Primed and Loaded | Wheelock Ignition System

[@ThePerfectRed]

I like that you correctly mention the iron pyrite, instead of calling it a flint as most people do. In contrast to flintlocks, where the flint scrapes the sparks from the frizzen, in a wheellock it is the wheel that scrapes the sparks from the pyrite. Otherwise the wheel would get worn down and its tight fit to the cavity in the pan would get lost.

[@APV878]

You had me at "Wheelock". Fascinating 16th century tech. That's a fantastic replica, too.

[@jamesread1607]

And will we have you at "snaphaunce" too? 🙂

[@erikseavey9445]

I appreciate the people who take the time to recreate this stuff.

[@Tuckahoe1918]

That grin at 9:45 says "I'm having too much fun playing with these toys".

[@GrangerGangster]

A clockwork Zippo is the best descriptor of a wheelock mechanism I’ve ever heard.

[@JYFMuseums]

Thanks!

[@georgeweissmann9095]

Just fascinating, thanks. Would love to visit America and Jamestown one day.

[@JYFMuseums]

You're welcome, and we look forward to your visit one day.

[@northislandguy]

Pretty amazing the tech they had back in the day, so many moving parts and working well

[@christianx8494]

Think of those astronomical clocks they could make. The real difficult things were fire-welding the barrel and making the carbon steel for the springs and the wheel. And there was a saying in the Austrian town of Ferlach, a center of gun manufacture: The devil gave up gunmaking as his springs always snapped.

[@theprancingprussian]

Soldiers will be soldiers If something can be broke, no matter how hard to do so - it will be broken

[@abcstardust]

I only heard of the Wheel-lock mechanism today. Thank you for getting into the internal workings of this amazing weapon!!

[@JYFMuseums]

You're welcome! We're glad we could share something new with you.

[@tnphotobug]

Fantastic video, thank you so much for sharing!!

[@aaron2923]

Came to learn how wheellocks work because of dnd,I have now left with a fascination with the mechanism

[@tobiashagstrom4168]

I can imagine these would make pistols as defensive weapons more viable, since you can keep it primed and draw whenever you need to, which you couldn't really do with a matchlock.

[@Quincy_Morris]

Precisely. This innovation changed the culture of warfare in a foundational way. Violence could be stored, shipped and put in a box for later use, ready to go at the pull of a trigger.

[@leoprzytuac3660]

That being the main reason why cavalry using pistols as a main tactic was viable. Black Cuirassiers are cool.

[@Real11BangBang]

Im currently building one for our channel it is definitely an intriguing system

[@JYFMuseums]

Curious, how's the project going?

[@nikitamckeever5403]

Thanks again , very interesting and you’ve got me intrigued . To see the development of early firearms gets my cogs turning 🤔😁👍

[@josesantelices8138]

Muy Buena Explicacion tecnica de las famosas armas de Llave, desde CHILE

[@BIG-DIPPER-56]

Gosh I need one! 😎👍

[@tiborfuri9295]

I love that its a puffer pistol from the 1500s and not a late 17th century western style pistol.

[@tbmpetsolutions]

Gr8 job. Thanks.

[@flyinggeng]

Wheellocks were rich people weaponry, and Jamestown had wealthy people among its colonist roster. It makes sense. But I can imagine those weapons might have been harder to maintain and repair.

[@christianx8494]

Wheellocks with engravings on the metal parts and inlays of ivory, bone and mother-of-pearl were for the upper layers of society. Plain weapons were issued to the cavalry, each horseman had two of them. The „Zeughaus“ , the armory, of Graz in Austria survived with its outdated weapons as the responsible people in its local government understood some 250 years ago that it was what we call cultural heritage today. It is full of smoothbore and rifled muskets and other long arms, plus thousands of mostly plain pistols. The arms had been bought in the 16th and 17th centuries to arm the local militia in case the Turks would attack from the Balkans.

[@chickensandwich1589]

Lock time seems just as fast, if not faster than the more modern flintlock system. Who made that piece?

[@JYFMuseums]

the wheellock pistol was made by Dale Shin back in the 1990s.

