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Looking for an unusual firearm

Started by madmanpsu, April 09, 2010, 04:37:23 PM

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madmanpsu

Ok, I'll throw this out here.  I am looking for a firing reproduction of a wheel lock grenade launcher.  It was the precurser to flintlock weapons of the same type used by Grenadiers in the late 17th and 18th centuries.  They were used to shoot grenadoes or hand bombs at opposing troops, they were just as or maybe even more dangerous to the person using them and were hugely unpopular with the soldiers.  They were really more of curiosity, but and interesting and important one, as they are the forerunner of all modern grenade launchers.  I'm doing research into the use of these weapons to possibly introduce one into a reenactin unit, pending the captain's approval of course, and was wanting to buy one.  Unfortunately, I can't find anyone making one, the closest thing I found was a kit from the Rifle Shoppe to make a 17th/18th centurty flintlock.  I have not asked it the flintlock can be replace with a wheel lock, because the kit is pretty expensive, far more in fact than I am looking to pay.  I was hoping someone on here might know of someone who could make such a thing for a reasonable price.  Thanks for any help I get in advance

Matt

escherblacksmith

you looking for decorative?  or something that sparks? 
--

madmanpsu

I am looking for a firing reproduction, though I am not going to try shooting actual grenados from it.  Most likely I will substitute tennis balls for the grenados.

Stipticus

To be honest, I'm doubtful you're going to find a functional replica in your price range.

Butch

#4
What if you were to make a pneumatic tennis ball gun, and decorate it to look like a wheel lock grenade launcher?

Here is a link from a guy who seems to have REALLY spent a lot of time developing cheap variations, total cost less than $100:  http://www.antennalaunchers.com/antlaunching.html

You could modify the design so the canister was in line with the barrel, and decorate it like an arquebus or a grenade launching musket:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Early_Modern_Grenade_Rifles,_Bayerisches_Nationalmuseum,_M%C3%BCnchen._Pic_01.jpg

Something to consider, and would probably be a lot less hassle (legal issues, permits, permission from the faire)  to fire a compressed air launcher than one using some sort of flame induced propellant.

madmanpsu

Thank you for the suggestions, but I am looking to use this in reenacting circles, so it is pretty much a requirement that it be a period reproduction.  Besides which, I pride myself on being as period accurate as I can, so I am not really interested in something that looks like the real thing.  I do appreciate the thoughts and advice, though.  I am well aware of issues at faires and am not anticipating ever being allowed to use one there, but it would be damn fun to shoot outside of that.  Besides, from the research I have conducted so far, it appears that these weapons were much more of a curiosity and oddity than anything seriously deployed.  Most truops who performed this role seem to have thrown the grenades by hand rather than using the hand-morter or launcher due to a very high danger factor.  In any case, I shall keep looking.  Maybe I will have more success at School of the Musketeer this weekend.

Butch

It looks like the Rifle Shoppe, in Jones, OK makes kits for various types of firearms.  http://therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/wheellocks/wheellocks.htm
Perhaps they could put something together for you?

Butch


Butch

I just re-read your original post, and see that you already found what I had.

I'm kind of a gun guy, and I would say you won't be able to touch a firing replica of something like that without paying that kind of money.  Even modern AK-47s are around $400.  Those things are cheaply manufactured using a minimum of machined parts; plus, there are MILLIONS of them in the world!  An AR-15 (civilian M-16) start around $800.  More machining in this rifle, plus there are a lot around.

What you're looking for is scarce, and is custom made (more labor intensive than machining).

I'm not trying to discourage you, just telling you it won't be cheap!

You may wanna try gunbroker.com (it's kinda like EBay), and look in their collectible firearms section.  They may have something you can get.

Good luck!  I hope you find what you're looking for!

madmanpsu

Butch, thanks for the suggestion.  I was unaware of that site.  I think you may be right that I will have a hard time finding it without paying alot for it.  Since I am not thinking it will get much firing except for my own personal enjoyment, which is likely to be rare given my schedule, I am trying to keep the cost down.  It may take me a while, but I think I'll eventually be able to save up enough to get one from the Rifle Shop, provided the locks are compatable. 

Butch

I did a bit more digging, and it seems that the Rifle Shoppe's customer's biggest complaints are that the Rifle Shoppe takes quite a while to produce that hand mortar!

You should call them up, and see if they would be able to outfit their mortar with a wheel lock (they seem to have several different versions of the lock), and they may be able to strike some kind of deal with you.

That PVC tennis ball launcher looks pretty cool!  Did you check that site out?

Finally, did you consider just a plain mortar or a swivel cannon?  Does your role not suit a member of a crew-served weapon?  Possibly modify your personna to allow you to locate and purchase a different weapon?

Good luck, and please keep us posted!  I'd love to hear how this works out!

madmanpsu

Well the persona that I am adopting right now is a Hand-Cannoneer, support for the Musket and Pike block.  I just kind of stubled across this while doing some research for that role and thought this would be cool as hell.  I have never seen anyone carrying or using this weapon and since I like unusual weapons and armor, I wanted to try it out.  I have seen people using "grenadoes", ussually painted tennis balls filled with black powder.  For the moment, I will be sticking with my hand-cannon, but I want to try to find one of these hand mortars.  I have an e-mail in to the Rifle Shop asking about the compatability of the hand mortar with a wheel lock and what they might want price wise, but I haven't heard anything back yet.  I'm going to a reenactor event this weekend at Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia called School of the Musketeer, so maybe I'll have a better idea about this weapon from people there and possibly find someone who can make one.  I do think that those tennis ball launchers are cool, though.  They remind me of the spud guns that are popular with the rednecks around here.

madmanpsu

Just an update, talked to someone this weekend at SOM who knew exactly what I was talking about and has been tossing the idea around himself for a while.  He makes hand-cannons and is going to do a little research and designing to decide if he can make such a thing and what it might take for him to do so.  Possibly by next year at SOM he may have a piece for me and a few others for sale.  I am quite pleased, and while I am going to continue to look, it is more as a backup and to help him with research and design now.

Capt Robertsgrave Thighbiter

Just a word of caution... The Rifle Shop is famous for two things 1) having a WIDE variety of period firearms kits. THier Grenade launcher is the only kit out there.    and 2) taking years, yes, years, to deliver parts.
I know a guy over on the Pyracy website who built one from thier kit. A magnificent weapon when done, but it too 2 years to get all the parts from RS.  pyracy.com and search for grenade launcher, you'll see it and read the story of it's build.

Good luck and please post pics of what ever you wind up with!
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madmanpsu

Yeah, I've talked to a couple other reenactors that have told me to avoid RS if I can.  I currently have another person working on trying to build one for me. He's going to basically build me the barrel, and I am going to have someone else build the stock and then I will try to find a wheel lock to put on it and have a gunsmith examine it all and make sure it is workable.  At this point I have still not heard back from anyone at RS to see if their kit is compatable with a Wheel lock or  not.  After hearing from people that I could be waiting upwards of two years, I am not really wanting to get involved with them if I can avoid it.