Flintlock
Kentucky pistol - Introduced about the turn of the 17th century it has remained basically unchanged. It is a somewhat awkward piece to load for inexperienced users. The Kentucky had a tendency to hang fire (also called a misfire). The flint strikes the frizzen and ignites the powder in the pan but will at times burn slowly like a fuse. When this happens it is critical to keep it pointed at the target until it fires. The gun was typically .50 caliber and had an octagonal barrel. The stock was typically curly maple and usually had a wood ramrod with a brass tip.