Definition
An early, small metal firearm held by a person and ignited with an external flame, without a complete ignition lock of the kind found on a matchlock.
Hand cannon is a technical category for small, early metal firearms that a person could hold. In Europe, the term usually refers to a group of artifacts from the 14th–15th centuries. Metal barrels increased the ability to withstand combustion pressure, but coordinating ignition with holding the weapon remained difficult.
Chinese texts and artifacts from the Yuan and Ming dynasties commonly use the term huochong (火铳). This is a broader term that includes large firearms that do not fit the hand cannon category. Yuan metal firearms and Ming bronze huochong illustrate developments in China; a bronze huochong dated 1450 in the National Museum of China is one clearly dated example.
Only huochong whose form was suitable for being held are therefore identified here as hand cannons. Huochong is not treated as a strict synonym for all hand cannons.
Principles and impact
Problems solved
- Used a stronger metal barrel to support a portable projectile-firing device.
Principles
- A metal barrel contains the pressure, while an external flame ignites the propellant through the ignition point.
Improvements
- The metal barrel increased the structure's ability to withstand pressure.
Significance
- Connected early tubular firearms with later firearms equipped with mechanical ignition mechanisms.
History and applications
People
Not recorded
Organizations
Not recorded
Events
Surviving bronze huochong from the first year of the Ming Jingtai reign (1450)
Applications
Early portable metal firearms
Limitations
- Aiming and ignition were difficult to coordinate, and dimensions and classifications varied considerably.
Upstream and downstream relations
Upstream
Sources: 中国古代火药与火器 (Gunpowder and Firearms in Ancient China)Hand cannons: Terminology