[Mrak E.Smith]

Hello. As I am reading about the subject of Turkish Arms&Armour,I met this curious weapon in the Osprey book Elite 58 the Janissaries,Plate K(see below).

I didn't have any idea about it before,except in the Russian film "1612"(see the screenshot below),the weapon in the movie is smaller than above,also handle by one man.

As far as I know from the plate and the film,this weapon rather resembles to a early European handgun,for it has a long stock,which allows easy aims during fighting in fortifications;it has matchlock firing system,and fires small grenades.

But I strongly want to know more,eg:What's the exact name of this weapon?just the "trench mortar"as Osprey indicates? Was this weapon also used in western Europe? Was it effective?

Just If you guys have more informations about it ,here's my gratitude.

Marc

[Gordon Frye]

They seem to have been pretty popular for a short while in Europe in the late-17th/early-18th Centuries. Most of them look to have been made with a short barrel made of cast bronze (like a cannon) while fitted with a fairly standard buttstock and lock. The Rifle Shoppe makes a barrel for them, so you can make your own, in fact:
[ Linked Image ]

And here's an article as to how to go about having one of your own! http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/handmortar.htm

[ Linked Image ]

Cheers!

Gordon

[Mrak E.Smith]

Gordon,thank you for your great imformation.it seems this kind of weapon evolved advanced types as technology improves.
Following this thread you gave me,I found more on the Internet,since I don't have any books on this topic:
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31359

In this link I see the early form of the modern Gun Grenade Launcher,even detachable:
[ Linked Image ]
and in the movie The Last Mohican ,this weapon seems to be the standard weapon of English grenadier:Is it so?
[ Linked Image ]

Yet another question:in the link you gave me,the poster said that both methods of igniting the fuze of the grenade are dangerous,is it so terrible as it seems to be?

Gratitudes,
Marc

[Leo Todeschini]

my understanding is that in the early days (16thC?) of grenades in cannon, the fuse was lit and the cannon was discharged - hopefully. Somewhat alarming for everyone concerned.

It soon became apparent that whatever position the fuse was in in the cannon, leave it unlit and the wash from the blast lit it on exit anyway, so the whole thing became alot safer once people stopped lighting fuses.

Tod

[Lafayette C Curtis]

Could this be the "abus" gun that I've been wondering about all this time? Probably not, I think, since most of the time I hear the abus being compared to howitzers rather than personal firearms, but I'm mentioning here all the same just in case anybody might be able to enlighten me (and everybody else) further about this matter.