The matchlock was the first mechanism invented to facilitate the firing of a hand-held firearm. Before this, firearms had to be fired by applying a lit match to the priming powder in the flash pan by ...

What is the difference between musket and matchlock?

is that matchlock is early type of firearm, using a smoldering piece of cord to fire the powder in the firing pan while musket is a species of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of an army it was originally fired by means of a match, or matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances (including the flintlock, ...

What do you mean the term matchlock?

1 : a slow-burning match lowered over a hole in the breech of a musket to ignite the charge. 2 : a musket equipped with a matchlock.