1607 French Pistol?

[kentucky bucky]

In the writings of John Smith of Pocahontas and Jamestown fame, he spoke of shooting and repelling Powhattan indians with a his "French Pistol". Would this be a snaphaunce or a early flintlock? I know the French were on the cutting edge of weaponry in this era and developed the flintlock in the form we recognize, but how early?

 

[robinghewitt]

You are predating the flintlock with French half cock.

You are probably predating the flintlock with dog catch, the "English lock".

So it probably has to be a snaphance or wheel lock. OTOH it may depend on how much of it is French :thumbsup:

 

[kentucky bucky]

Robin,
He was a well travelled adventurer and mercenary type fellow and no doubt he had the state of the art weaponry to prove it. I know they have found snaphaunces and/or "English" musket locks in their excavations, but I haven't read anything about pistols.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

In that time frame it seems likely he was referring to a snaphaunce or a wheel lock as Robin said. It's just too early for a true flintlock. My money is on a wheel lock. :thumbsup:

 

[kentucky bucky]

I'm not sure if the archaeologists have found any wheel lock relics, but that doesn't mean they weren't there. I'll have to do some more reading on the subject.

 

[T.C.Albert]

I thought they recently recovered a pistol from a Jamestown well there recently during excavations...? But it was a scotish snaphaunce dating to the very early 1600s???
TCA

 

[kentucky bucky]

I thought they recently recovered a pistol from a Jamestown well there recently during excavations...? But it was a scotish snaphaunce dating to the very early 1600s???
TCA

COOL!!