Matchlock Arquebus
Historical Gunsmiths (generic) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1470
Also known as: Arquebus, Harquebus, Hackbut, Arcabuz, Caliver
Overview
The Matchlock Arquebus is a muzzle-loading, smoothbore black-powder shoulder arm and the first firearm fired from the shoulder with a mechanical trigger. Ignition came from a serpentine lever holding a smouldering slow match that was lowered into a priming pan when the trigger was pulled. Widely fielded across Europe and Asia from the late 15th century through the 16th century, the arquebus fired a roughly .66 caliber lead ball and, though slow to load and inaccurate, could pierce plate armour and rendered the armoured knight obsolete.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4500 g (158.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1135 mm (44.69") |
| Barrel Length | 850 mm (33.46") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Matchlock |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 300 m/s (984 fps) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 275 m (301 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Wood |
| Barrel Material | Iron |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .66 Caliber Lead Ball · primary — also known as 0.66 in, 16.8mm lead round ball, arquebus ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Safety mechanisms: Trigger Lever Catch
- Features: Serpentine Match Holder, Smoothbore Barrel, Muzzle Loading, Black Powder
Service history
Operators
- Spanish Empire · as Arcabuz
- Kingdom of England · as Caliver
- Ottoman Empire
Conflicts
- Italian Wars (1494-1559)
- Spanish conquest of the Americas (1519-1572)
Production
Production years: c. 1470-1600
Produced by countless individual gunsmiths across Europe and Asia; no central production figures exist
Origin
Country of origin: European Union
Notes
Bore diameter was typically about .72 caliber firing a slightly undersized .66 caliber ball to ease muzzle loading. Specifications reflect a standardized mid-16th century European arquebus (English 'caliver'); the heavier musket was a later, larger evolution of the same design.
Background
The matchlock arquebus decisively shifted the balance of the battlefield away from armoured cavalry and the crossbow. At Cerignola (1503) Spanish arquebusiers behind field fortifications shattered French cavalry, an early demonstration of firepower over shock, and the weapon reached Japan in 1543 where it was copied as the tanegashima.