Yet with credibility at stake, I accepted my fate. The legacy of the Nock would have perhaps remained only a brief footnote in firearm history had it not been for the later inspiration of a few creative minds.

The percussion cap or percussion primer, introduced in the early 1820s, is a type of single-use percussion ignition device for muzzleloader firearm locks enabling them to fire reliably in any weather condition. The seven barrelled Volley Gun, as made by Nock, is one of the most ferocious and recognisable guns from the Age of Sail. Arms Chest To Prop HouseAfter its brief career in the Royal Navy, the Nock volley gun might have simply vanished from public memory, nonetheless, nearly two centuries after its conception, the anomalous gun would finally gain notoriety—this time not as an implement of war, but as an icon of the silver screen. The Nock received further criticism when ship crews noticed an imminent fire hazard from usage of the gun. The Nock’s recurrent issues rendered a poor assessment with naval crews, and the volley gun was eventually declared to be more problematic (and dangerous) to the user than to his adversary.

[2].

There are no records that indicate that the gun was ever supplied, and it is uncertain if or how exactly the Belton improvement operated. The term may also apply to a particular form of the mechanism itself, also known as the true flintlock, that was introduced in the early 17th century, and rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the matchlock, the wheellock, and the earlier flintlock mechanisms. First invented by James Wilson in 1779, the volley gun saw service with the Royal Navy, and found some popularity with civilian goose hunters. Naval artillery in the Age of Sail encompasses the period of roughly 1571–1862: when large, sail-powered wooden naval warships dominated the high seas, mounting a bewildering variety of different types and sizes of cannon as their main armament. A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and usually the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun. It was a flintlock design, and had the nasty job of being used to clear the deck of a ship that was being boarded by an enemy vessel (think: Pirates). Examples are available for viewing in the weapons gallery at York Castle Museum, the Hollywood Guns exhibit at the National Firearms Museum, the Royal Armouries Museum, and the Charleston Museum (SC). The volley gun consisted of seven barrels welded together, with small vents drilled through from the central barrel to the other six barrels clustered around it.

Most every mention of the Nock in the history books emphasizes the gun’s “fearful discharge,” but on camera Widmark is able to pull the trigger with barely a flinch.

Yet the issued ammunition was the smaller .46in (12mm) musket ball, a practice which was common in British military circles as the black powder used could foul the barrel, eventually blocking it. This is a great bit of kit. A paper cartridge is one of various types of small arms ammunition used before the advent of the metallic cartridge. The Nock’s recurrent issues rendered a poor assessment with naval crews, and the volley gun was eventually declared to be more problematic (and dangerous) to the user than to his adversary.

Few rare examples are rifled (as were James Wilson’s prototypes in their earliest form). Those with a keen eye can still see abrasions on the steel from the brass barrel band that was fitted to the muzzle by the movie’s prop crew. In 1960, Hollywood legend John Wayne stormed on screen in his self-directed Western classic, “The Alamo.” Portraying the real-life frontiersman Davy Crockett, Wayne led his cast in an epic retelling of the ill-fated Texas outpost. It was a flintlock design, and had the nasty job of being used to clear the deck of a ship that was being boarded by an enemy vessel (think: Pirates). Throughout the muzzle loading era, gunmakers continually tried to innovate and overcome the limitation of reloading after each shot, with varying degrees of success, either commercial or otherwise. Flintlock is a general term for any firearm that uses a flint striking ignition mechanism.

Theoretically, the simultaneous discharge of seven barrels would have devastating effect on the tightly packed groups of enemy sailors. These weapons filled a gap in firepower between the musket and the lightest artillery pieces, such as the swivel gun. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Combustible cartridges are paper cartridges that use paper treated with oxidizers to allow them to burn completely upon ignition.

That often resulted in extremely short-range encounters, including close combat with pikes and cutlasses. While most moviegoers were familiar with Bowie’s prowess with knives, the producers placed in Widmark’s hands an arm thought to be so powerful and intimidating that only a man of Bowie’s stature could wield it: the Nock volley gun.
The Nock Gun was used from the crow's nest during this conflict. "Brown Bess" is a nickname of uncertain origin for the British Army's muzzle-loading smoothbore flintlock Land Pattern Musket and its derivatives. However, attempts to use the gun during combat quickly revealed design flaws. The Royal Navy acquired Nock’s volley guns at a time when belligerent encounters at sea were both expected and frequent. The barrels all fired seven .50cal bullets with a 40 grain powder charge at once. [1]. [1].

[1], The weapon was invented by British engineer James Wilson in 1779, and named after Henry Nock, the London-based armaments manufacturer contracted to build the gun.

Theoretically, the simultaneous discharge of seven barrels would have devastating effect on the tightly packed groups of enemy sailors.[1]. Belton failed to sell the musket to Congress, and later was unable to sell the design to the British Army a year after the American Revolution. The Nock volley gun was considered obsolete by 1805, but a surviving weapon was carried by Richard Widmark in the 1960 movie The Alamo.

The Nock Gun was not in use for very long however, due to the high amount of recoil produced when shot. Nock’s volley gun was no exception to this rule, and the seven instantaneously discharging barrels were found to be too cumbersome and even dangerous to use. A volley gun originally designed for ship-to-ship fighting, its use was limited and eventually discontinued because of inherent flaws in using it. Nock’s name is today most famously associated with the Nock Volley Gun, designed by James Wilson in 1779, for which Nock was contracted to produce for the Royal Navy. It is commonly referred to as a "flintlock", though that term is also commonly used for the weapons themselves as a whole, and not just the lock mechanism. The Nock gun was a seven-barrelled flintlock smoothbore firearm used by the Royal Navy during the early stages of the Napoleonic Wars. The volley gun consisted of seven barrels welded together, with small vents drilled through from the central barrel to the other six barrels clustered around it. Privacy Policy   •   Contact Us   •   Warnings   •   FAQs   •  © 2020 National Rifle Association of America, Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Ambassadors, NRA Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Presented by Brownells, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Book Review: The Martini-Henry: For Queen And Empire, Henry Rifles Aids 3-Year-Old in Leukemia Battle, "Over There:" U.S. Marines At Belleau Wood, © 2020 National Rifle Association of America.

The Nock Gun's barrel system was a unique design, consisting of seven barrels welded together. The Nock Gun was not in use for very long however, due to the high amount of recoil produced when shot. The lock of a firearm is the firing mechanism used to ignite the propellant.

A Nock volley gun in the Charleston Museum 1779-1780, The Nock gun was a seven-barrelled flintlock smoothbore firearm used by the Royal Navy during the early stages of the Napoleonic Wars.

Unfortunately, your browser doesn't support HTML5 canvas. The most common variant, weighing 95 cwt, dates from 1846. First invented by James Wilson in 1779, the volley gun saw service with the Royal Navy, and found some popularity with civilian goose hunters.


Nock lived until 1804, and by his death had a number of patents to his name and rated amongst one of the most successful firearms designers and builders of the era. Wilson presented his design to the Board of Ordnance for testing in July 1779. Subsequent firing with half-charges was not nearly as unpleasant, provided one leaned in and held on tight.