The Armour Archive

I had commissioned a handgonne last fall from John Buck of Musket Mart. I received it in June (later than the expected date, but I was still extremely happy with the result). I wasn't really feeling the short haft that John had made for it and it took me this long to make a new, longer ash haft.

The barrel was made from a brass blank. The caliber is .64 and is 12" long and weighs 2 lbs. 15.1 oz. Overall the handgonne including the haft is 53". The barrel is similar to some extent german and swiss pieces.

So many toys....so little time to set fire to them....
-Cian

Take care not to take it on a boating trip.

It's black powder; it can *swim*!

Nice! Looks great. Once I get my war club done we should get some Hussites together!

RPM

I don't have much in the way of early 15th c stuff. But he has a bigger brother: hack butt (sans the hack)



This one is destined to be blued. I still haven't made the new hold-down straps for it yet.
-Cian

Lovely. In Southampton their civic records are just full of early handgun stuff in the 15th century. I was impressed by how many locals seem to have been involved.

Is the ring on the side for bracing it?

RPM

The satisfactory answer I received on here when I posed a similar question was that the ring is for suspension, either from a hook or lanyard while mobilized or stored. (.e.g. slung over one's shoulder or on a saddle or possibly hung on a rack.)
There is only one ring, so it seems logical to me.
-Cian