military technology The first small arms Small arms did not exist as a distinct class of gunpowder weapon until the middle of the 15th century. Until then, hand cannon differed from their larger relatives only in size. They looked much the same, consisting of a barrel fastened to a simple wooden stock that was braced beneath the gunner's arm. A second person was required to fire the weapon. About the middle of the 15th century, …
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…the dominant military small arm of the 15th century and the direct ancestor of the modern musket. The harquebus was at first butted to the breastbone, but, as the power of firearms increased, the advantages of absorbing the recoil on the shoulder came to be appreciated. The matchlock harquebus changed very little in its essentials until it was replaced by the flintlock musket in the final years of the 17th century. ** Previous | Next ** Bibliography none