How does a flintlock work?
Flintlocks were, due to the size of their lockwork, mostly muskets and rifles, though there were pistols. The parts that made them a flintlock were the pan, the frizzen, and the cock. The cock was analogous to the hammer of a modern firearm, and it was released by the trigger.The cock was actually a clamp which held the “flint” or actually iron pyrite. The pan was a container on the side of the weapon holding a charge of very fine powder. The frizzen was a spring loaded cover over the pan, and had a hardened serrated surface, much like a file.The arm was loaded with a powder charge and bullet, a muzzle loader, and a small amount of priming powder placed in the pan. The cover, the frizzen was closed, and the flint clamped in the cock. When ready to fire, the cock was cocked and the trigger pulled to fire. The falling hammer, or cock, struck against the serrated surface of the frizzen, opening it up and sending a shower of sparks down into the priming powder. Then, if all went as planned, the powder ignited with a flash and sent fire through a flash hole in the barrel to fire the main powder charge.Obviously, from the foregoing, there was a sort of time delay from pressing the frigger to actual firing the weapon. And at times, the priming powder failed to ignite the main charge, or a “flash in the pan.”Probably more information than you ever wanted to know.
How does a matchlock and a flintlock differ?
The names tell the answer:A Matchlock has a lit (match) fuse that runs down to the pan, which then ignites, fires into the bore hole to the powder charge, which then ignites and fires the bullet.A Flintlock has a piece of flint held in a small vise. When the trigger is pulled, the flint swings down & strikes a piece of metal that releases a series of sparks. These sparks then ignite the powder in the pan, this then fires into the bore hole to the powder charge, which then ignites and fires the bullet.
Where is the pan in a flintlock?
Yes, the pan protrudes slightly from the side. It is covered by the frizzen, a roughened metal plate against which the flint strikes. When the trigger is pulled the hammer falls, the flint strikes the frizzen which produces sparks and causes the frizzen to pivot, exposing the pan into which the sparks fall, igniting the gunpowder.
What is a flintlock and a matchlock? Can they still be found today?
Lets look at the two words for a moment. Both say ‘lock’ in the name. the Lock is the mechanism responsible for firing the charged load. A flintlock has a piece of flint striking a flash pan (this pan is filled with finely ground black powder) in the locking mechanism that introduces the spark to set off the explosion (back powder explodes and smokeless powder burns rapidly)A matchlock has a lit wick or match that swings over and touches the flash pan thereby igniting the blackpowder. Occasionally there will be only a flash in the pan and no explosion, lots of fire with no actual bullet leaving the muzzle. hence the term , a flash in the pan. All looks and no action and over with quickly.
What are the advantages of flintlock musket over a matchlock one?
One had yo keep the “match” lit and smoldering at all times. If it rained, or whatever, this was difficult to do,A flintlock made its own spark each time the trigger was pulled.
How long did it take someone to load a musket, compared to loading a flintlock pistol?
A well-trained soldier could load and fire a smoothbore musket two or three times a minute. The elaborate step-by-step infantry drill of the eighteenth century armies was designed to make this possible. The rate of fire fell, however, as the musket became fouled with powder residue and it became harder to ram home the ball and powder charge. Also there was a high misfire rate. Flintlock pistols were functionally identical to the muskets and were loaded in the same manner. They were used mainly by cavalry and were secondary in importance to the trooper's sword, saber or lance.To load either the musket or the pistol you first half-cocked the piece. Then you tore open with your teeth the paper cartridge containing the ball and powder charge, opened the pan of the lock, primed the pan with a small amount of powder and closed it. Then you poured the rest of the powder down the barrel, placed the ball and paper wadding in the muzzle and rammed them home with the ramrod, seating the ball firmly but not to tightly on the powder charge. Then you brought the piece to full cock. The musket or pistol was then ready to fire.Rifled muskets of the period took much longer to load, since the ball had to closely fit the rifled barrel and was considerably harder to ram home.