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I am studying the history of firearms. I need help.

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Pulka

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Muskets for the UK and USA are very popular and easy to find information.

However, muskets from other European countries have little information.

So I ask for your help.


Do you know any specialized books or sites with information on muskets from European countries?

Please tell me the specialized books or sites you know.


And I found one book. Title: Great Century of Guns. How do you rate this book? It was a very old book, but does it still contain reliable information?


Thanks.
 
There is a web forum called Ethnographic Arms and Armor. The folks there are very well versed in European and even Asian arms and firearms. Very friendly guys and very knowledgeable.
 
There is a web forum called Ethnographic Arms and Armor. The folks there are very well versed in European and even Asian arms and firearms. Very friendly guys and very knowledgeable.

Thank you! I will ask them questions too.
 
Muskets for the UK and USA are very popular and easy to find information.

However, muskets from other European countries have little information.

So I ask for your help.


Do you know any specialized books or sites with information on muskets from European countries?

Please tell me the specialized books or sites you know.


And I found one book. Title: Great Century of Guns. How do you rate this book? It was a very old book, but does it still contain reliable information?


Thanks.

I have three books that have information on European muskets:

"The French Trade Gun in North America" 1662-1759 by Kevin Gladysz - paperback 2011 - includes muskets made at Saint-Etienne

"Muskets of the Revolution and the French & Indian Wars" by Bill Ahearn - hardcover c 2005 - includes Spanish, French, Dutch & German muskets

"Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America 1700-1821" by Sidney Brinkerhoff & Pierce A. Chamberlain - hardback 1972 - covers firearms, edged weapons & cannon

The first two should be readily available, the third likely difficult. My "go to" source for books is a search engine used by professional librarians - "Bookfinder.com"

Hope you find these helpful & hopefully there are many more out there (but perhaps not in english). Best wishes in your search.
 
I have three books that have information on European muskets:

"The French Trade Gun in North America" 1662-1759 by Kevin Gladysz - paperback 2011 - includes muskets made at Saint-Etienne

"Muskets of the Revolution and the French & Indian Wars" by Bill Ahearn - hardcover c 2005 - includes Spanish, French, Dutch & German muskets

"Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America 1700-1821" by Sidney Brinkerhoff & Pierce A. Chamberlain - hardback 1972 - covers firearms, edged weapons & cannon

The first two should be readily available, the third likely difficult. My "go to" source for books is a search engine used by professional librarians - "Bookfinder.com"

Hope you find these helpful & hopefully there are many more out there (but perhaps not in english). Best wishes in your search.

Thanks for your answer.

They seem to have only musket information and no percussion cap and rifle musket information.

Obviously, these books will help you study muskets of that period. But now my focus is not only in the 17th and 18th century.

I need the most information on 19th century guns with rapid changes in guns.

Are there any books with information that includes both percussion caps and rifle-muskets?
 
Early percussion guns by Lewis Winant is a good one. The age of firearms by Robert Held is ok too.
 
I need the most information on 19th century guns with rapid changes in guns. Are there any books with information that includes both percussion caps and rifle-muskets?
I’m still not entirely sure what you are studying or what your end goal is; your original message sought information on muskets, then later you add rifle-muskets. Is there a specific time period you are covering? Military and/or sporting firearms? The scope of what you appear to be seeking is vast.

My library is primarily British firearms, so can’t off a lot of help on wider European firearms. In the meantime W.W. Greener’s “The Gun and It’s Development” is worth seeking out.

My web site, Research Press, under the ‘Firearms’ section has information on British gunmakers and British military long arms. The ‘Publications’ section links to quite a few free download articles on British gunmakers and markings on guns. There‘s a lengthy study on Pauly which may interest. Browse the site, there’s lots there, but primarily from a British perspective.

David
 
I’m still not entirely sure what you are studying or what your end goal is; your original message sought information on muskets, then later you add rifle-muskets. Is there a specific time period you are covering? Military and/or sporting firearms? The scope of what you appear to be seeking is vast.

My library is primarily British firearms, so can’t off a lot of help on wider European firearms. In the meantime W.W. Greener’s “The Gun and It’s Development” is worth seeking out.

My web site, Research Press, under the ‘Firearms’ section has information on British gunmakers and British military long arms. The ‘Publications’ section links to quite a few free download articles on British gunmakers and markings on guns. There‘s a lengthy study on Pauly which may interest. Browse the site, there’s lots there, but primarily from a British perspective.

