Muzzleloader
Some of the earliest muzzleloaders were matchlocks. The matchlock, named for its firing mechanism, was the first invention that made it possible to keep both hands on the weapon and at the same time keep the shooter's eyes on the target. The design allowed a cloth or stick with a flame on the end—called a "match"—to be lowered into a "flashpan" filled with gunpowder which ignited the main charge, firing the gun. Matchlocks appeared in Europe in about 1400. The matchlock mechanism was used to produce muskets. The gun barrels were smooth inside and used round ball ammunition. Those who used muskets were called "musketeers". Very few pistols used this design but some shotguns from this period were matchlocks.