Matchlock
Matchlock refers to a method for igniting the propellant of a loaded gun's bullet. A further development of the Flashpan technology in the 15th century, a matchlock gun held a wick in a vice at the end of a small lever arm. Upon pulling a trigger the lever arm fliped down, lowering the lighted wick into the flashpan, firing the weapon. This removed the need to lower a lighted wick into the flashpan by hand, and made it possible for both hands to have firm grip on the weapon at the moment of fireing. Low production costs and high availability kept matchlock weapons in use well into the 1700s, even as better ingnition systems appeared, notably the
Wheellock,
Snaphance, and
Flintlock. These types, especially the flintlock weapons, gradually supplanted matchlocks. The matchlock's need to have the wick lighted at the moment of firing was an inherent weakness, and was espcially problematic in damp weather or when the weapon needed to be fired on short notice.