[@APV878]

So, do we know why Pyrite was preferred for wheelocks as opposed to Flint? And, if Pyrite was good enough for a Wheelock, why not used on (snaphance/English lock/dog lock) muskets?

[@jamesread1607]

Look on rockngem.com for an article titled "Examining Pyrite, Iron, and Flint: The Fire Makers." By Toni Rahn from August 8, 2018. It might be a good place to start. A flint would not generally work in a wheellock against the serrated wheel. Flint and steel work at generating sparks because of an arching motion that allows the sharp edge of the flint to strike the steel at a proper angle and causing a shower of sparks. In the wheellock its not a striking motion, but the grating of the wheel against the pyrite. If it were a flint, the wheel would only serve like a flint knappers pressure flaking tool, breaking off flakes of stone from the flint's sharp edge without causing a spark. We have for grins tried a piece of pyrite in a snaphaunce. It didn't spark as well as a flint or as reliably, and after a few strikes of the cock against the battery the pyrite started to crumble.

[@APV878]

@@jamesread1607 Thanks! Ah, of course, pyrite sparks differently than flint, I didn't think of that at the time.

[@alifr4088]

Would a modern ferrocerium rod work on a wheelock without getting destroyed from the blackpowder burning?

[@thrifikionor7603]

Flint does work on wheellocks in emergencies if the wheel is hardened, which it most likely would be, however since the sparks are created from the wheel then instead of the pyrite you eventually wear down your wheel. Since the wheel goes through the pan, it needs to be very well fitted, otherwise the priming powder can escape so it is generally not a good idea to use flint in wheellocks, even though you often see it done and many museums have flints in their wheellocks which makes me kind of mad.

[@calebwelch6393]

Fantastic Video! Just out of curiosity did they have holsters for these types of weapons? Also, what all sort of archeological literature relating to firearms at Jamestown is there?

[@jamesread1607]

Hi Caleb, saddle holsters were very common for pistols carried by cavalrymen in Europe. You will notice that belt hooks are rather common on pistols as well. As for a book, check out Jamestown The Buried Truth, by William Kelso. It is a good summation of the first 12 years of the Jamestown Rediscovery project at Historic Jamestowne, including some of the arms and armour.

[@calebwelch6393]

@@jamesread1607 Thank you! I will make sure to check those out when I get the chance. Keep on making great content!

[@emeteriosilva6901]

Hola ,Saludos desde Chile, Feliciteciones por el video, Siempre quise tener un arma de rueda , por su rapidez en la ingnición que es tan instantanea como un disparo con percusión mejor que la chispa del pedernal. Sabes quien tiene planos de estos diseños .??? Como aqui en Chile no llegaron en su tiempo tampoco hay gente que haga replicas..

[@nicktrueman224]

A very good explanation of a complex weapon. And absolutely correct, a wheelock made properly has the automatic pan release and this feature is found on original piece's. Unfortunately there are no really cheap options for people, and without getting into a argument cheaply made wheelocks are not worth the savings you make. Buy a flintlock or matchlock instead guys. Flintlock mechanisms are seen early 17thc but on cheek piece style stocks in eastern Europe which is my area of interest. They are true flintlocks and generally have a large lockplate and no bridle on the tumbler. The lockplate may be large due to replacing a wheelock mechanism or the stock being pre fabricated, yes even at such early dates we see pre fabrication as guns could not be made fast enough for the Ottoman threat and 30yrs war. Thanks for the vid love it!

[@JYFMuseums]

Thank you. We'd agree, cheaply made usually means more expensive, because something had to be purchased twice to get it right.

[@nicktrueman224]

@@JYFMuseums Definitely mate, 100% agree. I don't have allot of money but one of my dreams was to own functional wheelock firearm. And finally I amassed enough to approach a well respected gunsmith, and wow I just love it. This period during the 16th 17thc is just so interesting to me.

[@nicktrueman224]

​@@JYFMuseums deffinetly, mine is a puffer as well, it is a longer 1570s copy of a Austrian German make. Nuremberg etc. Pyrite is not easy for me to get and refuse to use flint. Do you know any US vendors you could recommend?

