What weapons would a Pyrate carry into Battle.

[Patrick Hand]

This is going to be a weird argument...it starts of as one of those “I'm trying to justify something”...

[OFF TOPIC INTRODUCTION]

Last year, I wasn't able to make it to PiP, but I'm planning on going again this year. Now I really like my Buccaneer stuff, but the problem is that taking my musket gets way too expensive... it cost $75 to ship it both ways.... “Yikes” $150 just to have a musket at Pip... and my Buccaneer stuff just isn't right without a musket.... So I'm going to go with my 1720's Pyrate stuff. I can take my blunderbuss and a pistol, and it only cost $25 for the extra luggage. As long as I'm taking my blunderbuss, I can also throw in my cutlass....

Problem is.....they (the police) don't want us walking around Key West with our cutlasses/swords.... So I'm wondering; why bother taking it..... (see... that's the justification part....)

Now this is where the argument starts to get interesting.... (and back ON TOPIC)

“Way back then” in the “Golden Age of Pyracy”......If I was in a “Boarding Action” I can see an advantage to having a cutlass; you know... for after I've fired both the blunderbuss and pistol....But would I really need that cutlass? I still have one-heck-of-a club, and could start swinging the blunderbuss.. so why bother with the cutlass? The fight should be over before that.

Now being “Heavily Armed” is going to be more intimidating...(and being at the wrong end of a blunderbuss is Really Intimidating..) But how much weaponry would a Pyrate really have carried when boarding another ship?

I know that this discussion is going to be mostly speculation; and not 100% TWILLish, but it should be interesting.....

For my 1820's Pyrate stuff, I'm thinking of just taking the blunderbuss, one pistol and a belt knife.

But there's this kinda “itch” in th' back of my head, wot says Pyrates just gotta have a cutlass........You know... they always do in alla th' movies..........

[blackjohn]

But how much weaponry would a Pyrate really have carried when boarding another ship?

Is this a trick question... like how much wood would a woodchuck chuck???

My vague answer would be, "enough to be useful, but not so many as to get in the way of being useful."

My personal comfort level is a pistol, at most two, a sword, and a long arm that can be easily disposed of when no longer needed. I tried adding two additional pistols once, and that was three too many.

[Fox]

In 1727 or thereabouts a crew of pirates led by John Vidal were reduced to cutting up oars to make cudgels because they didn't have any cutlasses. Admittedly, they were fairly shoddy pirates...

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I am not sure is this any real value but I would say anything handy like boarding pikes, axes, cargo hooks, ofcourse cutlasses and firearms as clubs (when they were fired) and just teeth, fists or kicks. I think not much weapons would be needed so I think that they would carry only few weapons. I could quote Gordingly here but I have little bad aftertaste of his quotes so it can wait.

[Commodore Swab]

I would think a small pistol or two would be most helpful, a very short cutlass to be carried off the ship. A large pistol would only provide 1 shot and get in the way wheras a couple smaller pistols could be pulled out if needed. A larger gun would be very useful when ships are closing but once boarding commenced reloading would be impratical. Just my $.02

My kit would include a cutlass, and a couple guns in my belt. A short (single hand) blunderbuss, and another small short pistol. I also have a large blunderbuss that would be employed for clearing decks but probably left behind when I boarded or carried fired once and dropped.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I was wondering " duckfoot pistols" would those be preferred weapons in the late Gaop? they appeared as far as I know around 18th c. Blunderbusses were good and used but what about duckfoot pistols?

Edited April 13, 2012 by Swashbuckler 1700