Japanese Matchlock

[bluelake]

Just the other day, I ordered a Japanese matchlock from John Buck.  He told me he hadn't made one before, but had good plans for one.  I'm really looking forward to it, both for work on my dissertation and also just for fun.  

Here's a page with all kinds of different Japanese matchlocks.  If you click on a picture, there are other pictures showing all different angles and even ones with the matchlocks taken apart.

http://seiyudo.com/antiqueguns.htm

[Spotted Bull]

Those are really cool...gotta get a matchlock for myself some day.

[Craig Tx]

They do be fun RB...

Nothin' like a few matchlocks in a pike square for a fun afternoon...  

Craig

[Minnesota Mike]

You gonna get the outfit that goes with it?

r/
MM

[Indiana]

That's a gorgeous rifle.  What kind of wood did the Japanese use to make their matchlocks with?

[Spotted Bull]

You gonna get the outfit that goes with it?

r/
MM

Not sure that I would fit in at the local vouz in that getup...but hey I'm game!

[bluelake]

That's a gorgeous rifle.  What kind of wood did the Japanese use to make their matchlocks with?

I believe Japanese (flowering) cherry.

[bluelake]

You gonna get the outfit that goes with it?

r/
MM

If I ever got any outfit to go with it, it would probably be that of a Korean Joseon dynasty soldier (look at the videos I posted on Korean cannon for reference), but as I'm not a re-enactor it probably won't happen.  I did once wear a Joseon dynasty officer's uniform for a Korean archery demo.

[bluelake]

Today, I spent the afternoon translating Korean text into English in a book chapter about black powder (very interesting reading that will be very useful in my dissertation).  While flipping through the rest of that chapter, which is on Korean Joseon dynasty guns of all sizes, I ran across the mention of one peculiar piece.  It was an extra-long smoothbore matchlock: 65" overall length with an approximate 51" barrel (and weighed in at 22 pounds).  There is an even longer example in a museum in Incheon with a 68" overall length and approximate 53" barrel (and .91 caliber).  They were recorded as shooting 1,000 paces (over 3/4 of a mile).  Was there anything comparable during the same time period (~18th and 19th centuries) in the West?

[bluelake]

Well, I had an e-mail from John Buck, and he's finishing up my matchlock; he hopes to have it done this weekend.  I'm really looking forward to receiving and shooting it (I'll let the UPS guy get out of the way first, however   ).  I plan to take a lot of video and stills this summer; I'll share what I do when I get it all sorted.

My plane takes off tomorrow morning and, after nearly 24 hrs. of traveling, I should be at my folks' place.

[bluelake]

My Japanese matchlock is somewhere between VA and MI (coming by USPS).  John Buck and I talked on the phone today for over an hour.  He's a really interesting fellow to talk with.  Anyway, I'm really looking forward to my matchlock to arrive, as it is the main part of my dissertation research, so I need to make lots of smoke with it by the end of the summer.

BTW, the barrel is probably 100-150 years old and has never been fired.

[bluelake]

Yeehah!  She came today and what a beauty she is.  John Buck sure did a nice job.  I'm planning to go make a little smoke this afternoon if it doesn't rain.

[bluelake]

Well, I went out and made some smoke today.  It is a smooth shooter and I hardly felt anything at all.  I started out with 25gr. and went up to 40gr.  I used the Korean method of loading a paper wad (I used Korean mulberry pulp paper) after the powder and ball were seated.  Finally, I had a hangfire and decided to call it a day.  I ended up using a bullet puller.  I'll clean it out tonight and try again in a couple days (I'm heading to the long range artillery competition tomorrow).

[bluelake]

I've been having a great time with the matchlock, although the wet weather we've been having here has dictated a bit when I'm able to go out and shoot.  Here is a pic from about 1903 in Korea with tiger hunters and their matchlocks:

[Forager]

What's the proper shooting hold for one of those?