Arquebus or harquebus, German
Hakenbchse, replaced the 16th Century
handgun, which was fired from the chest, by adding a stock shaped so
that it could be aimed from the shoulder. It's most important
improvement was an S-shaped clamp holding the match (these are
matchlocks). The clamp pivoted on a pin connected to a trigger that
brought the match in contact with the pan powder.
The term arquebus lived on after the invention of the wheel lock.
The word derives from French
arquebuse and Dutch
haakbus "gun with a hook."
All of which does nothing to answer the original question, of course.
JT
Edited by jacobtowne - 10-Oct-2006 at 14:50