Wheel-lock rifle

Wheel-lock weapons appeared around the year 1500. When pulling the trigger, the “wheel”, which is wound using a spring, begins to turn and produce sparks, due to friction on the pyrite sandwiched between the dog’s jaws. These sparks ignite the primer, which communicates with the propellant powder at the base of the barrel. The shooter of this rifle can either use the wheel or the more traditional fuse system. This rifle was a gift from William IV, Duke of Bavaria, to his wife. Produced in Munich in 1532, it is one of the oldest preserved wheel-lock rifles that still bears a date.