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Oooo. Brass. SWWBO likes brass...

By The Armorer on March 18, 2005 | | Comments (10)

Roving Castle Picture Provider Randy K. went to the UK - and sent us pictures of pretties!


Like this very early version of the M79 Grenade Launcher.


The data plate sez: Combined wheellock and matchlock hand-mortar. The stock inlaid with engraved stag-horn Nueremberg Mark and maker's mark G.H. over a pierced heart on lock plate, about 1590. One of the few surviving grenade launchers of the late 16th Century.

The curators are obviously of the opinion the engraved stag-horn is what's important here. The Armorer would rather take a look at the mechanism.

SWWBO would allow one of these in the living room, you betcha!

Hi-res pic available, click here.

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10 Comments

By Chuck Simmins on March 18, 2005 1:17 PM
Gotta wonder if anyone ever really fired that sucker.
 
By Fred Boness on March 18, 2005 1:45 PM
Gotta wonder if anyone ever really fired that sucker twice.
 
By Punctilious on March 18, 2005 2:22 PM
If they did it didn't blow up in their face but...
 
By John of Argghhh! on March 18, 2005 2:42 PM
Black powder doesn't produce the same viciousness of recoil as modern powders do. Nor does it generate the same sharp pressure curves - which is really a report of the Department of Redundancy Department reports. Assuming no flaw in the casting, and using the proper powder - you would be hard put to make that gun fail. The grenade might go off in your face... but that's not the gun's fault!
 
By Neffi on March 18, 2005 3:24 PM
hmm that one feller is getting mighty fresh with the damsel...
 
By John of Argghhh! on March 18, 2005 5:19 PM
I thought so, too, Neffi. Looks a lot like you and Lioness...
 
By Neffi on March 18, 2005 8:15 PM
OK, so that's a presentation piece. I'll bet the service models got more use as trench clubs than as hand-mortars... and yeah, I agree with The Armorer- they should turn it around so we can see the lock. Nice piece though, quality, eh?
 
By ACE on March 19, 2005 11:50 AM
Any idea what that thing fired, exactly? I'd guess shot.
 
By John of Argghhh! on March 19, 2005 12:08 PM
Grenades, actually. And shot. Little hollow balls filled with powder or incendiary materials. Essentially like fireworks.
 
By John of Argghhhh!!! on March 24, 2005 8:23 AM
Don't mind me - just testing.