I found this video almost by accident. A pair of (faithful reproduction) wheellock pistols are put through their paces. Accuracy, velocity and ballistics gel and all, including different types of loads of the time. Some slow-mo too, to show how they worked, and the recoil. They were surprisingly accurate with the right load, and powerful too. Fascinating stuff.
According to noted "gonnescribe" Mulled Beer, in an article published in the April, 1648 issue of "Flint and Lead" scroll, they were a passing fad, popular with the landed gentry, but did nothing that the tried and tested matchlocks of the vassals would not do. Only the greedy could afford them due to them costing more than six matchlocks, and hence their disdainful nickname of " 6.5 Greedmores."
Interesting... I posted a video review a few days ago of a pepper box. Compared to their contemporaries. They were supposedly a pretty good value.. Better for the poker table than horseback, but you were more apt to get in trouble in town anyhow...
-OMotS
"If memory serves fails me..." Quote: ( unnamed) "been prtty deep in the cooler todaay "
Television and radio are most effective when people question little and think even less.
I surmise that I would not want to be shot at by one at 25 meters or less.
The way those were used in war was pretty devastating. In the 16th century massed pikemen had become a thing. And of course, a wall of steel mounted on long poles was pretty effective against mounted men at arms. So, the tactics with those pistols in the 17th century was for each man at arms to have a brace of them. These guys then, wearing as much armor as a medieval knight with bullet proof breastplates, would ride right up to the line of pikemen just at the edge of the pikes and fire their brace of pistols directly down into the pikemen. They would then wheel their mounts and return a short distance to reload, passing the second line of armored men at arms coming up to do the same thing. In theory at least, they could keep a line of pikemen under almost continuous fire with the pikemen having very little chance of stopping them. Seeing those pistols in action, it would appear as if they had to be killing or wounding someone with almost every shot.
Wheel locks were also, even though they were huge, seen as the weapons of assassins. That was because they did not require a burning match and could be secreted in clothing and underneath cloaks.
There is some fascinating stuff in experimental archeology. Watch this about like longbows and armor from Todd’s workshop. He has a fascinating channel where he makes all kinds of medieval crossbows and longbows.
I watched a relatively authentic movie about French musketeers who were using matchlocks. The wheel lock was a huge improvement over those things. Sometimes their own guns were more dangerous than the enemy.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
I watched a relatively authentic movie about French musketeers who were using matchlocks. The wheel lock was a huge improvement over those things. Sometimes their own guns were more dangerous than the enemy.
Yeah, but wheel locks were so expensive to make and the coiled spring was so relatively fragile and expensive to repair, that they never were used by the masses. Matchlocks continued to dominate until the flintlock took over.
I watched a relatively authentic movie about French musketeers who were using matchlocks. The wheel lock was a huge improvement over those things. Sometimes their own guns were more dangerous than the enemy.
Yeah, but wheel locks were so expensive to make and the coiled spring was so relatively fragile and expensive to repair, that they never were used by the masses. Matchlocks continued to dominate until the flintlock took over.
This. Wheellocks were possessed only by the higher classes.
I surmise that I would not want to be shot at by one at 25 meters or less.
The way those were used in war was pretty devastating. In the 16th century massed pikemen had become a thing. And of course, a wall of steel mounted on long poles was pretty effective against mounted men at arms. So, the tactics with those pistols in the 17th century was for each man at arms to have a brace of them. These guys then, wearing as much armor as a medieval knight with bullet proof breastplates, would ride right up to the line of pikemen just at the edge of the pikes and fire their brace of pistols directly down into the pikemen. They would then wheel their mounts and return a short distance to reload, passing the second line of armored men at arms coming up to do the same thing. In theory at least, they could keep a line of pikemen under almost continuous fire with the pikemen having very little chance of stopping them. Seeing those pistols in action, it would appear as if they had to be killing or wounding someone with almost every shot.
Yes, the caracole and countermarch. Still a feature in dressage competition.
It soon evolved into a tactic found to be even more effective: ride up to the enemy in close order, empty your pistols into the front rank, and then draw swords and immediately press the attack home with a charge.
I watched a relatively authentic movie about French musketeers who were using matchlocks. The wheel lock was a huge improvement over those things. Sometimes their own guns were more dangerous than the enemy.
Yeah, but wheel locks were so expensive to make and the coiled spring was so relatively fragile and expensive to repair, that they never were used by the masses. Matchlocks continued to dominate until the flintlock took over.
Yes, matchlocks for the poor infantryman, who was more or less expendable, and wheellocks for the cavalry.
There were also those who pressed that the bow should still have a place on the battlefield for a good while after the matchlock came along too. Henry VIII prominent among them. It could fire faster and reach further, and also was less susceptible to bad weather. It took a great deal more training and practice though, and probably also the psychological effect on the enemy of the crash and smoke of a volley played a part in the matchlock musket replacing the bow.
