A catchall tag for weapons depicting guns with firing mechanisms that predate the use of self-contained cartridges and relied on an external mechanism to ignite the powder in the gun.
The firing mechanisms this tag includes are, from oldest to newest:
Matchlock: A mechanism where a small lever, called a serpentine, holds a piece of slow burning match cord and lowers it into a pan of powder. The powder ignites and flame travel through a small hole in the pan into the barrel igniting the powder in the barrel.
Wheellock: A mechanism where a small arm, called a "dog", holds a piece of pyrite that strikes down against a spinning wheel of steel. This produces sparks that ignite a pan of powder that sends flame through a hole in the barrel and ignites the powder in the barrel.
Flintlock: A mechanism where a hammer holding flint strikes a piece of steel and produces sparks. The sparks fall into a pan of gunpowder and ignites the powder. A small hole from the pan to the barrel allows flame to travel and ignite the powder in the barrel. Replaced the matchlock and wheellock, replaced in turn by caplock.
Caplock: A mechanism where a hammer strikes a percussion cap of shock-sensitive explosive that ignites and sends flame into the barrel igniting the gunpowder in the gun barrel. Replaced the flintlock, replaced in turn by cartridge guns.
If the weapon's firing mechanism is easily identifiable, use one of the more specific tags under this tag. If the weapon's firing mechanism is not easily identifiable, but is recognizable as a pre-cartridge firing mechanism, then just use this tag only and do not guess at one of the more specific types.
