Virtual Archaeology Review, 11(22): 85-94, 2020 https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2020.12676 © UPV, SEAV, 2015 Received: November 8, 2019 Accepted: January 3, 2020 A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF TWO 3D-SCANNED ANTIQUE PISTOLS FROM NEW ZEALAND UN ANÁLISIS FUNCIONAL DE DOS PISTOLAS ANTIGUAS ESCANEADAS EN 3D DE NUEVA ZELANDA John LaRocco , Dong-Guk Paeng* Ocean System Engineering, Jeju National University, Jeju City, Jeju, 63243, Republic of Korea. [email protected]; [email protected] Highlights: Preservation of historical machines requires continual maintenance, including replacement of worn or missing parts. A combination of 3D scanning and digital models was used to analyze two antique pistols from New Zealand: a converted flintlock pistol and a transitional revolver. The method of making and analyzing digital models detailed in this study offers a way to facilitate historical preservation, experimental archaeology, and functional analysis. Abstract: Preservation of historical weapons requires continual and careful maintenance. Digital three-dimensional (3D) scanning can assist in preservation and analysis by generating a 3D computer model. New Zealand presents a special case for historical preservation, owing to the rapid import of European goods in a culture previously unexposed to metalworking. This, and the subsequent British colonization, led to upheaval and war. The most intense conflict between British and Maori forces was in the New Zealand Land Wars of the mid-19th century. The primary handheld firearms used in this period were black-powder muzzle-loaders, and the variety of armed factions involved in the war resulted in an eclectic range of weapons used. Two antique muzzle-loading pistols from this period were scanned and analyzed. Insights were gained into the history of double-barreled muzzle-loading pistols and transitional revolvers. The double-barreled pistol was determined to have been a flintlock pistol from a century prior to the Land Wars, later converted to percussion cap ignition. The transitional revolver was an intermediate step between the multi-barrel pepperbox pistol and the “true” revolver, but it remained in use throughout the Victorian era. Both types of firearms were effectively obsolete elsewhere in the world by the time of the Land Wars, but the conflict created a demand for a variety of weapons. While the pistols analyzed in this study are decommissioned and no longer in working order, the 3D models made from the samples afforded a unique glimpse into New Zealand’s history. The methodology detailed over the course of the study can be applied to other historical firearms in order to facilitate preservation, investigation, and experimentation. Keywords: historical weapon; 3D modeling; antique pistol; 3D digitization; digital preservation; 3D reconstruction Resumen: La preservación de las armas históricas requiere un mantenimiento continuo y cuidadoso. El escaneo digital tridimensional (3D) puede ayudar en la preservación y el análisis mediante la generación de un modelo informático en 3D. Nueva Zelanda presenta un caso especial para la preservación histórica, debido a la rápida importación de productos europeos en una cultura que no estaba expuesta a la metalurgia. Esto, junto con la posterior colonización británica, provocó disturbios y guerras. El conflicto más intenso entre las fuerzas británicas y maoríes se produjo en la Guerra de las Tierras de Nueva Zelanda a mediados del siglo XIX. Las principales armas de fuego de mano utilizadas en este período fueron los cargadores de pólvora negra, y la variedad de facciones armadas involucradas en la guerra dio lugar a una gama ecléctica de armas utilizadas. Dos antiguas pistolas de carga con boca de este período fueron escaneadas y analizadas. Se adquirieron conocimientos sobre la historia de las pistolas de doble cañón de carga con boca y los revólveres de transición. Se determinó que la pistola de doble cañón era una pistola de chispa de un siglo antes de la Guerra de las Tierras, convertida más tarde en una pistola de percusión. El revólver de transición fue un paso intermedio entre el revolver pimentero de varios cañones y el "verdadero" revólver, pero se siguió utilizando durante toda la época victoriana. Ambos tipos de armas de fuego habían quedado obsoletas en otras partes del mundo en el momento de las Guerras, pero el conflicto creó una demanda de variedad de armas. Aunque las pistolas analizadas en este estudio están fuera de servicio y ya no funcionan, los modelos en 3D realizados a partir de las muestras permitieron dar un vistazo único a la historia de Nueva Zelanda. La metodología detallada en este estudio puede aplicarse a otras armas de fuego históricas con el fin de facilitar la