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  1. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    Nevertheless, some were carried at sea during the middle ages, so clearly folks back then thought differently about the issue ;) Firearms in boarding actions through much of the ml era were basically just clubs that went "bang". You'd fire off a shot to repel boarders or as you were going over...
  2. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    But what about one of the most typical close-quarters scenarios of this period: naval boarding actions? The earliest mention of handguns at sea that I've seen was in 1338 at the Battle of Arnemuiden (the English had at least one on board the ship Christopher, along with three cannons).
  3. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    Finally the thread is back on track :) Yeah, this is the kind of thing I was asking about. Not people jamming bits of gravel down the barrel, but using purpose-made birdshot, buckshot, etc. in the late medieval period, particularly in a combat scenario. I was wondering if there is any historical...
  4. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    I didn't say anything about stones or nails, that was someone else who brought it up. I'm talking about a medieval equivalent to buckshot or other purpose-made shotgun type loads.
  5. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    You guys aren't medieval soldiers though. Folks back then were used to getting in close to do their dirty work ;)
  6. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    There have been some very interesting replies here, but it seems a lot of folks have been focusing on the potential of "scattergun loads" in handgonnes when it comes to shooting birds. Has no one considered the possibility of a shotgun-type load for combat during the medieval period? Assuming...
  7. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    @Pukka Bundook Great reference, many thanks for posting. If folks were using birdshot in the 1540s, I wonder how far back its use went. It would be interesting to know what some of the earliest recorded examples are of "hayle shot", either purpose made or improvised from stuff like rocks... I...
  8. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    I saw the same (at least with small cannons, though not necessarily handgonnes), but nothing about a medieval equivalent to buckshot...
  9. H

    'Scattergun' loads in medieval handgonnes?

    Out of curiosity, I was wondering whether there are any historical accounts of medieval handgonners using 'scattergun' or 'buck and ball' type loads in their weapons, rather than a single lead ball? I'm no expert on this field, but in my limited reading I only saw reference to single projectiles...
  10. H

    Reading material on European firearms c. 1500-1600?

    I recently finished the book 'Medieval Handgonnes' by Sean McLachlan (Osprey, 2010). From a layman's perspective, I thought this book did a decent job of introducing the development of handheld firearms during that period and covered not just their historical uses but also quite a bit of the...
  11. H

    Sources on naval artillery ca. 1820-1860?

    I'd be curious to read any material on naval artillery during this period, of any nation. Trying to get some idea of a) what sorts of guns were around and b) how naval artillery evolved during the period after the Napoleonic Wars and before the American Civil War. I've been able to find a few...
  12. H

    Replica breech loading swivel gun

    How late did breech-loading swivels last among European/western nations?
  13. H

    Percussion caps and mercury poisoning?

    Thanks guys for your replies and views on this. And yes, just to make it crystal clear, I did not pose this question because I have any worries about percussion caps myself. I was just asking out of historical interest, to see if there were any records of mercury in the caps back then being...
  14. H

    9.4" mortar shaped like a sitting tiger, India, late 18th C.

    Neat, reminds me of a Chinese musket I saw once that had a dragon's head with open mouth for the muzzle. Animal motifs in firearms/artillery are always interesting.
  15. H

    Percussion caps and mercury poisoning?

    Even folks today are advised to shoot in well ventilated areas to avoid ingesting unhealthy amounts of lead. So I didn't think asking a question about the same thing happening with mercury fumes was that dumb...
  16. H

    Percussion caps and mercury poisoning?

    Sure, I was just asking historically. Fair enough, that's kind of what I figured. Just was curious to know if anyone had heard of incidents of this being an issue back then.
  17. H

    Percussion caps and mercury poisoning?

    @QuinnTheEskimo @45man Sure, and we grew up in houses full of asbestos. Was just curious if there was any evidence linking percussion caps to mercury sickness, like the mercury on felt causing hat makers to go "mad". Imo if I'd have been alive ca. 1860s and some scientist told me my caplock was...
  18. H

    Percussion caps and mercury poisoning?

    Fair point :P
  19. H

    Percussion caps and mercury poisoning?

    This question was asked on another website, I thought it was interesting... Do we know via history if the exposure to mercury fumes guys got from shooting caplock firearms posed a health risk? It seems that by the mid-19th century they were somewhat aware of the risks of mercury exposure (hence...
  20. H

    Hand Mortars - Late Production Examples?

    Me neither... unless we fastforward to the M79 :P
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