Early Wheellock Mechanisms

[TobJohn]

I have come across several early wheellock designs. They provide an interesting look at various attempts at wheellock sear mechanisms. They are fairly simple, so I figured someone might find them inspiring for a project.

The most common design is a flat spring with a lug or hook, that the trigger wedges out of the wheel, firing the gun.
It is a similar concept to button fired snapping matchlocks:

In this early pistol, the trigger forces an extension of metal between the spring and the lockplate, moving the sear out of the wheel:

This is the same concept, belonging to a combination gun mace:

In this lock, originally posted in another thread on this forum, the trigger rotates over the sear spring, to wedge it in the same way. Notice how the sear extends through the plate, so the safety can keep in from moving out of contact with the plate:

One of the world's earliest known wheel-lock mechanisms, ca. 1535-40 - Ethnographic Arms & Armour

This Italian double barrel pistol has a slightly different version of the same concept. There is a dimpled section of the flat spring, that the trigger rotates under, lifting the spring:

 

[TobJohn]

The Royal Armouries have a very novel mechanism on their early pistol. The end of the spindle is square shaped, the trigger is a hook around it and tensioned by a spring. Pulling the trigger bar lowers the hook, allowing the spindle to rotate:

Wheellock pistol Early example with exposed lock - Royal Armouries collections

This system appears very finicky and dangerous, which may be why there are no other examples, that I know of.

 

[VicN]

How about this German all steel double lock pistol Nurenburg 1560 the ingenuity of the gunmaker to fit it all in is incredible

 

[TobJohn]

How about this German all steel double lock pistol Nurenburg 1560 the ingenuity of the gunmaker to fit it all in is incredible

View attachment 240333

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I visited England in May and saw some beautiful double metal wheellocks at the Wallace collection:

One of my favorite wheellock guns is this early (1540s) double pistol Peter Peck made for Charles V:

 

[VicN]

The Wallace collection is superb although I haven't visited for a very long time. At one time I was thinking of having a go at making a double lock like those above, I have a habit of starting things and then seeing something else that looked more of a challenge.

 

[TobJohn]

The Wallace collection is superb although I haven't visit for a very long time. At one time I was thinking of having a go at making a double lock like those above, I have a habit of starting things and then seeing something else that looked more of a challenge.

Very much superb. I also went to the V&A, Royal Armouries, and Bovington.

I sympathize. I do the same.

I have been collecting images of multi shot wheellocks, so if you do want to give it a go, I might be able to find something inspiring. I also found some photos of someone’s replica of the dagger grip double barrel wheellock, and that actually seems like a more approachable project for anyone trying to make a double shot wheellock.

 

[Sam squanch]

If you are in St Louis, the art museum has a few fancy miquelet locks and a very ornate matchlock on display.

 

[TobJohn]

If you are in St Louis, the art museum has a few fancy miquelet locks and a very ornate matchlock on display.

Unfortunately, I convinced my only St Louis friend to move here in Virginia. I am going to the Philly art museum next weekend and they are supposed to have some great wheellocks.

 

[VicN]

Very much superb. I also went to the V&A, Royal Armouries, and Bovington.

I sympathize. I do the same.

I have been collecting images of multi shot wheellocks, so if you do want to give it a go, I might be able to find something inspiring. I also found some photos of someone’s replica of the dagger grip double barrel wheellock, and that actually seems like a more approachable project for anyone trying to make a double shot wheellock.

I don't think at aged 77 I will get back into lock making after all this time, I no longer have my anvil or the homemade forge I had at our previous address I left 25 years ago. If I had enough enthusiasm I should finish the two Wheellocks I already made I suppose.
I do have quite a good selection of gun books featuring Wheellocks etc. all bought in the 60/s and 70's so many long out of print.

 

[rickystl]

If you are in St Louis, the art museum has a few fancy miquelet locks and a very ornate matchlock on display.

I need to re-visit. Haven't been there for years.

Rick.

 

[TobJohn]

The Royal Armouries have a very novel mechanism on their early pistol. The end of the spindle is square shaped, the trigger is a hook around it and tensioned by a spring. Pulling the trigger bar lowers the hook, allowing the spindle to rotate:
View attachment 222212
Wheellock pistol Early example with exposed lock - Royal Armouries collections

This system appears very finicky and dangerous, which may be why there are no other examples, that I know of.

I made a diagram of this mechanism for my thread on the early wheellock pistol plans. There are some photos I took of it too.

 

[Sam squanch]

My wife was angry because I just hung out in the arms and weapons department and had zero enthusiasm for the rest of it….. someone hammered a bunch of nails in the wall there , strung some string between them, and called it ART…….I could do better with some watercolors and a bottle of whiskey in me….

 

[TobJohn]

My wife was angry because I just hung out in the arms and weapons department and had zero enthusiasm for the rest of it….. someone hammered a bunch of nails in the wall there , strung some string between them, and called it ART…….I could do better with some watercolors and a bottle of whiskey in me….

Ironically, you could then make a good argument for the value of that as a contemporary art exhibit. "Impressions of impressionism (+whiskey)"

 

[Sam squanch]

Oh I forgot the lawn chair with barb wire wrapped around it……

 

[Sam squanch]

Well, if the museum will fund my alcoholism, I will be glad to vandalize the hallowed halls of the institution!

 

[TobJohn]

Well, if the museum will fund my alcoholism, I will be glad to vandalize the hallowed halls of the institution!

That's the artistic spirit!

 

[Sam squanch]

Wait a minute, I already did that in high school….

 

[rickystl]

"In this early pistol, the trigger forces an extension of metal between the spring and the lockplate, moving the sear out of the wheel:"


Hi John

Here is an early Scandinavian snaplock from my collection. I believe this lock was built to operate using the same principal as above. In this case, possibly a trigger mounted to the gun stock with the upper portion of the trigger itself having a wide, wedge shape to engage the rear of the sear/spring to move it inward, away from the lock plate, allowing the hammer to fall forward.

Rick

 

[TobJohn]

"In this early pistol, the trigger forces an extension of metal between the spring and the lockplate, moving the sear out of the wheel:"


Hi John

Here is an early Scandinavian snaplock from my collection. I believe this lock was built to operate using the same principal as above. In this case, possibly a trigger mounted to the gun stock with the upper portion of the trigger itself having a wide, wedge shape to engage the rear of the sear/spring to move it inward, away from the lock plate, allowing the hammer to fall forward.

RickView attachment 240422View attachment 240423View attachment 240424View attachment 240425

Thank you for sharing this! Taken all together, it is interesting to see that they took a familiar triggering mechanism, and then tried it on multiple different kinds of locks. Even more interesting because in all applications, it was a technological dead end.

 

[rickystl]

Thank you for sharing this! Taken all together, it is interesting to see that they took a familiar triggering mechanism, and then tried it on multiple different kinds of locks. Even more interesting because in all applications, it was a technological dead end.

While not a wheellock, it does show the same early attempt at sear dis-engagement. But as you mention, the design didn't last. Better ideas soon came along. LOL
If you haven't seen this lock before, it has a unique safety feature where the frizzen can be positioned away from the gun while the pan cover is still closed. Never seen another like it. I have additional pics if you like.

Rick