Ornate flintlock gun with heart-shaped muzzle, Germany, ~1765 AD ( media.kbin.social )

cross-posted from: https://kbin.social/m/HistoryArtifacts/t/840713

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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.

TheGrandNagus ,

Cupid got an upgrade from his bow and arrow

roguetrick ,

If loaded with shot for wingshooting(hence the retriever dog), 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 shot.

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 ,

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.

ApathyTree ,

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 OP Mod ,
@FireTower@lemmy.world avatar

Based on the description I found 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.

Jimmycrackcrack ,

It was clearly built to be used in love

actionjbone ,
@actionjbone@sh.itjust.works avatar

It shoots love bullets.

Jimmycrackcrack ,

Cupid got a slightly more modern makeover

AllNewTypeFace ,
@AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space avatar

For use against that special nemesis

PugJesus ,
@PugJesus@kbin.social avatar
Deceptichum ,
@Deceptichum@sh.itjust.works avatar

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

FireTower OP Mod ,
@FireTower@lemmy.world avatar

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

Deceptichum ,
@Deceptichum@sh.itjust.works avatar

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

fluxion ,

I've got a rude complaint about that

Gonkulator ,
@Gonkulator@lemm.ee avatar

I think its new complaint. Storytime; My sister in-law thought the chorus to dirty deeds by ac\dc was "dirty deeds, thunder chief".

NegativeLookBehind ,
@NegativeLookBehind@lemmy.world avatar

Get wrecked 🫶

TheAlbatross ,

Luv you! ♡

blasts you with a blackpowder propelled ball

RightHandOfIkaros ,

Tally-ho

EdibleFriend ,
@EdibleFriend@lemmy.world avatar

What's this UwU

Commits murder

FireTower OP Mod ,
@FireTower@lemmy.world avatar

This is a robbery

And I'm here to steal your heart.

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