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Ornate flintlock gun with heart-shaped muzzle, Germany, ~1765 AD (media.kbin.social)
submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by FireTower@lemmy.world to c/forgottenweapons@lemmy.world
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cross-posted from: https://kbin.social/m/HistoryArtifacts/t/840713

Don't forget to check out the original community/post if you liked this cross-post

Flintlock sporting rifle from the collection of George IV at Carlton House, London. The gun has a single blued steel barrel of octagonal and twisted heart shaped cross section inlaid in gold at the backsight Walster A Saarbruck. The lock signed Walster A Saarbruck and engraved with a cherub offering a bird to a retriever dog and also chiselled with flowers and trophies against a gold ground. Walnut wood half-stock with horn fore-end cap and twisted horn tipped wooden ramrod. The stock carved with rococo scrolls, a sea monsters head and griffin, the butt decorated with inlaid silver wire work.The silver wire decoration on the butt is taken directly from De Lacollombe, Nouveaux desseins D'Arquebuseries Dessine Grave par De Lacollombe a Paris 1730. Se Vend Chez De Marteau Eleve De Feu Mr De Lacollombe.

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[-] TheAlbatross@lemmy.blahaj.zone 38 points 8 months ago

Luv you! ♡

blasts you with a blackpowder propelled ball

[-] EdibleFriend@lemmy.world 28 points 8 months ago

What's this UwU

Commits murder

[-] FireTower@lemmy.world 15 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

This is a robbery

And I'm here to steal your heart.

[-] RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.world 13 points 8 months ago

Tally-ho

[-] Shapillon@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Kill them with kindness they said :p

[-] FireTower@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Relevant Florida man:

[-] Shapillon@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

lmao I almost forgot this one

[-] NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.world 14 points 8 months ago

Get wrecked 🫶

[-] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 11 points 8 months ago

Cupid got an upgrade from his bow and arrow

[-] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 11 points 8 months ago

For use against that special nemesis

[-] roguetrick@kbin.social 7 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

If loaded with shots for wingshooting(hence the retriever dog engraving), it's just the wadding that has to conform to the barrel. It likely was never considered that you'd use bullets or a musket ball in this, but shots.

Edit: I saw that the original page that it says it used heart shaped balls, but I don't see how that would work. Loading it would be almost impossible thanks to that twisted barrel though. https://www.rct.uk/sites/default/files/styles/rctr-scale-1300-500/public/collection-online/9/2/456076-1400249136.jpg?itok=zvlAAvjr That baby was not really designed to be used unless you really wanted to impress someone.

[-] UnspecificGravity@lemmy.world 8 points 8 months ago

There were tons of these novelty guns from this era that were just meant as conversation pieces and gifts between rich people they were never meant to actually get used for anything.

[-] Ghyste@sh.itjust.works 4 points 8 months ago

heart shaped balls

New band name.

[-] ApathyTree@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 8 months ago

That can’t be good for bullet movement tho, right? Like that just seems really inefficient..?

I don’t know much about guns but I’m fairly certain they need to build up pressure behind the projectile, and this design seems inherently flawed there… but it also needs a straight trajectory out or it’ll go all wonky in flight and be super inaccurate.. would this not drastically impact that?

Or is this a nonfunctional thing?

[-] FireTower@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Based on the description I think the function of this piece is simply artistic expression of the craftsman. You are right about pressure, a perfectly round projectile would function poorly here. But if they used a heart shaped projectile it aught to work.

That said I think this was never built to be used in anger IMO.

[-] Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml 2 points 8 months ago

It was clearly built to be used in love

[-] actionjbone@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 months ago

It shoots love bullets.

[-] Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago

Cupid got a slightly more modern makeover

[-] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 4 points 8 months ago

... are we sure it's a heart and not an upside-down butt? ;)

[-] Deceptichum@sh.itjust.works 4 points 8 months ago

How would that affect the airflow and pressure behind the ball?

[-] FireTower@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

That's a good question. I think the answer is either it's not meant to be shot or heart shaped bullets.

[-] Deceptichum@sh.itjust.works 10 points 8 months ago

You'd probably need to keep the heart shaped bullets in a heart shaped box.

[-] fluxion@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

I've got a rude complaint about that

this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2024
133 points (97.2% liked)

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