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Post by missionary on Jan 1, 2018 6:31:10 GMT -7
Good morning Couple years ago decided to try my hand at scratch building the simplest of muzzle loaders. The matchlock being an early 1500's improvement over the simple Gnomes (short cannons mounted on short spear / pike handles) was quickly adapted by many small "private armies". Smoothbore of large caliber (just like the gnomes) capable of killing and blowing off body parts at 300 yards "If" the target could be hit. Being a smoothbore firing an unpatched lead ball any shot past 70 yards at massed targets was iffy. But ready old battle accounts it did cause great fear seeing the flaming thunderous "firelocks" belching forth death and destruction. Just one look at your friend with no arm or leg or head caused great concerns about getting too close.
Decided on forming ours after a common matchlock any private soldier would have carried into the New World. At least 10 matchlocks came ashore at Plymouth. Jamestown had many more. Couple things I did discover... No two were alike. All were built one at a time. Plus these were designed for short people. I did not take that into account and should have added 4 inches of length to my buttstock area.
So I gathered all the scrap steel and misc. that I found laying about roads I travel or had bought for other projects and set to it. Had to buy the wood (pine and largest expense) for the stock but the plank a 2x8 would make 2 more easily. Next purchase expense was the high pressure gas pipe I settled on for the "blanks only" barrel. I proofed it to 70 grains 3F Elephant. No issues . Also reamed the interior smooth. The breech was set in the barrel with the barrel end red hot. Hammered in is a better explanation. Then breech was cross pinned twice with hardened concrete spikes also hammered in.
2 months later started "flash pan" tests and roughly 2 weeks later had it assembled ready to "test fire". Started with 30 grains 3F with a news paper wad. tried 40 grains and settled on 50 grains 3F with the same amount of news paper wad. No issues. Have fired it numerous times in the back yard down the side of the house (23 yards) during fire works days (Christmas & News Years).
Total production cost is slightly over $24 as the bulk of the parts were free from the road. The "barrel" was a used gas pipe. Only new piece was the wood plank of which I only used 1/3. Pictures will follow soon. Cannot find on this computer my photos which are for sure on the other one... Mike in Peru
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Post by missionary on Jan 1, 2018 13:06:12 GMT -7
Good afternoon
The picture went bezerk.. Click on the 2 overly large ones and they will go to posted size...
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Post by Bullshop on Jan 1, 2018 18:22:15 GMT -7
That is very interesting! In use to drop the match do you squeeze the lever or pull it down? By the looks of the thumb notch in the stock it suggest squeezing the lever. Are you maybe thinking on making another for shooting projectiles? For me my curiosity would push me beyond contentment with just a noise maker.
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Post by missionary on Jan 2, 2018 5:55:58 GMT -7
Good morning
Yes the lever is used to move the match holder through a lever that pulls it down into the pan. Leaf spring loaded to return the match bar (serpentine is the part name) to the upright position. Lifting the "Bar" which is threaded into the actuating bar attached to the right side lock plate and on the inside does it all. The actual weight of the Bar near has enough weight to return the serpentine to it's upper position.
There is a "turn bolt" seated on the lower left area of the side plate which was an improvement that came about around 1580 (?). It's function is a "safety". By screwing it in the troops could carry the firelock ready to fire and not have to be "worried" the Bar would be pushed up actuating the serpentine and accidently firing. There is a cover over the flash pan that could stop a firing but is not perfectly safe. Powder residue can be in that area so easily ignited by the "slow match" attached to the serpentine head via the turn bolt threaded through the serpentine head. The matches were generally hemp rope soaked in a water / BP slurry that when dried had enough mixture in the rope that would cause a slow burn of about one foot per hour. Normal new cord was 3 feet long with the long none burning end wrapped around the barrel. The slow match was ignited as the lines were being formed for battle.
Down here no desire to get into a shooting model as #1 I would have to take it off property to get registered as a firearm. #2 Explain why I am manufacturing firearms with out a license. As long as it never leaves my house I am "OK". It is just a replica.
I have little doubt with 50 grains of 3F (my noise load) it would project a .73 ball safely. Just no need or desire to enter into the realm of legalities.
My goal was to see how easy it would have been for a 1500's smithy to turn one out. Naturally the barrel was stepped around. Forging a barrel on a mandrill maybe one day.. but even back then some black smith with basic barrel making skills was producing barrels the smiths were using. An Arsenal shop would do it all but still assembled one at a time with all parts being handmade.
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Post by missionary on Jan 7, 2018 18:04:54 GMT -7
Good evening Came across a photo of one of the first hand held test fires using a "slow match" firing 50 grain load of 3F under a news paper wad. Learned to blow on the Burning end to get it glowing good before trying to ignite pan.
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Post by todddoyka on Jan 13, 2018 22:39:44 GMT -7
very interesting!!!
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Post by missionary on Jan 14, 2018 3:56:16 GMT -7
Good morning
When all this got started computer searches were very helpful. All sorts of "museum collections" you can view. Some museums have very detailed photos of the internal "lever arrangements" of the system. Very simple really. But they all were unique in they way each "smith" cut and assembled the parts.
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