Ever wondered what is the largest distance a 17th century lead round ball fired from a matchlock musket have enough energy to cause a life threatening wound? Here is one answer based on the experimental archaeology project connected to the siege of Novi Zrin in 1664.

This is a short introduction of the Cooper double action percussion revolver manufactured from 1864-69 in Frankford by Cooper Manufacturing Co. One of the best Civil War time double action revolvers.

Follow Capandball on his quest replicating the ballistics of the early 16th century tinder-lock arquebus with early 16th century black powders. The arquebus is a repro based on the firearms parts found at the battlefield of Mohács 1526, the powders are mixed according to late 15th, early 16th cen...

This is about a very interesting arquebus barrel from the battlefield of Mohács 1526 that has been in the possession of the Hungarian National Museum since 1887. This was held in a permanent exhibition but now Capandball had a chance to start its detailed examination to properly identify and dat...

We are happy to see that more and more quality European repro makers are entering the muzzle loading market with arms not covered by the large manufacturers. One of them is Brixia Firearms, with the industrial background of Investarm behind them. Their late 16th century arquebus is based on a mus...

We are lucky as we have two good Italian makers manufacturing affordable percussion revolver reproductions for target shooting, reenacting. Follow Capandball in his quest determinating how accurate the Uberti and Pietta 1861 Colt Navy .36 reproductions are, and which is more accurate.

Follow Capandball to Pilsen to the Municipial Armory holding 265 tinder lock guns from the time of the Battle of Pavia in 1525 and battle of Mohács 1526.

Have you ever wondered wich was the strongest revolver of the 19th century and how accurate it was with a full service charge? Here is your chance! Follow Capandball as he is inveestigating the mechanical accuracy and true strength of the M1847 Colt Walker revolver.

This short arquebus was found in a bog in Hungary and now it is in the collection of the Royal Armouries in Leeds, UK. This is one of the very first wheellocks we know about today, and one of the very first pistols. First part of a series by Capandball.

Awfully obsolete at the time of acceptance but still a very interesting cavalry arm from the American Civl War. The M 1855 pistol-carbine was adopted the same year as the M1855 rifle musket. In a time when wide variety of breech loaders were already accessible, including a few firing metallic car...

Ransom rest tests of original, Uberti and Pietta 1861 Colt Navy .36 revolvers shot with repro of original service charges. Which is more accurate?

Have you ever wondered what accuarcy an open top percussion revolver reproduction is capable of today? Capandball tests an Uberti 1861 Navy .36 Colt reproduction in Ransom Rest to show you the secrets of capandball revolver accuracy.

This is the 1st part of the series about the civil war capping breech loader Merrill carbine. In this chapter Capandball is focusing on its cartridges and he'll show you how easy their construction is. He will also show you how to make the Washington Arsenal bundle for this clever little carbine.

This is a lovely project. I always had a crush on the tape priming system of the M1855 US arms even if I knew it was useless. This is the 2nd part of the series about the M1855 pistol carbine, that I dedicated to Maynard's tape priming idea. Here is what I found out.

The M1855 pistol cabine is an interesting piece from the history of American Civil War arms. It was born the same year when the M1855 rifle-musket entered service. By that time metallic cartridge and percussion breech loaders were also available, but this mule gun was still designed with the Napo...

The .30-30 or.30 Winchester Center Fire cartridge has been with us for 130 years now and it is still considered a capable hunig round. This chapter focuses on this carrttridge, replicating itts original ballistics and focusing on such interestiing versions as the .30 Short Range cartridge. Learn ...

Follow Capandball in his research for the magical number, the muzzle velocity of a rund ball fired from an early 16th century snap matchlock arquebus. This is all based on primary contemporary sources. Recreating bullet alloys, bullets, 16th century powders, powder charges to arrive to the starti...

Today's film is focused on a new rifle by Pedersoli, the Boarbuster Shadow in 45/70 Government calibe. I had an argument with a friend of mine who stated that the 45/70 is useless above 80-100 meters. Well, here is the answer.

In this chapter Capandball is demonstrating the accoutrements of the early 16th century soldier armed with a snapping matchlock arquebus. Understanding the gear of the soldier inspires ideas about the tactical use of these guns.

Understanding the tactical benefits of a firearm is not possible without understanding all the accessories that were used for operating it. We are quite good with the age of muskets starting from the middle of the 16th century, but we lack a huge amount of information regading the first decades o...

Replicating the tinder sticks for early 16th century snap matchlocks guns added a lot of details to the use of these firearms. This is probably what we can call experimental archaeology. But it also raised new questions, like which one was better? The match that existed for centuries before or th...

This fim is about the earliest representation of the bandoliers for muzzle loading match-lock, tinder lock firearms. Follow Capandball in finding out what was the difference between the apostles of the muskets and these early designs for tinder-lock guns, and join the procedure of making it.

Follow Capandball on his beautiful winter time hunting journey in Hungary with the iconic Swiss K31 military rifle chambered for the 7.5x55 round. Watch as he reloads the cartridges, walks the woods and makes the Hungarian goulash/stew for the table.

This is the 3rd part of the repeating handgonne project, getting back to one of the sources, to a detail that I did not notice before. There is a very special remarod displayed on folios of Codex No. 3069 dated 1411, that can have an important role in making the system work.