cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/10338054
Flintlock hand mortars were use for signaling, launching fireworks, and hurling grenades.
They would be operated by two men. One who would insert a lit grenade then duck. The first man ducking would signal to the second man, the shooter, the mortar was ready to fire.
In the event of the mortar not firing when a lit grenade was inserted the operator would throw the device and reel it in by an attached strap.
Ian's Video: [5:48] https://youtu.be/kf9URQ7X0YA
InRangeTV Video: [7:01] https://youtu.be/mAzdYxa6kHA
A very demoman weapon.
Kinda surprised that the bottom just opens to the wooden stock.
It’s probably a construction limitation. Not sure of their tooling limitations, but perhaps a blind hole was more difficult to achieve. Wood would just get crispy when exposed to occasional momentary ’splosions, so maybe it was just a pragmatic choice?
You know, the forgotten weapons info seems sus. If the grenade has a fuze, wtf is the flintlock for?