preservación, investigación y experimentación. Palabras clave: arma histórica; modelado 3D; pistola antigua; digitalización 3D; preservación digital; reconstrucción 3D *Corresponding author: Dong-Guk Paeng, [email protected] 85 LAROCCO & PAENG, 2020 1. Introduction ignition method used in European firearms (Hogg, 1980; The Diagram Group, 2007; Kolesnik & Holubieva, 2018; Historical weapons require specialized care and handling Kohanoff, 2019). As Europeans had ventured overseas for long-term preservation. As early firearms were for conquest, commerce, and colonization for centuries by handmade, the loss of even a single component can this point, older models of firearms were still in use, and render the device non-functional. Even if the device is not even upgraded (Belich, 2013; Hacker, 1994; Kohanoff, actively used, periodic restoration is still required 2019; Jones, 2019; Steyn, 2018; Hackelton, 2019). (Edessa, 2016). This often requires highly specific Caplock firearms converted from flintlock ones still knowledge about the artifact’s composition and retained signs of the older mechanism, even after removal construction, which can be difficult to obtain in large (Hogg, 1980). collections (Fritsch & Klein, 2018b). Advances in digitized scanning and archiving can improve maintenance, help The dominant firearms of the era were single-shot detect forgeries, increase the accessibility of historic muzzle-loaders (Kolesnik & Holubieva, 2018). In the machinery, and facilitate experimental archaeology and early 1800s, breech-loading firearms and revolvers were analysis (Kumar, Snyder, Duncan, Cohen, & Cooper, rare (The Diagram Group, 2007). Both were known, but 2003; Rojas-Sola & de la Morena-de la Fuente, 2018; they were unreliable and expensive to produce with the Rojas-Sola, Galán-Moral, & de la Morena-de la Fuente, technology and metallurgy of the day. Other technologies, 2018; Neumüller, Reichinger, Rist, & Kern, 2014). such as multi-shot firearms with superposed loads, multi- Two decommissioned, antique muzzle-loading pistols barrel firearms, manually repeating firearms and from New Zealand were disassembled, scanned, and repeating air rifles were known, but they suffered from reconstructed for a comprehensive analysis. similar constraints (The Diagram Group, 2007; Hogg, 1980). As such, the most common way to ensure multiple, reliable shots in the same firearm was to include 2. Background additional barrels. 2.1. Digital reconstruction Multiple barrels increased the weight, cost, and complexity of the firearm. Examples of multiple-barrel Digital reconstruction offers the potential to record and firearms include volley guns, which used independent preserve historical artifacts and architecture. Laser-based barrels stacked on top of each other, and pepperbox three-dimensional (3D) scanners and photogrammetry pistols, which are the multi-barrel predecessors of the have been used to recod historic architecture and artwork revolver (O’Brien & Garcia, 2005). The first “modern” for years (Fritsch & Klein, 2018a, 2018b; Kumar et al., revolver is usually considered to be Samuel Colt’s 2003; Menna, Nocerino, Del Pizzo, Scamardella, & Paterson revolver, although Elisha Collier’s flintlock Ackermann, 2011; Neumüller et al., 2014; Vrubel, Bellon, revolver predates it by over two decades. As a revolver & Silva, 2009; Wachowiak & Karas, 2009). Models were allowed the discharge of multiple cartridges through a made from the digital 3D models, which, in turn, were single, rifled barrel, it was lighter and longer-ranged used to make virtual museum exhibits. Superficial, non- than a pepperbox pistol (The Diagram Group, 2007; invasive scanning was sufficient for structures and Hogg, 1980). artifacts without internal parts, such as tablets or sculptures (Wei, Chin, Majid, & Setan, 2010; Fritsch & To compete against true revolvers, gunsmiths adapted Klein, 2018b; Kumar et al., 2003; Pejić & Krasić, 2016). pepperboxes into transitional revolvers. Transitional Related work was conducted using a multimodal revolvers were essentially cut-down pepperbox pistols combination of technologies for ship hulls (Menna et al., with a short “barrel” grafted onto the upper part of the 2011b), a photogrammetric system for a sword (Gil- frame. The alignment of the cylinder with the added barrel Melitón & Lerma, 2019), and a high-resolution white-light was often imprecise, so a misaligned cylinder could result scanner for dental profiles (Fiorenza et al., 2018). in the catastrophic failure of the firearm and injury to the shooter (Hogg, 1980). However, such weapons had the Devices with complex internal components require either advantage of double action, where a single trigger pull non-invasive scanning or careful disassembly. Even with would both rotate the cylinder and fire the weapon.