The Armory

Firearms

A still growing and developing concept in the early 18th Century, gunpowder became an equalizer among nations and outlaws alike.

Cannons (Sixteen Pounders)

Musket

- a smoothbore weapon. The interior of the barrel is polished, and when the projectile moves through it, there is no particular orientation (or spin) imparted by the barrel. Inaccurate, and it would be a miracle to hit anything 40 yards or further away, but easy and fast to load as a muzzleloader. A man could reload and fire his musket three times a minute.

Rifle

these weapons existed but were not in wide use until the late 18th Century. Used more for hunting than for combat, the rifle got its name from the 'rifling' groves that gun-smiths carved into the inside of the bore. This caused a much more stable and accurate bullet path. Loading a rifle was difficult, as it was harder to jam a bullet down the barrel because of the grooves, and it often took several minutes to reload. However, the rifle was much more accurate than the musket and even went faster because of pressure. But because of a bad firing rate, the rifle was horrible in battles, and with a three-minute reloading sequence, the rifle was basically a death sentence.

Flintlock Pistols

The most common firearm released a hiss-bang noise and blue-white smoke. Generally, smooth-bore, pistols were short range and came in numerous styles, shapes, and sizes. The typical flintlock had one bore, but some pistols could have up to six. The largest could be up to 16 inches, the smallest could fit into someone's pocket. Larger ones were called Horse Pistols.

Dueling Pistols

Flintlock pistols that were of exceptional craftsmanship, a matching set of 16-inch pistols that were mostly water-resistant. Made so that duelists would both have fair odds since they knew the opponent had the same weapon. Dueling pistols came in a case with accessories.

Chase Guns

Cannons mounted at the bow of the ship, used during a pursuit. They had more mobility and were generally lighter than regular cannons.

Blunderbuss

A shorter version of the musket and shot an array of lead pellets which were used to devastating effect. The etymology of the word comes from Dutch meaning 'thunder'. The blunderbuss is commonly considered to be an early predecessor of the modern shotgun, with similar military and defensive use.

Dragoon

Rarely used on board ships, the Dragoon was a smaller version of a blunderbuss mostly used for cavalry charges of armies as firearms came to more use.

Swords

Pirates were not generally very well trained swordsmen, at least not in the classical or military scene. Thus sword-fights were quick and bloody where the smallest slip could end in death.

Cutlass

A short, heavy sword with a curved blade used by pirates and sailors. The sword has only one edge and may or may not have a useful point. Mostly used for hacking and sawing at ropes, cabin doors, and opponents than true dueling. It had a short blade as not to get caught in rigging and was used by men with limited sword fighting experience. Called 'the sword of the seas'.

Axe

Hand axes were common on ships as they provided a deadly alternative to unwieldy cutlasses. Although they had a shorter range, they could be thrown and could hack through most anything, dealing a lot of damage. The ax was also a common tool aboard ships, and so had a double purpose, making it ideal.

Shortswords

Required more finesse than a cutlass, and were mostly employed by trained sailors or navy commanders. Sometimes used in only a ceremonial sense though, as a shortsword could do little to thwart the other weapons used in pirate attacks. Could also be classified as a long knife.

Jian

A Chinese double-edged straight-sword. They were light, 18-31 inches long, and were used in many martial arts.

Dirk

A long thrusting dagger used by Scottish pirates. Historically, it was a personal weapon of officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail as well as the personal sidearm of Highlanders. It was also used by the officers, pipers, and drummers of Scottish Highland regiments around 1800 and by Japanese naval officers. It was used as a boarding weapon.

Rapier

A slender sharply pointed sword. Mostly used as a thrusting weapon. Characterized by a protective hilt, and a long thin blade. Mostly only used by people who knew how to fight with it, as it was mostly useless to a pirate who wished to hack and slash at his opponents.

Misc.

• Belaying pin - a short, wooden rod to which a ship's rigging is secured. A common improvised weapon aboard a ship because they are everywhere. they are easily picked up and are the right size and shape for a club

• Cat o' Nine Tails - a whip with nine lashes used for flogging

• Grapple (also grappling hook or grappling iron) - an iron shaft with claws at one end, usually thrown by a rope and used for grasping and holding, especially for drawing and holding an enemy alongside.

• Marlinspike - a tool used in marine ropework. Could be up to 2 feet long, with a cone-like shape and tapered end. Made out of iron and could be sharp.

• Powder Chest - an exploding wooden box filled with scrap metal and gun powder, usually secured to the side of a ship to thwart a boarding enemy.