Sánta Ákos: Vadászfegyverek - A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum tárgykatalógusai 4. (Budapest, 2018)

AN OUTLINE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUNTING GUNS'

During the 17th and 18th centuries hand arms gradually ousted the traditional, so-called cold weapons used in hunting. While firearms, especially small arms, had already appeared in warfare, hunters only started to use them in the 16th century. Their development reached a stage in the 18th century when fire-ready wheel locks, flintlocks as well as the rifling of the barrel made swift and accurate firing possible, with the result that by the end of the century hunting rifles became an indispensable accessory of stalking, still hunts and driving. At the same time beating - the killing of game with swords or spears, in close combat — remained a criterion for displaying the hunter’s courage. The Hunting Collection of the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture does not contain a complete set of firearms presenting their history, but its material includes most of the types used in previous centuries.

MUZZLE-LOADING GUNS

Contemporary images and decorated hunting guns with matchlock firing mechanism in Western European museums prove that the first hand-held firearms used for hunting were matchlocks. These however could only be used for standing game. Their re-loading was time-consuming, their aim was inaccurate and consequently their low efficiency meant that their use in hunting had not become widespread.1 2 The use of matchlocks in Hungary for hunting is not attested. Matchlocks however had an extremely important and general role in warfare. Our collection does not contain matchlocks, a borrowed item is used for presentation.

Of wheellock firearms, which represent the next stage of development, our collection only contains two items. A definitive step in the history of handheld firearms was the invention of the wheellock mechanism in the late 15th century. This solution made firearms easy to handle, both for mounted hunters and those on foot. However, several aristocratic hunters did not consider their use worthy of a true hunter.

In the case of muzzle-loading weapons first the gunpowder was poured in the barrel through the muzzle, then a wadding made of felt was pounded into the base of the barrel to seal the load. Then a soft lead bullet was placed in the barrel and pounded down with a ramrod. Due to the heavy downward pressing of the bullet in the barrel its shape became slightly deformed, as a result of which its diameter completely filled the barrel, impeding the escape of gas pressure around the bullet during the flash of the gunpowder.

The main part of the wheellock structure is a serrated steel wheel similar to the one in modern lighters, which is wound up with a key. The flint is placed in jaws in a striker arm next to the wheel. The arm is moved so that it touches the flash pan which in turn is in contact with the serrated surface of the wheel. The arm is fixed in this position with a mainspring. The finely ground gunpowder is poured in the pan. When the trigger is pulled, one end of the sear moves downwards, the other end with a pin disengages from the wheel’s groove, the wheel spins back, and the chain winding on the spindle turns it back to its original position. During this, the wheel rubs the flint or iron pyrite which flashes a spark (burning piece of metal) that ignites the gunpowder. Through the touchhole the flame ignites the gunpowder in the barrel which leads to the discharge. The wheellock improved the shortcomings of the matchlock muskets. It could also be used in wet weather, and more importantly it could be kept wound up almost indefinitely.3 Its disadvantage was that its construction required a great deal of expertise which increased its price and was liable to break down easily. Its advantages however were quickly realised and it became popular among hunters quite swiftly. The widespread use of wheellock firearms is attested by the inventories of fortresses, aristocratic collections and armouries.

The first firearms to be used by hunters generally was the group of weapons with flintlock mechanism.4

1 I would like to express my thanks to Tibor Papp and Éva Vörös for their help and remarks during the collection of the photographic material. Particular thanks go to Sándor Oroszi for his advice and for providing me with his collected notes on the subject. The basic literature used for the catalogue and the introductory essay not mentioned in detail in the footnotes: Károly Kotlár, "A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum XIX. századi vadászfegyvereinek rövid fejlődéstörténeti áttekintése", A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum Közleményei 1981-1983. pp. 383-411.; and a more recent version of the same: Károly Kotlár and Sándor Oroszi, "A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum vadászfegyvereinek (tűzfegyvereinek) fejlődéstörténeti áttekintése", A Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum Közleményei 2008-2010. pp. 139-148.

2 The collection of the German hunting museum includes a matchlock hunting gun richly decoarted with ivory and mother of pearl fittings. Kurt G Blüchel (ed), Die Jagd (Cologne, 1996), p. 294.

3 This was also remarked upon by Miklós Bethlen: “We were on guard with a loaded and primed firearm that was ready for a long time". Miklós Bethlen, Önéletírása I. (Budapest, 1955), p. 174.

4 Anthony North and lan V. Hogg, Lőfegyverek könyve [The book of guns and gunsmiths] (1992), pp. 39-57.