Brief Description:  The arquebus (often spelled harquebus) is an early, shoulder-fired matchlock firearm used from the 15th to 17th centuries. As a precursor to the modern rifle, it featured a metal, smoothbore barrel, a wooden stock, and a mechanical firing trigger that replaced older, less accurate hand cannons.

Key Physical Characteristics:

Firing Mechanism: It used a matchlock system. Squeezing the trigger lowered a curved metal arm (the serpentine) into a flashpan, plunging a burning slow-match (cord) into the priming powder to fire the weapon.

The "Hook": The word arquebus is derived from the Dutch word haakbus ("hook gun"). Early models had a literal iron hook under the barrel to anchor and steady the gun against battlements, walls, or war wagons when firing.

Weight & Size: It was lighter than its successor, the musket. Weighing between 8 to 11 lbs, it could be comfortably fired from the shoulder without the aid of a wooden fork or stand.

Ammunition: It fired a lead or iron ball that weighed approximately 100 grams (3.5 oz).