| LORDGHEE | 23 Oct 2009 3:13 a.m. PST |
What was the Caliber of the Macthlok of the Frecnh in 1622 TYW era? How fast is slow macth and fast mact? When the macthlock was fired and reload stared is the macth held in hand and is setting off ones cartiages unsual, or uncommon? Lord Ghee |
| Monstro | 23 Oct 2009 4:35 a.m. PST |
I think they were all pretty much what is now called 12 bore though there would have been some variation.
I don't know why this seemed to be the most common size,perhaps someone can shed some light on that, whether it was dictated by bullet size or charge size or a balance of both. The 12 bore nomenclature came from making 12 bullets from a pound of lead BTW. The match would have been held in the left hand while reloading, it was uncommon but musketeers did occasionally set off their own charges,this had probably more to do with flying embers than direct contact with their own match though.
Much of the balletic training to use these thing did revolve around not setting them off until they were pointed at an enemy. Just how slow match is depends on how much saltpetre is in the mixture used to soak the match in the first place, It's a long time since I made my own but about a foot an hour was what we aimed to achieve …..I think.
Mine burned faster than that though as too little would result in the match being extinguished by the flash when it met the gunpowder in the pan. |
| RockyRusso | 23 Oct 2009 11:04 a.m. PST |
Hi Actually, I think it was 16 to the pound, but I should look it up. Anyway, if you go to a model airplane shop you can finds slow match for sale in free flight sections used as a "fuse" for dethermalizers. usually with a red mark every half inch showing how long for a one minute burn. Sig and Dubro both make the stuff. Rocky |
| jdginaz | 23 Oct 2009 1:09 p.m. PST |
No, it's 12 to a pound for 12 gauge, 16 to a pound for 16 gauge and so on. jdg |
| LORDGHEE | 23 Oct 2009 1:20 p.m. PST |
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| Dave Crowell | 23 Oct 2009 2:01 p.m. PST |
Bore is the inside diameter of the gun barrel. Gauge refers to the number of lead balls the same diameter as the inside of the barrel needed to weight one pound. Thus a 12 gauge means that 12 balls of the same diameter as the barrel would weigh one pound. Caliber is another measure of bore diameter and bullet size. It is expressed as decimal fractions of an inch. .22 caliber, or twenty-two, is 22/100 of an inch. Muskets often are .60 caliber or larger. That is a big chunk of lead. |
Shagnasty  | 23 Oct 2009 2:04 p.m. PST |
Hence our modern shotgun sizing. |
| LORDGHEE | 23 Oct 2009 3:07 p.m. PST |
Yes, and my Question was "what was the caliber of the French machtlock of around 1622"
Now the later French musket of the Napoleonic era was .69 and I Belive that the Macthlocks where bigger but I do not Know this for a fact. hence the Question?
The Caliber of any Macthlocks used by any TWY army would be helpful.
Lord Ghee |
| bsrlee | 23 Oct 2009 11:21 p.m. PST |
1622 -should- be well into the 'Musket Age' – and originally Spanish muskets ran 10 to 12 ga. bore, 12 ga. being about .75" or 18-19mm. As time went on the bore size tended to be made smaller and the barrel shorter – hence the musket would be lighter to carry & cheaper to make, plus it used less lead per shot so again it was more attractive to the bean counters. Eventually this would lead to muskets that could be used without a rest. |
| LORDGHEE | 24 Oct 2009 5:57 a.m. PST |
gogle up matchlock and a French company that makes repcials has a macthlock that is 19mm from the time period. looking some more
Lord Ghee
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