THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
had jaws, between which a piece of pyrites was tightly held. When it was 
desired to fire, the pan was opened and the cock lowered so that the pyrites 
entered the pan, being pressed by a spring against the edge of the wheel. 
On pulling the trigger, the mainspring was released, the wheel revolved, 
and its rough edge scraped against the pyrites and struck sparks, which 
ignited the powder. The ingenious mechanism of the wheel lock, though 
gradually improved, always remained uncertain in action. It was too 
complicated and too easily disorganized by breakage or the presence 
of dirt in the lock. Yet it ranked among the most practical weapons of the 
chase for 150 years, and nothing could surpass the elegance and fine finish 
of the engraving and inlay lavished on some of the early wheel lock weapons. 
It will be noticed that the stocks of sixteenth -century arms gradually 
developed from a small straight stock which was held by the two hands 
in front of the shoulder, somewhat as if it were a two-handed pistol. The 
straight stock appears sometimes to have been adapted to rest on the top 
of the shoulder. By an inevitable process of evolution, the stock was 
lengthened and curved until it could bear upon the body at a point which 
enabled the eye to look along the barrel. Speaking of the soldiers’ musket 
in 1590, an English writer says, “ Were they stocked crooked, to be dis- 
charged from the breast, fewe or none could abide their recoyling; but 
being discharged from the shoulder (if they be straight stocked) there is 
neither danger nor hurt.” The French fashion at this time was to have 
the short curved butt, which was less practical for aiming than the longer 
stock used by the Spaniards. 
The progress of invention was unceasing, and it is perhaps remarkable 
that almost nothing is known of the origin of another great step in the 
progress of firearms, the use of rifling, which appears to be nearly con- 
temporary with the invention of the wheel lock. We do not know who the 
genius was who first tried to spin the ball by means of spiral grooves. 
The invention has been variously attributed to Caspar d Kollner, of Vienna, 
before 1500, and to Augustus Kotter, of Nuremburg, in 1520. It is likely 
enough, that, like some other improvements, it may have had its origin 
at the latter place. It undoubtedly proved its value almost at once for 
sporting purposes, though it was a very long time before it was suitable 
for military uses. The man who had a wheel lock rifle before 1550 must 
have been conscious of being equipped in the most advanced and up-to- 
date manner for shooting the larger game. 
The knowledge of rifling was brought to England in due course. The 
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