| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| BookwormMG |
Posted - June 20 2010 : 3:40:36 PM
In the New Mexico History Museum I saw several 18th-century Spanish flintlock muskets, all of which differed from their North American counterparts in at least one feature: Instead of the finial that's used to pull back the hammer on the flintlocks that we're familiar with, they had a circular or oval ring. Apologies, reenactors, for my clumsy terminology, but you probably know what I'm talking about. Here's a picture I found via Google:
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/scarce-spanish-flintlock-musket
Presumably the Spanish saw an advantage to this design, but I don't see what it would be. Of course I've never fired a flintlock of any sort, so I hope that some who have will offer their thoughts on the subject. |
| 1 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Seamus |
Posted - June 20 2010 : 4:33:25 PM
Mary, It's called a hammer (or cock) screw, or a vise screw. The ring is to allow a tool of round iron to be placed through as a lever to add mechanical advantage to tighten the jaws as tight as possible to hold the flint very securely. In some other locks of the period and manufacture, you will variously see screws with a stout turnkey (screwdiver to you modern folks!) slot, or one with a slot and a hole to allow an inserted tool to tighten the jaws to hold the flint securely. |
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![The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]](images/wwwboard.gif "The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]")
