Spanish Flintlock Musket

Almost 6 and a half feet in length, this Moorish musket with an octagonal barrel was commonly used on 18th-century warships. The flintlock mechanism dates from this period although the barrel was made in the 17th century.

The first muskets were in existence by the 16th century. They were long, heavy firearms that had to be held in a gun rest on the ship's gunwale or "top" to make it easier to fire them. The first muskets were lit using a fuse system—a technique that evolved until the flintlock mechanism became widespread. The weapon's recoil was abrupt and its shot was not very accurate. Although, in theory, it had a range of 660 feet, in reality, firing at that distance would have been a waste of ammunition. To increase their effectiveness, several muskets would be fired in a line.

It was a weapon that was difficult to load: gunpowder and bullets were inserted into the muzzle, with the musket in a vertical position, and pushed down using a ramrod. But mistakes were often made during loading and usually led to a blockage in the barrel, or clouds of smoke that revealed the shooter's location.