After reading about 30 years war riflemen and looking through some museum collections (the met in particular), I have been getting more interested in wheellock rifles. Does anyone know any (preferably) English language sources on the subject? Such as books, articles, or forum threads? Thanks!
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Sources on wheellock rifles?
- Thread starter TobJohn
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Probably Viking Sword forums Or find a pic of one that takes your fancy & make one from the picture. I me knocking up a c1660s Nuremburg piece following one a friend once loaned me to copy .Just roughed out the stock same formula" just whittle of the bits that don't look like a Wheellock ''.Some thing I did learn was it depends on the users face the idea seemed to be it should come up then your eye ought to Aline with the sight rather than have to alter your hold , or blow out your cheeks so it does if the cheekpiece is a bit thinner .. They are rather more a challenge than that but they originally made lots of them so worked out all the bugs we have a steeper curve. But it's not rocket science. If I don't croak before this ones done it will be three of that style one I made in Mass ended up with a NY patron up by Buffalo I delivered it via goods train in snow . Thats the last I saw of it . Got a pic somewhere much like my own only it had two Loons inlayed in stag or ivory in the cheek piece .
Cheers Rudyard
It will be a while until I am skilled enough to try making one (unless I can source a complete lock). Got to start with a matchlock first. I am trying to brush up on my history on them in the meantime.
Good to know about the cheek though, because that is the strange and characteristic feature.
Do you have any pictures on how the set trigger works? That is something I have been curious about.
Thanks!
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The set triggers are really low teck or the one I made for mine was the least of your worries I put Nuremburg but meant to put Suhl . Ile try drawing it & post it .
Regards Rudyard
I wanted to follow up and see if you were able to make a drawing. Thanks for your help!
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Ile have to take my rifle apart but basically it's a strong spring eager to let fly into a light hold of a smaller hook like front trigger it when realeast it flys up & back to whack the tail of the scear ,Its all built into the trigger plate only a light spring keeps the hair trigger engaged.Picture the trigger hinging on the Plate The Tail of the trigger has a an arched spring that once cocking puts force onto the rear of the hinge & the triggers upper part swings theres a notch on the front of the rear trigger that the smaller hair trigger clicks onto at cocked position held only by a light spring once set it needs just a light pull to release the rear trigger . and of it goes remember unlike a flint lock the blow is horizontal not upwards as it swivels round and hits the locks secondary Scear( the little prop like bit ) Maybe wait for the pics .
Cheers Rudyard
Cheers Rudyard
Great, thanks for the description! I think I understand, but I may need to read over the description a couple of times/see photos.
Just got this book … has great photos, diagrams and sketches … but still absorbing it!
Hey … wouldn’t it be TOO COOL if we could convince Jim Kibler to tool up his CNC machines to make wheellocks? Dayum, I use to program Bridgeport Boss5 CNCs … sure wish I had been into wheellocks when I had such access!
Hey … wouldn’t it be TOO COOL if we could convince Jim Kibler to tool up his CNC machines to make wheellocks? Dayum, I use to program Bridgeport Boss5 CNCs … sure wish I had been into wheellocks when I had such access!
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I don't know about the Wheellocks but Graeme Rimer then at the Tower on seeing David Hardings' Lawrences pattern' musket said it was the best 18c replica he had seen. David told me, & I rather took that as a great compliment . & after years of his testing it now resides in the Leeds RA. Where by invite I went to see him about other pieces he might seek. Ide like them to have a Scots snaphance but getting it there today is made complex by rabid left wing politician's' Brave new world policies' that are not helpful to such as we .
Rudyard
Rudyard
Any standouts in the book, so far?
It has great schematics and photos of wheellocks. Anyone familiar, of course, with wheelocks and this info is already known.
But what it highlights is that the IF one were to buy, for example, a wheellock lock kit from The Rifle Shoppe, you just don’t file Part A to size. You’d file Part A to basic shape LESS those features, e.g., a cam, etc., that bears or interfaces with Part B and Part C.
All those parts would need to be filed to fit “together as an assembly” in order to work together correctly.
But what it highlights is that the IF one were to buy, for example, a wheellock lock kit from The Rifle Shoppe, you just don’t file Part A to size. You’d file Part A to basic shape LESS those features, e.g., a cam, etc., that bears or interfaces with Part B and Part C.
All those parts would need to be filed to fit “together as an assembly” in order to work together correctly.
That is very neat! I had assumed making everything "perfectly" to spec on their own would be a recipe for disappointment.
I posted it in another thread yesterday, but this guy does a great job of showing how each part can be filed/ground from blocks of steel into a wheellock:
Cool video!
The book also details about 38 different wheelocks and then the spanners and accessories.
I’m going to make a cherry-stocked paddle-butt “Calvary Carbine”, like this example from the Royal Armories.
The book also details about 38 different wheelocks and then the spanners and accessories.
I’m going to make a cherry-stocked paddle-butt “Calvary Carbine”, like this example from the Royal Armories.
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If I ever reach the point I can make a working lock, I was considering something similar.
You need to get yourself a cuirass and broad sword to go with it.
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That's OK Flint. You can borrow my blades. Now you just need the cuirass. LOL
Rick
What’s the original source for that musket? Is the sword based off of one of the Nuremberg (Munich?) guard swords?
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The musket is an English fishtail built by Leonard Day. About 1640ish. The lock is commonly referred to as the "English" or "Jacobean" lock. It's basically a bit of advancement and carry over of the snaphaunce lock, but now the frizzen and pan cover are one piece.
The blades are copied from the Munich Guard Swords, where quite a few original examples still remain today. They're both very sharp and ready for combat use. LOL
An interesting note on original wheellock guns (usually pistols): Over the many years, from auctions, I've noticed that the more plain examples, that were likely made for military use, often bring higher prices than the individually made, highly decorated ones.
Rick
I remember hearing a statement that many collectible firearms are cheaper(often significantly so) today then they were new, such as with Mausers and Colts.
Most of those really decorated wheellocks must be a fraction of a fraction of their original cost.
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The carbine would be a good choice. Incidentaly the wheellock as drawn is not 16c more late17th. Rudyard
