came across this fascinating combination of firelock and matchlock:
Halbhaken (Petronel, Petrinal) 1572
English articles on the same site:
Firearms of the Thirty Years War
It is a beautiful replica based on two examples, one in Veste Coburg and the other in the Tøjhusmuseet. This gun was made some years ago by the Bavarian gunsmith, Armin Koenig. The long bar operates the serpentine, while the small trigger further back operates the cock.
I contacted the site own and article author, Peter Engerisser, and the maker, Armin Koenig, about the buttstock because of my recent interest in petronels and my constant curiosity if they have metal butt plates or not. Armin confirmed it did not.
The part that is probably most interesting to everyone else (and was lost in google translate) is that this is not a flintlock, but a pyrite lock. Pyrite is used in wheellocks, so it does make some sense that it would be tried in other firelocks. Armin described how it was a very unreliable system, which resulted in the rarity of the type. Previously, I had assumed all of the firelock and matchlock combination weapons (wheellock+matchlocks as some of the most common) I have seen were a result of institutional conservatism in the military, with them not wanting to fully trust a new system, but this is a great example of why there would be hesitation to adopt a new system.
Images and information have been posted with Peter Engerisser's and Armin Koenig's permission.
Halbhaken (Petronel, Petrinal) 1572
English articles on the same site:
Firearms of the Thirty Years War
It is a beautiful replica based on two examples, one in Veste Coburg and the other in the Tøjhusmuseet. This gun was made some years ago by the Bavarian gunsmith, Armin Koenig. The long bar operates the serpentine, while the small trigger further back operates the cock.
I contacted the site own and article author, Peter Engerisser, and the maker, Armin Koenig, about the buttstock because of my recent interest in petronels and my constant curiosity if they have metal butt plates or not. Armin confirmed it did not.
The part that is probably most interesting to everyone else (and was lost in google translate) is that this is not a flintlock, but a pyrite lock. Pyrite is used in wheellocks, so it does make some sense that it would be tried in other firelocks. Armin described how it was a very unreliable system, which resulted in the rarity of the type. Previously, I had assumed all of the firelock and matchlock combination weapons (wheellock+matchlocks as some of the most common) I have seen were a result of institutional conservatism in the military, with them not wanting to fully trust a new system, but this is a great example of why there would be hesitation to adopt a new system.
Images and information have been posted with Peter Engerisser's and Armin Koenig's permission.
