Peter Krenn – Steiermarkisches Landesmuseum Jahanneum
Paul Kalaus – Austrian Army
Bert Hall – University of Toronto
Abstract
This article is in two parts. Part 1 summarizes the results of a series of test-firings of genuine early modem small arms carried out in 1988-89 by staff of the Landeszeughaus (Provincial Armoury) in Graz, Austria — a division of the Provincial Museum Administration. The results constitute the best quantitative data ever obtained about the ballistic characteristics (muzzle velocity, accuracy on target,
penetrating power of bullets) of early modern military small arms. Part 2 interprets the significance of the test findings. Early modern small arms under the best of circumstances were extremely inaccurate. Bullets lost most of their kinetic energy within 30-50 metres of flight. Pistols, however, tested better than might have been expected. The results confirm the views of some historians giving more weight to the role of the pistol in challenging the supremacy of the heavily armoured knight. This article demon-strates how information from material history is relevant to sweeping historical theses.