Harquebus with a Wheel

The harquebus is a portable firearm, consisting of a wooden butt, an iron barrel and a trigger mechanism. It was loaded with gunpowder and a lead bullet, cast or made with a device for making lead bullets. The trigger mechanism had undergone changes throughout the decades of its use, which consequently brought about the different names of harquebuses: a fire harquebus, a match-cord harquebus, a matchlock harquebus, a wheel lock harquebus and a flintlock harquebus. In the second half of the 16th century they began using the heavy Spanish musket, which slowly superseded the harquebuses.

The wheel lock (a mechanism with a wheel) was more effective than the matchlock, yet due to its complicated mechanism and high price of manufacture, it never superseded the matchlock mechanism in the army. Some attribute its invention to Leonardo da Vinci (he is said to have drawn it around 1500), whereas others claim that its invention was the work of a weapons maker from Nürnberg and supposedly dates back to 1515. In order for the mechanism to be activated and functional it had to be wound with a special wrench prior to use. The pan cover moved forward before the trigger was pulled and pressed the pyrite onto the wheel. When releasing the highly tensioned spring of the wheel, which began to rotate, the piece of pyrite rubbed against the rotating wheel and created sparks, which in turn caused ignition in the pan.

Length of the entire item 151cm; Barrel diameter 20mm; Weight 12kg.