Dutch Arms
The Dutch and their weapons are a much overlooked part of American History. The Dutch were one of the leading world powers in the early 1600’s. They were also one of the largest arms producers in the world supplying weapons to almost all countries in the world at one time or another. In 1618, when the Dutch settled in New York along the Hudson River area and started establishing trading posts in America, they were the key nation in supplying arms to the Indians. By 1630, they were taking in 30,000 beaver skins a year in trade for guns, powder, balls and fish nets. It is also interesting to note that the Dutch were importing cartridge paper and cartridge thread for making paper cartridges to trade to the Indians in 1645. The Dutch captured New Sweden from the Swedish which is now Delaware, Western New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. It would seem that the flintlock was more predominant in America at this early period than in Europe. There is literally thousands of Dutch gun related artifacts in the Rochester Museum and Science Center from this early period if one wishes to study this period. Later Dutch weapons are difficult to give a precise date to until more research is done on them. For this reason, we are using George Moller’s terminology on these weapons.
1706 Dutch Musket (552)
Dutch Type I Musket (700)
Dutch Type II Musket (693)
Dutch Wall Gun (718)
Dutch Type IIB Musket (939)
Dutch Type III Musket (617 III)
Dutch IV Musket (617)
Dutch IV Carbine (938)
Dutch Officers Fusil (634)