Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Equipment, Volume 8

Page: Great

Those who manufacture Lead-Tin Muskets original: "Qianxichong." While literally "Lead-Tin Gun," this refers to the high-quality matchlock muskets of the Ming Dynasty, so named either for the alloy of their components or the nature of their ammunition. must understand the refining of iron. Because the raw ore contains slag and impurities, it must be forged and refined without ceasing until the slag is completely melted away and the metal reaches a state of pure essence. Only then can one avoid the dangers of the barrel becoming brittle, snapping, or exploding.

Therefore, refining ten catties of raw iron down to one catty of pure steel is considered superior; refining ten catties down to five is considered secondary. The barrel must be perfectly round and smooth on the inside, and its Owl original: "Xiao." A technical term for the front sight of the musket, positioned near the muzzle. must be upright and straight.

Those who operate the musket must be chosen from among those with agile hands and feet. When facing the enemy, the process of loading the powder, inserting the wadding, aligning the Owl, and lighting the match must be performed without the slightest delay.

If the gunner sees only the Owl (front sight) and not the barrel, the aim will err by being too high. If one sees only the barrel and not the Owl, the aim will err by being too low. In either case, the shot will not hit the mark.

Today, people commonly stand in lines and use this weapon for long-range attacks, but this is incorrect. It must be used only when close to the enemy, interspersed with soldiers carrying long and short-range melee weapons. We must seize the momentum and advance rapidly, causing the rebels to dodge the shots; in the brief moment while they are blinking or dazzled by the flash, our troops will have already penetrated their ranks.

The true ingenuity of the Lead-Tin Musket lies entirely in this tactic. If one relies on it merely to attack an enemy from afar, is that not a great mistake?