Did the Japanese use patched roundballs in teppo?

[Rolland]

The patched ball, of course, is first associated with a muzzleloading rifle. However, the 'Westerners' (Europeans, Americans) also used it in smoothbore guns. This slowed down loading but noticeably improved accuracy. The use of patched roundballs by light infantry armed with smoothbores (tirailleurs, jägers, etc.) is mentioned in military literature. Everything indicates that it was also used in smoothbores by hunters, as evidenced by archaeological finds.

 

For non-shooters, let me briefly recall the reasons for the inaccuracy of smoothbore weapons. The ball has the so-called wintage, i.e. its diameter is smaller than the caliber of the bore. As a result, while moving in the bore, the bullet randomly hits the bore walls, which gives a double effect.

1. The ball leaves the bore along a line that does not coincide with the bore axis.
2. The ball rotates around an axis transverse to the trajectory, which - due to the Magnus effect - causes a (approximately) parabolic bending of the trajectory (like volleybal topspin).

The intensity and vector of both phenomena is random, but their effects add up. The patch virtually eliminates it, not to mention better use of powder gases. If the ball is round enough, it will fly more accurately, especially over a longer distance.

 

Where accuracy was more important than rate of fire, the 'Westerners' could use rifles. The Japanese only had smoothbores, but I suppose they may have been interested in achieving maximum accuracy in many situations.  In this case, patched ball would be a simple and even obvious solution.

 

In a pitched battle (close formation, stress, fear, clouds of smoke covering the target) what mattered was the rate of fire and I think that in Japan the situation was no different from Europe. However, during a siege or hunting trip, for example, accuracy could be more important and there was enough time to allow for careful loading. Was Takeda Shingen's wounding at Noda Castle a result of chance or meticulous gun handling?

 

That's why I'm asking if there is any information in Japanese sources, e.g. shooting school manuals, about the use of patched roundballs in teppo? The illustrations suggest that great attention was paid to aiming, but were measures recommended to reduce ball dispersion?

 

[Bugyotsuji]

The quick answer is yes, Rolland, they did use patched ball. I have seen original examples, including ball pre-wrapped and glued with what looked like squares of washi paper patch.

 

The long answer is that no, I am not aware of the earliest recorded illustration or mention of patched ball use in Japan. This would be like searching for the holy grail! (I was surprised to see an Inoué School manuscript of around 1600 showing inventive use of doubling or cutting or linking lead ball.)

 

Since lead fouling of the bore after a few shots was a huge problem from the very early days, I expect such an invention would have moved around the world in gunnery circles very quickly.

[Rolland]

 

Piers, thank you very much for your extensive answer. I assumed they used patches, now I know for sure. This technique may have been discovered independently in many places. Perhaps it was even brought by the Portuguese, who probably knew it.

 

I was fascinated by this phrase:

 

'manuscript of around 1600 showing inventive use of doubling or cutting or linking lead ball'

 

Wars seem to inspire human invention tremendously. Its fruit is a flood of inventions, although most of them impractical or useless. This has always interested me. Are there any sources of information, usable by a “gaijin” (paper or electronic), on these early gunnery oddities?

[Bugyotsuji]

Rolland, only just seen your post! Apologies.

 

This is from Ogawa San’s Accessories book, p. 073, showing some Inoué Ryū gunnery school ball experiments from early Edo.

These materials are preserved in the Kokuritsu Rekishi Minzoku Hakubutsukan. See patched ball mid top. The cut ball is 1.4 cm in diameter.

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Today in a pile of old Japanese armor related bits I spotted a small plastic bag containing a lead ball wrapped in paper. Pretty sure this was a pre-patched ball.

Not mine, but I took a quick photo while I had the chance.