Pirate News

Pirate Fashions Rifles and Muskets

Though not as popular in Hollywood as the pistol or cutlass, the Rifle n' Musket were an important part o' a Pirate's arsenal! WeArrrselves stock firing versions o' bothferyar own pleasure. Though we would be remiss to not tell ye about the differences!

A musket was an upgrade o' the Renaissance Era Arquebus, a shoulder fired weapon that was so heavy ye could only fire it effectively by usin' a stand o' it's own. The musket was a lighter weapon that began to appear in militaries as early as the 16th Century. It could also be fixed with a bayonet to convert it into a spear o' sorts. Though inaccurate they were an ideal infantry weapon, n' the range n' power they offered made them valuable aboard ships as well!

A rifle was a weapon that featured helical grooves etched into the barrel to spin a bullet as it was fired. Inturn this would make the shot more accurate. They were also lighter, but they fired a smaller caliber bullet than a musket (.50 Caliber as opposed to .69-.75) They were ideal among Hunters n' Sharp Shooters, but were expensive n' difficult to load so it never eclipsed the musket entirely.

Moving quickly a rifleman could fire 1 Shot per Minute as opposed to the Musketeer who could fire 3 Shots per minute. Fer a hunter or guerrilla fighter who needed to make every shot count, a rifle was an ideal weapon. Butfer a thrifty pirate or a government trying to bankroll an army the musket was more accessible, it could also be fired into crowds or used with other musketeers to deadly effect.

Aboard ships the Musketoon was popular. It was a shortened Carbine version of a musket that worked well for cavalry n' anyone fightin' in confined spaces!

Check out Arrr French Muskets! People may forget that the English n' Spanish weren't the only powers on the waters! The French were able to ship Muskets like these all around the world, n we make firing replicas just like them. http://bit.ly/2nzKv5u

Continue reading

Pirate Fashions: Blackpowder Firearms

For Arrr Rogues who be interested in Fully Functioning Blackpowder Weapons, Pirate Fashions has the quality n' authenticity that ye want! Many of Arrr weapons be designed in-house n' proof tested to ensure reliability. Some of these Pirate Fashions Designs result in Firearms ye will not find anywhere else on the Seven Seas!

They also have alife-time warranty as long as ye do not fire them by using a black powder substitute (trust us mateys, it matters.) Any breakage or failure due to manufacturers defect will be repaired at no cost.

For mostmerchants if ye were to fire the weapon at all ye would voidyar warranty, think about that when you're looking foryar ideal pistol or rifle! Because of the Flintlock n' Pre-Flintlock FiringSystems they are defined as Antique Weapons by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco n' Firearms.

This makes black powder firearms easyfer us to ship within the U.S. with the exceptions of New York City, New Jersey n' Illinois. We will not ship Black Powder Firearms outside the U.S. Purchasing a black powder weapon is also very simple as it does not require a background check. Powder be a different story, as itbe classified as an explosive! Foryar powderneeds we recommendarrr mates over at Powder Inc.

Though theybe easy to purchase, we advise ye that polite society will still regulate where ye be carryingyar weapon as it is not a toy!

Learn more about Black Powder Firearms onarrr website n' of course, please use responsibly me hearties! http://bit.ly/2n0d7m8

Continue reading

Pirate Fashions: Non-Firing Replica Firearms

E'ery Pirate worth his salt has a pistol! Many Crews in the Caribbean would expect ye to have at least one before even letting you join their ranks. As professional pirates wearrrselves have made functioning n' non-firing replica flintlock pistols n' rifles, knowin' full well ye may not need to storm the deck of Spanish Galleon with live ammunition!

Non-Firing Replicas be a permitted weapon prop among folk at Pirate Conventions n' Festivals, or any festivities ye may be attendin'. They alsobe available in a variety o' materials that be more cost-effective such as plastics n' light woods, or more authentic n' rugged with heavier metals n' woods.


The Flintlock system came into use in the early 17th Century after evolving from the Wheellock n' Matchlock mechanisms. The basic principle o' the Flintlock revolves around a piece o' flint clasped in the "Hammer" striking a tiny steel plate called the "Frizzen" to create a spark. The spark would then ignite black powder n' fire the round in the gun's barrel.

Pistols themselves would see common usage among the military n' civilians alike, n' came in a variety o' shapes n' sizes. The smallest bein' 6 inches and the larger measurin' up to 20 inches to compensate!

Blackpowder weapons were obviously a great tool to have, but they were also tricky to use. Moisture or worn pieces of flint frequently lead to misfires. Even with preventative measures in place if ye were in humid regions ye were screwed! On the other end of the spectrum a pistol could be triggered easily n' a pirate could spontaneously shoot offa round!


To fire the weapon ye would also fully cock the mechanism by pulling the hammer all the way back, ahalf-cocked pistol was considered a safety measure while also being prepared for action. The only problem with that was that the hammer could still drop n' fire the weapon, Causin' a pirate to "go offhalf-cocked." Today that be the popular expression to express goin' off prematurely! http://bit.ly/2nk0iT6

Continue reading

Pirate Fashions, Black Powder Weapons in Black Sails

On severaloccasions, Pirate Fashions has had the privilege of providin' firearms for several period piece shows. Recently the final season of Black Sails premiered on Starz n' yemaybe surprised that ye could find several o' the firearms seen on the show inarrr own hoard o' goods!

Captain Flint's own signature pistol be a Scottish Dag (or all steel pistol,) specifically a Murdoch Highland that appeared in the early 17th Century n' was found to be in use until the early 19th Century. Itbe a very realistic firearm to have on the show!

They were usually made with metal stocks. This made'em an ideal weapon in the rainy Scottish Highlands or on the rugged seas in the hands o' pirates, when a wooden grip could quickly rot away. To avoid rust, the weapon would have to be oiled n' cleaned on a fairly regular basis. Believe itarrr not, Pirates appreciated Order and Cleanliness! 

Arrr French Sea Service pistols were also Guests on the Show! They were issued to the French Navy in 1763 well after the events in Black Sails, but ye cannot deny that they were good looking pistols! 18th Century British and American soldiers n' private citizens appreciated them as well.

The French Holster Pistol was another guest n' it was also a period appropriate weapon! They first began to appear between 1675 n' 1700 in the hands o' Frenchmen across the seas. Though they were a common Pirate Pistol as well!

There be many details to these stories of how these Pirate Fashions pistols (n' other weapons as well) came to be featured in such a widely renowned piece of pirate media. But we couldn't tellye thedetails, unless we made ye walk the plank! Browse the Pirate Fashions Website n' see where elsearrr weapons have been featured! http://bit.ly/2jRYHRJ

Continue reading

Search