OLD original barrels - what to build?

[Flint62Smoothie]

Looking for suggestions ... @TobJohn and others, any suggestions?

Now I need to research and see what kind of OLD fire lock ‘best fits’ for these calibers, lengths and profiles, but maybe:

• A Matchlock for the octagonal one?
• A LH’d Wheellock for the swamped/spiral one?

 

[rickystl]

Dale: Congratulations !!!! Fortunately, both barrels are short. So hopefully the shipping cost won't be too bad.
Somehow, that spiral barrel makes me think Landsknecht Mercenary type Arquebus. LOL The octagon barrel would look at home on a matchlock or wheellock. Make sure they ship BOTH barrels on ONE box.

Rick

 

[rickystl]

A "Left-Handed" Wheellock ? That would be blasphemy !!!! LOL

Rick

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Somehow, that spiral barrel makes me think Landsknecht Mercenary type Arquebus.

Great suggestion! Easy build too, make it a snap or tinder lock Landsknecht, albeit left-handed of course .

 

[TobJohn]

Are you planning on adjusting the touchhole for the spiral one? It looks like it on the top

 

[TobJohn]

Great suggestion! Easy build too, make it a snap or tinder lock Landsknecht, albeit left-handed of course .

If you used the spiral one for that, I vote a Pavia era snapping matchlock, because there is evidence of a left handed lock.

This style:

 

[TobJohn]

The simpler one could be really cool as a replica of the earliest French wheellock:

https://basedescollections.musee-ar...&queryId=094dda45-cad2-4058-be8f-87b32eca1552
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18001

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

The simpler one could be really cool as a replica of the earliest French wheellock:

Good idea ... I like that one!

 

[cyten]

Very cool and congrats on the acquisitions! I agree with the Landskecht idea

 

[BillinOregon]

Dale, the spiral barrel is simply stunning as an object by itself. Any idea how old it is or where it was born?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Any idea how old it is or where it was born?

I'd bet of European origin, where the auction house (Czerny's, in Italy) listed is as a 'rare archaic barrel of late 15th to early 16th century", so it's old. With the touch hole on the top of the barrel at the rear, I'd almost say was a hackbutt, but it has such a loooooong barrel ... I can't really figure it out. I'll have to spend some time doing research with our resident researcher par excellence @TobJohn.

It has a hooked-type breech projection off the breech plug, of which I just think beared up against the back wall of the barrel channel, like the Portguese Goa and Japanese Tanegashima snap matchlocks do. But they have the touchole on the side, fired by an attached pan. One can further see a dovetail slot on the forward-most section of the middle plain-turned barrel, where a tenon was positioned to hold the front of the barrel down.

 

[BillinOregon]

Dale, do you think it was of mandrel-welded skelp or bored from solid stock? I can't recall when deep-hole boring became practical.
It's just fascinating. Can't wait to see what you will do with it.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Dale,
Lovely barrels and feeling quite envious!
The spiral job is fascinating.
I would do some digging to see if you can turn up one somewhat similar, and see how it was stocked up.
It Is a long barrel for that time period.
The octagonal would be a fairly good bet as coming from Lansknechts short arquuebus.

Coingrats on both, and please keep us posted on the shipping and such!

Bill,
I think the barrel will be lap welded full length at this time. Lovely work on both of them. I can more or less feel that soft iron!

R.

 

[TobJohn]

I'd bet of European origin, where the auction house (Czerny's, in Italy) listed is as a 'rare archaic barrel of late 15th to early 16th century", so it's old. With the touch hole on the top of the barrel at the rear, I'd almost say was a hackbutt, but it has such a loooooong barrel ... I can't really figure it out. I'll have to spend some time doing research with our resident researcher par excellence @TobJohn.

It has a hooked-type breech projection off the breech plug, of which I just think beared up against the back wall of the barrel channel, like the Portguese Goa and Japanese Tanegashima snap matchlocks do. But they have the touchole on the side, fired by an attached pan. One can further see a dovetail slot on the forward-most section of the middle plain-turned barrel, where a tenon was positioned to hold the front of the barrel down.

the Italian arms book I frequently reference has some similar barrels, I will see if I can get some photos.

Longer barreled hookguns were already popular by the turn of the century, so still a possibility.

Various sources state that arquebuses with no lock mechanism continued to be used in the 16th century. Maybe this is an example? Surviving art, backed up by Michael Trömner’s analysis, show that most of the late guns without locks still moved to a side mounted pan, but maybe the builder of this barrel decided the archaic top hole was easier and good enough?

 

[Sam squanch]

Saw them in thirds and make 6 pistols!

 

[Rudyard]

Saw them in thirds and make 6 pistols!

Err I don't think that's a good option some how. (What can we do with you ?your incorrigible ! ) '
Cheers Rudyard

 

[TobJohn]

Dale, do you think it was of mandrel-welded skelp or bored from solid stock? I can't recall when deep-hole boring became practical.
It's just fascinating. Can't wait to see what you will do with it.

There were boring tools in this period that were used to finish welded iron barrels or cast bronze barrels, that already had rough bore.

 

[Rudyard]

Up Town! .You can find them good on you .
Regards Rudyard

 

[rickystl]

The spiral barrel does have a Italian-ish look to it. Down the road, at another Czerny's auction, you might find an original Italian matchlock lock. And somehow mate the two together with a build. Just throwing out another idea. For me, I would have a very difficult time not doing a build of some kind using that barrel. Just too tempting. LOL

Rick

 

[PhDBrewer]

Bolek made a spiral barrel wheellock. your barrel is a close match.


William