Russian marine blunderbuss of 1773

Общая длина: 855 мм.
Длина ствола: 441 мм.
Калибр: 28.5 мм.

An original and extremely rare blunderbuss in excellent condition. This blunderbuss is the first statutory Russian firearm designed for shipboard boarding parties. Similar blunderbusses were also in service with the "sea soldiers" of the ships of the Russian navy, recruited from the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky, Semenovsky and other regiments.

The item consists of a barrel, a lock, and a box. The barrel is steel, round in cross section, with a narrowing in the breech. The channel is smooth, the aiming devices consist of a rear sight. The barrel is fixed in the bed with a screw on the shank and two pins in the forearm. The inscription "TULA 1773" (the stamp of the Tula Arms Factory and the date of manufacture of the product), "NEA" in a rectangle (the nominal stamp of the gunsmith), an eagle in a circle (the stamp of acceptance of the Ministry of War), "ND" (?) in a rectangle (the stamp of the inspector-receiver) is applied to the barrel with a needle.

The lock is flintlock, French battery type. This type of lock was created in 1610 by a French gunsmith from Lisieux (Normandy), Marin Le Bourgeois (1550-1634). It was an order of magnitude more reliable than a wheeled lock, which spread throughout the world over the next three centuries as the main mechanism of handguns. To prepare such a lock for firing, the shooter had to (having loaded the weapon itself, that is, having hammered a powder charge, bullet and wad into the barrel) put the trigger on the safety cocking; open the shelf lid; if necessary, clean the seed hole; pour a small portion of powder onto the brass powder shelf; close the lid; put the trigger on A combat platoon. The trigger is made of steel, reinforced with a single screw. There is a safety catch behind the trigger. The keyhole is steel, S-shaped, mounted on 2 screws. The face has the stamp "NOI" in a rectangle. A similar stamp is punched on the trigger guard and butt guard. The trigger is steel, slightly curved, with a curved end. The trigger guard is steel, oval. The bed is wooden, smooth, the forearm is the entire length of the trunk. A steel ramrod is embedded in the ramrod tube under the forearm. The butt plate is steel, L-shaped, reinforced with 2 screws.

Good preservation, minor traces of corrosion and scratches around the perimeter of metal parts, patina and dirt on the back of the butt, scratches on wood.