Repro cannon lock

[KABAR2]

An interesting bit of news and a warning to collectors.........

Cannon Lock   The first cannon lock was introduced in the Royal Navy in 1755.  While a much more effective way to fire artillery, there was a learning curve to perfecting the technology.  There were numerous patterns but all functioned in the same way: a flintlock attached to the vent area of the cannon that fired a blast of flame at the vent.  Most used a cord system to trigger the lock's firing action.

By the 1790s a pattern was developed by Henry Nock that could be used on most artillery being used by both the Royal Navy and the Royal Artillery for siege artillery and the cannons of fortifications. 

Because Nock was unable to meet supply demands, many of locks actually made for the British military (of a similar pattern) by SHERWOOD & Co.  The lock offered here is a Sherwood lock.

The lock picture here is for 12 to 32 pounder cannons (Bloomfield pattern).  A similar lock was used for Carronades but with a pointed bottom.  There were two smaller locks for field artillery.

This item is very complex to manufacture and is of beautiful construction.  This item is a must for anyone telling the story of artillery at this time period.   

Well someone in Canada is reproducing this, which is a good thing for those who want one for their cannon, the problem I see is that these will creep into the collector

market and be hawked as originals......... So in the future buyer beware.....

I have not listed the company as they are not one of our advertisers.

[cannonmn]

Allen-thanks for posting-it may be too late for someone.  There was one that sure looked like it for sale at the Baltimore Antique Arms show this year, but it looked old to me, maybe it was I don't know, but I didn't buy it, someone else did.  It is kind of a coincidence-I haven't seen a lock like that for sale in about 15 years and around the same time as someone starts reproducing them, one shows up at a gun show.

I guess you could call this item a "Nock off?"

[cannonmn]

Here's our video showing a small bronze gunade which has a slot cut in it for a flintlock firing mechanism.  As you can see the original lock I tried on it was too wide for the groove, but if I got a repro I wouldn't mind modifying it to fit, or at least making an adapter so I could shoot the thing, on camera of course!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MiISY9Agmo