Flintlock mechanism rifle

The flintlock mechanism constructed in the early 16th century is the first mechanical invention for firearms that changed the battle tactics. Around 1630 a new type of mechanism was invented, one which subsequently became the main characteristic of small firearms in the 18th and early 19th centuries, the flintlock mechanism called a Schnapphahnschloss (a striking cock). The cock, also called the hammer in the flintlock, was released by applying pressure on the spring.