Patilla, or Padilla Flintlock

[R.J.Bruce]

Can anyone here tell me the earliest known usage for the patilla flintlock, aka the miquelet lock?

Thanks,
              Bruce

[smart dog]

Hi Bruce,
It is not certain when the Spanish or Mediterranean lock was invented.  Some Spanish authors from the 18th century credit Simon Marquarte the younger during the reign of Phillip II (1556-1598). Others doubt he was the inventor and simply made more of the locks than anyone else.  Simon II also served Phillip III (1598-1621) and it is pretty clear that the lock was popular and widely used in Spain by that time.  I am not sure if any Spanish locks still survive made prior to 1600 but there are quite a few from the 1st quarter of the 17th century.  There are some authors who claim the lock was invented in southern Italy at the end of the 16th century.  At that time the southern half of Italy was ruled by Spain. 

dave

[Daryl]

Interesting historical tidbits. Thanks Dave.

[R.J.Bruce]

Thanks for the reply, Dave.

Bob in the Woods' thread on fishtail stocks got me to thinking, always a dangerous thing.

Any known instances of a patilla flintlock being married to a fishtail stock? I think the lock would look good on a stock of that shape. Then, I also like the looks of the Catalan-style stock for the Spanish escopeta.

[smart dog]

Hi Bruce,
Yes it might look fine on a fish tail stock.  Get a copy of Espingarda Perfeyta, which is readily available.

dave

[Daryl]

The Russian samopal also had a similar lock, with all the parts on the outside of the plate by the looks of it.
Too, there is the Mexican Escopeta with miquelet lock.

[R.J.Bruce]

Hi Bruce,
Yes it might look fine on a fish tail stock.  Get a copy of Espingarda Perfeyta, which is readily available.

dave

Thanks for the suggestion on the book, Espingarda Perfeyta. I have bookmarked, Abe's Books, where there are multiple used copies in the range of $25.00. I'll look into purchasing it next month.

[alacran]

James Lavin's book, History of Spanish Firearms covers the the history of the Spanish Lock quite well. There are photos of very early (1625) migelets in it it.  The book also has diagrams of the workings of various types of Spanish locks. The first locks made by the Marquarts, did not have a half cock provision. To me those locks were developed from Snaplocks.
I started an Escopeta Catala, I have the lock functioning and it is quite a sparker. Hope to go down to Tucson as soon as they open the museum back up. Hopefully I can get some sense of dimensions for the stocks.

[Levy]

I might add that Brinkerhoff and Chamberlain's book on Spanish firearms is pretty good too.  All the escopetas that I worked on from the early 1700s shipwrecks had Catalan stocks.  One pistol had fishtail stock and it is displayed in the McClarty Museum near Sebastian, FL.  James Levy 

[R.J.Bruce]

Thanks for all of the informed replies.

DeepCreekDale's thread, titled Spanish Escopeta, is what got me looking at the miquelet/patilla flintlock. I have spoken to Dale regards building me one of the Spanish escopetas with the Catalan stock.

I just think it would look super cool to have a miquelet lock on a fishtail stock, if that is not stretching things too much. Probably with a .69, or .75 caliber smoothbore barrel. Length to be determined by further research.

[Daryl]

Interesting, however I would suggest the .75 (11bore) due to there being easily procured moulds (& wads) for this size.
The .715" Lyman mould would work very well with a 10 ounce denim patch, or, of course you could easily get a Tanner mound made at an even better price.
I personally have .710", .724" and .740" mould by Tanner moulds and they are are perfectly machined. Since their work is all custom work, any size you want
is doable.
If choosing a .690" bore size, then the .662" Lyman mould would work just fine, with the same 10 ounce denim patch.
Either would barely make a snug fit, but one that would shoot quite cleanly.