Miquelet-lock Musket
Historical Gunsmiths (generic) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1580
Also known as: Escopeta, Spanish lock musket, Patilla lock musket, Agujeta lock
Overview
The miquelet-lock musket is a muzzle-loading smoothbore long gun using the miquelet lock, a distinctive Mediterranean form of flint-against-steel snaplock with a strong external mainspring and a combined steel-and-pan-cover (frizzen). Prevalent in Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Balkans, North Africa and the Ottoman Empire from the late 16th to the mid-19th centuries, it was rugged and easy to repair, making it a favorite across Spain's colonies and Mediterranean light infantry. Spanish examples, often called escopetas, ran roughly .65-.79 caliber with long barrels and brass furniture.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4500 g (158.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1410 mm (55.51") |
| Barrel Length | 1020 mm (40.16") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Miquelet Lock |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Muzzle Velocity | 300 m/s (984 fps) |
| Effective Range | 70 m (77 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 250 m (273 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Barrel Material | Iron |
| Stock Material | Wood |
Calibers
- .69 Caliber Musket Ball · primary — also known as 0.69 in, lead round ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Smoothbore Barrel, Muzzle Loaded, Miquelet Snaplock, External Mainspring, Flint Against Steel, Combined Frizzen Pan Cover, Ramrod
Variants
- Escopeta (Spanish musket) — Configuration
- Balkan/Ottoman Miquelet Musket — Region
Service history
Operators
- Spanish Army · as Escopeta
- Ottoman Empire forces
- Spanish colonial forces (Americas)
Conflicts
- Thirty Years' War (1618-1648)
- Peninsular War (1807-1814)
- Greek War of Independence (1821-1829)
Production
Production years: 1580-1850
Produced by gunsmiths across the Mediterranean world, notably Ripoll and Eibar in Spain; no centralized totals.
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Discontinued: 1850
Notes
Caliber and dimensions vary widely by region and maker; a .69-class bore with a ~40 in barrel is representative of a Spanish escopeta. The miquelet lock was also used on pistols and later sometimes converted to percussion. Velocity figures are approximate.
Background
The name 'miquelet' is thought to have been coined by British soldiers in the Peninsular War, who saw the lock on the muskets of Spanish irregular fighters known as Miquelets and applied the militia's name to the gun's mechanism.