[@nicktrueman224]

​@@JYFMuseumsasking for advice here mate, have you ever stripped ypur wheelock mechanism? If so any hints and tips. I am a little affraid because I paid a bit for mine. But it is getting really gunked up. No corrosion well oiled and cleaned but yes it is time for a thought clean.

[@ludovicmistral5529]

Hi ! do you have any idea of how many time can you shot before blocking the wheel system ? ( due to powder residue ) if blocking the system is a thing of course ^^

[@JYFMuseums]

We tend to find gunpowder fouling on the wheel is a relatively minor issue, and any fouling is easy to wipe off. The main issue is to keep track of the spanner wrench. Because no wrench means an inoperable firearm. A second issue may be while fouling is a minor issue, there is the overall need to keep the moving parts within the lock plate properly cleaned and lubricated. Finally a third consideration is the wearing on the iron pyrite used to generate the spark to ignite the gunpowder.

[@ludovicmistral5529]

@@JYFMuseums OK thank you for your answer !

[@RichardGoth]

Great presentation....thanks!

[@charlesdeleo4608]

Wow! That is incredible seeing a wheelock pistol in action! I heard a theory that the system was invented by Leonardo Da Vinci, when the Borgias commandeered his services to make war machines like the early tank. Would this be the case?

[@JYFMuseums]

There is a very vocal group of historians that believe that Da Vinci created the wheellock ignition system. There are also those that suggest it was a German inventor that created the wheellock, whose story is now lost to history. We don't have an opinion on the matter, but enjoy the lively debate on the matter.

[@RealBadGaming52]

@@JYFMuseums assassins creed 2 (video game set in Italy with Devinic as a carachter in it) totally missed that one, BUT he did invent a gun for Ezio, maybe that’s where they got the idea

[@guaporeturns9472]

Prime the pan before the main charge and ball? Always did it the opposite myself

[@Master10k2]

Is it spelt "Wheelock" or "Wheellock"? Because I've seen it spelt both ways.

[@JYFMuseums]

Wheelock, wheellock, wheel-lock, and wheel lock all seem to be used and accepted spellings.

[@masonmellinger5304]

Is that a Dale Shinn piece? If so, is he still making these today? I can't find any contact information on him.

[@JYFMuseums]

It is a piece made by Dale Shin. Though it's our understanding that he's since retired.

[@jeremiahsafford1389]

Does a wheellock have any advantages over a snaphance?

[@JYFMuseums]

jeremiah, that is a interesting question. First, the wheellock pre-dates the snaphaunce, and was meant to be an alternative to the matchlock ignition. What advantages are there for either matchlocks or wheellock over the other? As a follow up technology, it is probably easier to point out the advantages of the snaphaunce over that of the wheellock -- especially when one takes into consideration that a wheellock has to have a spanner wrench to function. In the end though, matchlocks, snaphaunces and wheellocks all give way to the flintlock/French lock. What's your opinion on the subject?

[@jeremiahsafford1389]

@@JYFMuseums Thank you for the detailed response! I don't have the knowledge to have much of an opinion, but I do think it is interesting that matchlocks and wheellocks were still widely used for decades after the snaphaunce (and earlier guns using flint) had been invented. Is that an issue of snaphances not being well-known?

[@JYFMuseums]

@Jeremiah Safford Matchlock and wheellock ignitions are going to stick around simply because they are effective weapons, that someone has already purchased. And while new technologies are invented & created, there is a question of how quickly the new knowledge spreads and the evolution of manufacturing capabilities. New technology does not mean immediate abandonment of older technologies On the other hand, Virginia is a good case study. As the colony transitions from a Virginia Company military structure to that of a Royal Colony with individuals settling their own farms, we see in the 1624 & 25 records the snaphaunce ignition becoming more common. In the end though, it is the flintlock itself thats going to eventually replace matchlock, wheellock and early flint weapons like the snaphaunce. This happens throughout the progression of the 17th century.

