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matchlock

Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, WY, USA; Gift of Olin Corporation, Winchester Arms Collection, 1988.8.1075

Matchlocks in Isolation: Tokugawa Japan’s Firearms Culture

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In 1854, United States Commodore Matthew Perry finally succeeded in pressuring Japan to reopen itself to trade for the first time in nearly 200 years. Americans coming to Japan discovered, to their surprise, that Japanese firearms still touched a slow-burning match to powder when the trigger was pulled. The western world had long ago replaced […]

W. F. Cody, Deringer, Percussion Cap, 1.69.1800

Powder Hour: Evolution of Firearms

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Early Ignition Systems Since the introduction of black powder around 1250, cultures have been finding ways to create and improve firearms. The very first firearms that have been discovered are hand cannons that date back to 1364. These hand held devices would work by means of a wick that would be connected to a touch hole, […]