Flintlock Pistol
A single-shot pistol ignited by striking flint
The flintlock pistol is a single-shot pistol fired when flint strikes a steel frizzen, the sparks ignite priming powder in the pan, and that flash passes through the touchhole to set off the main charge. Born when the flintlock mechanism perfected in early-17th-century France was applied to the pistol, it replaced the earlier matchlock and wheellock and spread widely for military and civilian use from the 17th to the 19th century. Its effective range was a mere 15 m or so and its accuracy poor, and after one shot reloading took a long time — so once fired, the pistol was often reversed and used as a club, striking with the heavy butt. It was the emblem of pirates and cavalry, and the standard weapon of the honor duel.
