flintlock

Flintlock refers to a firearm ignition system used on muzzle-loading guns from the 17th to the early 19th centuries. It works by holding a piece of flint in a spring-driven hammer (the cock) that strikes a steel surface (the frizzen). The impact creates a shower of sparks that light a small amount of priming powder housed in a pan. When the trigger is pulled, the cock snaps forward, the flint strikes the frizzen, sparks ignite the priming powder, and the flame travels through a small touch hole into the main charge in the barrel, propelling the projectile.

The lock mechanism comprises the hammer (cock), frizzen, pan, and a spring-driven mechanism called the sear. After loading the barrel with powder and a projectile, the user primes the pan. Pulling the trigger releases the hammer, producing sparks and ignition. The resulting flame lights the main charge, generating gas that drives the projectile from the barrel.

Historically, flintlocks replaced earlier systems such as the matchlock and wheellock and became standard in European armies during the 17th and 18th centuries. Notable examples include the British Brown Bess, the French Charleville musket, and various military rifles of the period. Flintlocks influenced firearm design for generations and were widely used in both military and civilian contexts.

Limitations of the system included dependence on dry conditions, vulnerability to misfires in wet weather, and slower reloading compared with later cartridge-based firearms. The percussion cap, introduced in the early 19th century, gradually supplanted flintlocks in military use, though flintlock firearms continued to be produced for ceremonial, sporting, and reenactment purposes.