Description
Henry Nock Ships Blunderbuss
Henry Nocks Ships Blunderbuss. A Fine Ships Blunderbuss with the rare “Henry Nocks” Screwless Patent Lock, with 22.25 inch heavy 3 stage brass barrel measuring 1.5 inch across the muzzle, in exceptionally fine condition throughout and ready to repel boarders, this is genuinely a very fine and rare item. Weighing in at 5.6 kilos! What a beast.
Henry Nock (1741–1804)
Henry Nock was a British inventor and engineer of the Napoleonic period, best known as a gunsmith. Nock produced many innovative weapons including the screwless lock and the seven-barrelled volley gun, although he did not invent the latter despite it commonly being known as the Nock gun. He was a major supplier to the military during the Napoleonic wars. His high quality duelling pistols and double-barrelled shotguns were much sought after and it is largely through Nock that the latter became the weapon of choice for hunters.
As well as supplying the military and civilian markets, Nock made expensive pieces for the aristocracy and royalty and was an appointed gunmaker to the king. Nock’s business eventually became Wilkinson Sword, a company which today makes razor blades and other shaving equipment and, until 2005, made officer’s swords for the British Army.
Nock made weapons covering the whole field from pistols to muskets. The great variety is perhaps illustrated by his coach blunderbuss which, like naval pistols, had a more corrosion resistant brass barrel. Such weapons were intended to be used at short range and did not take a large enough charge to require iron barrels. Nock continued to innovate until his death – late in life he was making breech loading muskets.
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