A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of … See more

Trigger guards began appearing in 1575.
Bayonets were attached to muskets in several parts of the world from the late 16th to 17th centuries.
Locks came in many different varieties. Early matchlock and wheel lock mechanisms were … See more

Some ramrods were equipped with threaded ends, allowing different attachments to be used. One of the more common attachments was a ball screw or ball puller, which was a screw that could be screwed into the lead ball to remove it if it had become … See more

Many soldiers preferred to reduce the standard musket reloading procedures to increase the speed of fire. This statement is from Thomas … See more

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, firearms were often named after animals, and the word musket derived from the … See more

Sixteenth- and 17th-century musketeers used bandoliers which held their pre-measured charges and lead balls.
The Minié ball, which despite its name was actually bullet … See more

Heavy arquebus
The heavy arquebus known as the musket appeared in Europe by 1521. In response to firearms, thicker armour was produced, from 15 kg (33 lb 1 … See more