One of the primary challenges in the operation of a firearm was to find a way to integrate the charge into the weapon itself. To achieve this, early guns included a bowl shaped metal plate at the breach called a "flashpan". The flashpan had a small channel connecting it to the breach of the firearm where the gun powder was contained. A small amount of the powder would be contained in the flashpan which, when lit, would in turn ignite the rest of the powder propelling the projectile out of the gun. Initially, the powder in the flashpan was ignited using a handheld cloth or stick with a flame on the end – a match and hence the name. But this came with limitations; the gun was held in one hand with a lit match on the other. So hindrance in aiming was pretty common.
In an effort to improve accuracy and to reduce the delay in the firing process, the powder ignition technique was made simpler with the invention of matchlock in the early 15th century. With the matchlock, no longer did the shooter have to lower a lit match into the flashpan to ignite the powder – the mechanism did it automatically. This advancement freed up both hands to steady the weapon and, more importantly allowed the shooter to keep both eyes on the target.
The matchlock consisted of a curved metal clamp alongside the gun. It was termed "serpantine". The serpantine would hold a slow burning match and when a lever would be pulled, it would lower the match into the flashpan igniting the powder. Later on, with design improvements, the serpantine ws fitted with a spring and pulled back (cocked) and the trigger was used to release the spring sending the match forward to the flashpan.
Matchlock mechanism
Watch a Matchlock Musket being fired.
In an effort to improve accuracy and to reduce the delay in the firing process, the powder ignition technique was made simpler with the invention of matchlock in the early 15th century. With the matchlock, no longer did the shooter have to lower a lit match into the flashpan to ignite the powder – the mechanism did it automatically. This advancement freed up both hands to steady the weapon and, more importantly allowed the shooter to keep both eyes on the target.
The matchlock consisted of a curved metal clamp alongside the gun. It was termed "serpantine". The serpantine would hold a slow burning match and when a lever would be pulled, it would lower the match into the flashpan igniting the powder. Later on, with design improvements, the serpantine ws fitted with a spring and pulled back (cocked) and the trigger was used to release the spring sending the match forward to the flashpan.
Matchlock mechanism
Most of the early matchlock designs were used in the construction of long guns generally smooth barrelled and fired with both hands ergo muskets*. Those who used these weapons were known as musketeers. Very few matchlock designs were made into pistol sized guns. However, some were designed into shotguns which had wider, shorter barrels and fired multiple smaller projectiles with a single shot.
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