A Vietnamese ‘Montagnard’ primitive Snaphaunce

Not the same, but similar to the Chinese matchlock

it looks like he has a BULLS EYE on his chest. nice aiming point!

During my last overseas tour before retiring, I spent 4 years in Thailand, working with the Thai military, and spending a great deal of my time in the border areas. The hill tribes commonly made and used just such primitive arms, though most were percussion. The barrels were made from drawn, seamless steel tubing of about 1/2" bore. The materials for barrels and gunpowder were sold in the local markets: saltpeter and sulphur in tubs, and sold by the kilo, or part thereof, coarse shot (though the shooters sometimes made their own, and could also make roundballs), and locally-made charcoal was always available. Powder was made by the user, with mortar and pestle, and varied in quality, though none of it was of factory grade. The shooters sometimes made their own arms, though local 'gunsmiths' did so, as well. Percussion compounds were made-up by apothecaries, and applied to sheets of rice paper in dabs, which were torn-off and stuffed into the large recess in the hammer nose. The nipples were of about 1/4" diameter or slightly larger, and flat on top. The usual game taken consisted of monkeys, birds, monitor lizards, etc., though I did once see a bear which had just been killed with such weapons - large game was scarce, and the arms were not well suited to such critters - gaur, banteng (a smaller wild ox), small deer and such were seldom seen, but were present. Once or twice I saw ancient military arms in use - I remember an 1853 Enfield which the owner was proud of, but which had no half or full-cock function remaining - he demonstrated how he held the hammer back and let it drop, when he wanted to fire.

PRD1 - mhb - MIke

You have to admire the sheer ingenuity of these people, I suppose not having TV, Newspapers and Internet for a distraction makes a fair bit of difference!

AN IDLE MIND IS THE DEVELS WORK SHOP! so keep busy.

Thanks for your Post Mike. Very interesting first-hand experience.

Collectors have often commented that the P1853 Enfield (and locally made copies) it would seem, ended up in use in most corners of the World. LOL And still a favorite among shooters and re-enactors today.

Rick

From Laos. All hand made "Monkey Gun". Quite creative!

And very typical for that area of SEA, though perhaps a bit above average overall.

mhb - MIke

cyten said:

Not the same, but similar to the Chinese matchlock

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look at the size of the paper cartridges around his mid section!! just massive loads!!.

Here’s an original Hmong ‘monkey gun’ for sale on Gun Broker:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/937454559

Spotted today at the military museum in Hanoi




The placards read “Musket used by Lac Son guerilla troops in Hoa Binh province to target French parachutists in 1951

Looks more like a tinder or fungus matchlock with a manual pan cover.
Neat. Thanks for sharing!

I was married in Lam Dong province (central highlands of Vietnam) almost 20 years ago. My wife and her brothers and I went for a motorcycle trip up further into the Montanyard (Hmong) area. We traveled in what passed for a trail which was really a rut where water flowed down the mountain. We arrived at a Montanyard village that I could swear was a movie set- all the huts were up on stilts about 4 foot above the dirt. No one was around at all, just a lot of chickens.
Back then I carried a Kodak Instamatic camera with a built-in flash. I took a photo of the unoccupied village when all of a sudden dozens of heads popped out from their hiding places and before we knew it we were besieged by the villagers. They looked far more Cambodian than Vietnamese, naturally. Descendants of the Cham.
The kids were really curious about me and would scratch my arm and laugh at the pink lines left on my skin. I was the first Westener they had ever seen.
The following year when I returned with my wife, the VN government had forbid any unauthorized visits to the indigenous mountain people.
It was an amazing trip back in time for me.
Here are a few photos of photos I took.

HERE is a video of one being built

toot said:

it will kill at both ends!!

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Dear Toot you cant say that .They existed I handled one here in Nelson NZ . The only person I knew could speak Montenyard was Lizard Briant famous leader of the ' Red Hats' later ' Widow makers ' of which I was Commissioned .' Commissioned ' mind you by Brer' Lizard' who came accross as a wild man but was actually very inteligent . Is was dubbed' Lt Mork 'presumably as in 'Mork & Mindy ' for my ability's at verse & novelty value? One Mid Eastern R Vous in Michigan? up there anyway . I didn't do the' Forest Grunge' look but served as 'confusion 'on our famous 'Woods Walks '& used to write for the newsletter' Brocken Arrow ' They may have looked like "Over the hill' bikers . But they where to a man proper gentlemen at heart . And along with Ed'S' Green Hats' Where the shooting ist group you could wish to find . I recall one canvas he made for Booshway declaring his desire was' To make the World more primitive''. Great group. despite my influence & I consider it an honour to be so linked .
Regards Rudyard '/Lt Mork.'

PhDBrewer said:

Looks more like a tinder or fungus matchlock with a manual pan cover.
Neat. Thanks for sharing!

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I think the frizzen is broken…

Sam squanch said:

I think the frizzen is broken…

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I know you are correct. The cock is also missing the top jaw.
I retract my previous statement.
Teach me to not just glance....

I don’t think there was a top jaw with a screw. I’ve read the flint was glued in there or wrapped with twine or something.

I had been wondering about that. That guy made a beautiful barrel! Would love to see a video on the fabrication of the lock.