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A Wheel lock pistol, also known as a starwheel,[1] is a type of firearm from the Spelljammer campaign setting.[2][3][4]

Description[]

As with all firearms, a wheel lock pistol uses a charge of smokepowder to propel a bullet made of lead, bronze, or iron[5] at high speed towards a target. A wheel lock pistol is a relatively compact weapon and can be operated with one hand, which is made viable due to the pistol's wheellock mechanism. Pulling a wheellocks' trigger opens the pan cover and spins a spring-loaded steel wheel against a piece of pyrite, generating an intense spray of sparks, igniting the priming charge in the pan and setting off the main charge.[6][7]

A wheel lock pistol is at the pinnacle of firearms development, and although the wheellock is far more efficient than the matchlock mechanism used for the arquebus, it is much more complex and expensive. Although it is easier to use, the wheel lock pistol is still slow to reload, and as such, users typically carry a brace of loaded pistols, or switch to a melee weapon after firing a single shot, rather than reloading in the midst of combat.[6] Wheel lock pistols are prone to misfiring at inopportune moments, injuring the user and fouling the barrel. The weapon can not be used again until it has been cleaned, which can take up to 30 minutes.[2]

Variants[]

  • A Horse pistol is a large pistol and is usually equipped with a large ball at the end of its grip to make it easier to grab and draw on horseback. Wheellock pistols are favored by cavalry and other mounted warriors, who usually carry up to three pistols to deal with pikemen and other such nuisances.[6][7]
  • A Belt pistol is a lighter, smaller pistol than the horse pistol, and is designed to be carried at the belt and used for personal defence.[6][7]

Availability[]

Wheel lock pistols are relatively rare in the Known Spheres, both because of their unreliability and because the chemical or magical reactions on which they depend varies from world to world, and from sphere to sphere. Smoke powder (also known as gunpowder) may work perfectly fine in one sphere, only to be inert in the next.[8]

Appendix[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. Roger E. Moore, Demihumans of the Realms, 1998, (TSR Inc.), ISBN:0-7869-1316-9, pages 18 and 20
  2. 2.0 2.1 Jeff Grubb, AD&D Adventures in Space, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Personal Weapons and Ammunition section, chapter 3: Ships of Wildspace, page 45
  3. James M. Ward, "Jammin'", Dungeon Magazine issue #21, January/February 1990, (TSR Inc.), page 33
  4. James Wyatt, Gwendolyn F. M. Kestrel, d20 Past, 2005, (Wizards of the Coast Inc.), ISBN: 0-7869-3656-8, Early Weapons section, chapter 2: Rules Components, pages 19-20
  5. L. Richard Baker III, Skip Williams, Player's Option: Combat & Tactics, 1995, (TSR Inc.), ISBN: 0-7869-0096-2, chapter 7: Weapons & Armor, page 143
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 James Wyatt, Gwendolyn F. M. Kestrel, d20 Past, 2005, (Wizards of the Coast Inc.), ISBN: 0-7869-3656-8, Early Weapons section, chapter 2: Rules Components, page 20
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 L. Richard Baker III, Skip Williams, Player's Option: Combat & Tactics, 1995, (TSR Inc.), ISBN: 0-7869-0096-2, chapter 7: Weapons & Armor, page 137
  8. Jeff Grubb, AD&D Adventures in Space, Concordance of Arcane Space, 1989, (TSR Inc.), Armaments section, chapter 3: Ships of Wildspace, page 42