Dutch Muskets, Aspects of Eighteenth Century Firearms and Gunmaking in The Netherlands

This article gives an insight in some new aspects of Dutch military firearms and gunmaking. This information is mostly based on archival research, with the main focus on recently discovered contracts of gunmakers in the city of Utrecht in the period 1650–1750. It deals with aspects like the transition from matchlock to flintlock muskets, and the reglementary use of muskets with double locks, the introduction of the rifled musket in the late seventeenth century and the introduction of the bayonet. Besides this, the article focusses on some contracts of British officers with gunmakers in the city of Utrecht that were found during the research of these contracts.