[@jimpoynor5681]

Thank you for posting this video. It’s very informative! I happen to have a smooth-bored long gun that was made by Peter Danner in Nuremberg around 1580 and in order to learn about the operational aspects of wheel locks, I took it to the range with a friend and we fired about ten shots with it with a reduced charge of 40-grains of Fg powder (the original measure that’s still in the patch box holds 66-grains of Fg) The thing that really surprised me was how quickly the pyrites became unusable. I think that the first one only lasted four shots before crumbling so badly that it had to be replaced. I cut the pyrites out of large crystals using a diamond saw (not a fun process). Your video lends credence to what I was thinking that day-that the lock on this gun may be unusually hard on pyrites. The cock spring is so strong that you have to be very careful when moving it. If you were to move it carelessly, I think that a broken finger might be the result!

[@cariopuppetmaster]

They probably have a faster reaction time. The time between the moment you pull the trigger and the moment the ball flies out of the musket for a wheellock is slightly shorter than a flint gun

[@andrewryder70]

Do you know where I could acquire such a gun

[@JYFMuseums]

This one was made for us many years ago by a smith that has long since retired. We do not have anyone that we could recommend now.

[@tango-bravo]

Does anybody make Kydex ankle holsters for these?

[@jenniferc2597]

Why pyrite instead of flint? Flint and steel had been used for centuries at this point, correct? So does pyrite have some property flint and other striking stones do not? Or is it just that one or more extant wheelocks were documented as using pyrite, so we assume it was universal?

[@JYFMuseums]

At one time it was pyrite and flint that were struck together to generate sparks for fire starting. With flint and steel, the sharp edge of flint is struck against the steel striker, creating small bits of steel shavings and the friction heats the steel shavings into the spark. This happens with the snapping action of the flint ignition firearms. The steel face is abraded by the flint and the steel is worn away. With the wheellock ignition system the pyrite was held against a serrated steel wheel. When fired, the spring-driven serrated wheel rotated rapidly, abrading the pyrite and the spark was generated from the pyrite. It works much like a modern Zippo lighter. The wheellock system lacks the snapping of the flintlock system that makes flint and steel work. On the wheellock the serrated steel wheel is not being abraded and worn away, the pyrite is being worn.

[@jenniferc2597]

@@JYFMuseums Oh! Fascinating, thank you!

[@guaporeturns9472]

Interesting they called that a spanner.. I have a completely different tool in mind when someone mentions spanner

[@Randrei-o6q]

Судя по рукоятке этого пистолета, после выстрела и невозможности его зарядить можно было его использовать как орудие ближнего боя. П.С: «Вот пистолеты уж блеснули, Гремит о шомпол молоток. В гранёный ствол уходят пули, И щёлкнул в первый раз курок. Вот порох струйкой сероватой На полку сыплется. Зубчатый, Надежно ввинченный кремень взведён ещё» строфа XXIX Глава VI Евгений Онегин

[@JYFMuseums]

Возможный. Есть несколько гравюр мужчин, сражающихся пистолетами в качестве оружия ближнего боя или дубинками.

[@zenderfall]

Wow. This is why, in the early period of guns, you don’t bring a gun to a swordfight.

[@JYFMuseums]

Brian says, "get both for the fight".

[@arikaur24]

too bad there are no reproduction wheel locks around I would love to have one.

[@bertsteele139]

This seems to me like a more reliable system than the flintlock

[@JYFMuseums]

Yes, it may or may not be more reliable. But, it certainly is more complex and relies on having that spanner wrench to operate the firearm. You lose that wrench and the piece can not be cocked and fired.

[@cariopuppetmaster]

No wheellocks are far more unreliable due to the small fragile pieces.

[@FayazAhmad-yl6sp]

Man is not as intelligent as he possess himself out to be. It took centuries to develop a muzzle-loading breech-loading gun, and the cartridge that made it inside the barrel of the gun had to be made separately on the outside.

[@Sokol10]

The issue is that the metallurgy required for make a beech-loading gun and cartridges don't exist in 1600's, need the Industrial Revolution happens.