David

ResearchPress I can't wait to dig into your site! Thats a LOT of information it looks like to me!
 
I’m still not entirely sure what you are studying or what your end goal is; your original message sought information on muskets, then later you add rifle-muskets. Is there a specific time period you are covering? Military and/or sporting firearms? The scope of what you appear to be seeking is vast.

My library is primarily British firearms, so can’t off a lot of help on wider European firearms. In the meantime W.W. Greener’s “The Gun and It’s Development” is worth seeking out.

My web site, Research Press, under the ‘Firearms’ section has information on British gunmakers and British military long arms. The ‘Publications’ section links to quite a few free download articles on British gunmakers and markings on guns. There‘s a lengthy study on Pauly which may interest. Browse the site, there’s lots there, but primarily from a British perspective.

David

Sorry. I should have asked more specifically.

The first and foremost part I want to know right now is how the Musket, the service rifle of European countries in the 19th century, developed.
Service rifles in European countries used Flintlock muskets in the early 19th century.
However, due to rapid development, it evolved into a bolt action rifle at the end of the century.

The specific information I am looking for is information on muskets and rifle muskets from European countries in the 19th century.

Of course, the changes to Flintlock muskets in the 17th and 18th centuries will be interesting as well.
However, this is not an important point.

I think your website will help you find British Muskets. The site I was looking for was something like this. Thank you very much.
 
. . . . The specific information I am looking for is information on muskets and rifle muskets from European countries in the 19th century. . . . .
From the British perspective...

De Witt Bailey, “British Military Longarms, 1715-1865
Originally published in two parts, but also can be found as this single volume edition. A good overview of the evolution of longarms, and in their identification. Muskets, carbines and rifles.

For more definitive studies, you need the following, which will see you through to the introduction of the breech loading rifle.
  • De Witt Bailey, “British Military Flintlock Rifles 1740 - 1840
  • Howard L. Blackmore, “British Military Firearms 1650 - 1850
  • C.H. Roads, “The British Soldier's Firearm: From Smoothbore to Smallbore 1850-1864
If your study goes beyond the muzzle loading period in the 19thC, contact me via direct message and I can suggest further reading.

David
 
https://oldguns.net/catbookgun.htm
17591 Dutch Firearms by Arne Hoff - 252 pages 9” x 11.25” hardback, 1978, First Edition by Sotheby Parke Bernet Publications. This superb work covers Dutch firearms from the 14th century to the 19th, or the end of the flintlock period, including military and sporting, handguns and longarms and even some early air guns. This is much more than just a list, or description of a bunch of guns. It is a thoughtful analysis of individual arms and in the context of the time and the region and evolving technology. This is well illustrated with excellent quality photos and some drawings, and reproductions of some period illustrations. This is not one of the bland “coffee table books” but serious scholarly research and presentation of important historical information. The Netherlands were a major commercial power in those years, and thus much of the material here is relevant to arms trends in most other countries, and most countries ended up using some Dutch arms. The author is the former Director of the famed Tojhusmuseum in Copenhagen which houses one of the world's most important collections of arms, who studied ancient firearms for 40 years. The editor, Walter Stryker, a well-known American arms collector, translated this comprehensive volume into English. Book is in almost new condition except it is missing the dust jacket, so priced a little lower. Highly recommended for the serious arms collector. $65.00 (View Picture)
 
Has anyone mentioned this one? Sounds good, never read it myself:
oldguns.net/catbookgun.htm FRENCH MILITARY WEAPONS 1717-1938- INTERESTING PROVENANCE! - ...once in the personal library of ...the late COL. G.B. Jarrett..... There is a great biography of this important gentleman in two issues of Small Arms Review: George Burling Jarrett: The Origins of Modern U.S. Ordnance Technical Intelligence- Part I and George Burling Jarrett: The Origins of Modern U.S. Ordnance Technical Intelligence- Part II GO read about him, even if you don’t want to buy the book. But, if you don’t have a copy you really ought to get one. This is James.E. Hicks’ definitive study all French military arms from handguns to howitzers, superbly illustrated with Andre Jandot's detailed drawings. A most valuable reference on the topic, there being only one other, a multi volume set, written in French and extremely expensive...Out of print (and should be republished, just as Hicks' book on U.S. military arms is desperately needed). 281 pp 6" x 9". Used, excellent, bright clean copy with good dustjacket. $55.00
 
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