RT 1330[]
| Rifle Type 1330 | |
|---|---|
 Rifle Type 1330/55 | |
| Type | Musket |
| Place of origin | Roman Empire |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1330-1360 (Imperial Army) 1355-1400 (Imperial allies) |
| Used by | Imperial Army Northern Russian Republics |
| Wars | Dark Age (disputed) Imperial Campaign of Rus |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Constantin Warrakyn |
| Designed | 1325 |
| Manufacturer | Imperial Arsenal of Constantinople |
| Unit cost | 0.5 Hp (25$) |
| Produced | 1328 - 1358 (Roman Empire) 1350-1390 (other countries) |
| Number built | 25,000 - 45,000 (Imperial military) 17,000 (civilians) |
| Variants | Carbine Hunter |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 16 lb (6.3 kg) |
| Length | 70.0 in (1,775 mm) |
RT 1330 or Rifle Type 1330, was one of earliest mass produced rifle in Imperial Army service and one of earliest gunpowder product of Imperial Arsenal of Constantinople (aside of artillery and earliest rifle RT 1310, which was rather hand cannon and in most case, more dangerous to user rather than target).
RT 1330 was reaction on RT 1310 and its development was ordered by Emperor Andronikus II the Navigator. First experiments with handheld gunpowder weapons occured during Roger Bacon life, but he died soon after these experiments, which were unsuccessful and government moved funding to other military-type projects, until 1305, when Emperor Romanos ordered restart experiments.
In 1310, hand cannon RT 1310 was presented with very interesting and embarassing "rate of selfdestruction" and "rate of shooter-killing", as about one third of users were killed or wounded by gun.
After death of Emperor Romanos, Andronikos did not left Romanos dream of capable and effective handheld gunpowder weapon and ordered laboratories of Imperial Arsenal of Constantinople to continue with research and development. In 1323, first prototypes of RT 1330 were created by talented and successful designer Constantin Warrakyn. He continued in improving prototypes and in 1325, RT 1330 (under prototype name P-RT 1325), was presented to Emperor Andronikus.
Gun did not exploded, shoted without problems and could be used in various stances of shooter. On the other hand - gun is long, heavy and rate of fire is between 0,5-1 shot per minute and effective fire range is 45 yards (41,5 meters).
Despite that, Emperor Andronikus approved it and granted 70,000 Hp for next research and improvements of rifle, which was three times modified to version 41, 47 and 55, all of them modified to have lower weight and higher rate of fire.
Better versions were developed much later as curiosities (in 1395 carabine version, in 1420 hunting version).
Service[]
As first, rifle was sent to auxiliary and support troops of Constantinople garrison and to barracks in Constantinople. Service continued during "Dark Age", which is supported by archaelogical digsites that found many old rifles RT 1330 and their bullets with dating from 1340-1355. Only in Thrakia were found 4,500 these rifles with many skeletons.
Doubtless, gun was in service of Imperial Campaign of Rus, where, however was not used by Imperial troops, aside of few support units, but mostly by Russian allies, as Imperial Army already had RT 1370 rifles.