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Pirates Weapons
Pirate Weapons
Unless you know some pretty powerful Kung Fu, a pirate without proper weapons is unlikely to be successful at his profession.
Note that the Golden age of Piracy took place between the 1650s to the 1730s so technically, pirates probably didn't use weapons that haven't been invented or in wide use at the time.
For more information about pirates, see our Pirates Page.
Edged Weapons
A pirate is just an unarmed criminal without a sword. With a sword, he is a respectable gentleman to be respected.
Pirates are generally depicted with Cutlass swords. And although the cutlass was a great sword specially suited for sailors, wide use of these occurred well after the Golden Age of Piracy. A backsword or falchion may be more appropriate for a pirate. thepirateking.com/historical/cutlass.htm
stormthecastle.com/how-to-make-a/cardboard-prop-swords/how-to-make-a-cardboard-sword.htm dowel and cardboard.
warriorgirl.blogspot.com/2010/04/cardboard-pirate-sword-tutorial-or-hero.html cardboard broadsword
filthwizardry.com/2008/08/rolled-newspaper-tubes.html rolled paper rapier
filthwizardry.com/2008/10/paper-pirate-swords.html rolled paper rapier
Cutlass
The cutlass in swashbuckling lore is perhaps one of the most popular weapons of the pirates. It is believed to have evolved from the long knives used by the early buccaneers to butcher their meat. It had a blade length of about two feet, and was slightly curved with a single edge. With its relatively short blade the cutlass proved to be a very effective fighting tool in the confined area of a ship. It was so successful in fact that it was copied by many naval forces around the world. Unfortunately, many feel that it was unlikely that pirates used these as the time of widespread use of the Cutlass came after the Golden Age of Piracy.
Hanger
This was a shorter version of the cutlass. I had a blade around 24-27 inches in length with a hand guard which was narrower and straighter than a cutlass.
Backsword
A backsword is a sword with a blade on one edge, or an "edge-and-a-quarter." The back of the sword is often the thickest part of the blade and acts to support and strengthen it.
The term refers more specifically to early modern European weapons, usually straight, and typically with complex protective hilts as used in George Silver's manuscripts. It can also refer to the singlestick, which is used to train for fighting with the backsword, or to the sport or art of fighting in this fashion.
Falchion
A falchion (Latin: falx, "sickle") is a one-handed, single-edged sword of European origin, whose design is reminiscent of the Persian scimitar and the Chinese dao.
The shape of this sword concentrates more weight near the end, thus making it more effective for chopping strikes like an axe or cleaver but also makes it slower to wield than a sword with a lighter point. This design basically combines the weight and power of an axe with the versatility of a sword. Falchions are found in different forms from around the 11th century up to and including the sixteenth century. In some versions the falchion looks rather like the scramasax and later the sabre, and in some versions the form is irregular or like a machete with a crossguard.
Dusägge Cutlass Sword
This German cutlass sword with its broad serrated and curved blade which has earned its reputation by being a most efficient weapon of early naval warfare. This popular weapon distinctively designed for use on the high seas afforded hand protection with its high "shell" patterned guard and brandished a pronounced curved blade, for slashing and ripping.
Gauche
The Main-gauche (French for left hand) were off-handed parrying daggers used in conjunction with a single-handed sword. There were several designs, each with its own special feature to allow for defense from an opponent's sword.
The Spanish Main gauche had a stiletto blade as long as 20 inches and was designed to puncture and cut. The triangular or sil-form knuckle guard provided significant protection for the hand. The quillon (extended cross guard) helped parry (avert) or entangle an opponent's blade.
Boarding Axe
Although these may not be popular in pirate movies or cartoons and lack the iconic symbolism as the Pirate Cutlass, they were still a great boarding tool and weapon. They may in fact have been the main weapon used by pirates during the Age of Piracy.
The business end of a boarding axe had a 4 pound or so axe blade and an opposing pike-like protrusion. They were about 2-3 feet long, which is enough for a powerful swing, and short enough for close quarter battle and use in confined areas.
These can be used very effectively as weapons, to cut ropes, cut through and pull downed rigging, open just about anything from a chest to a wall, cut down masts and sails to disable a ship, help climb (like and ice axe) and can even be thrown at enemy. For firefighting, they can also be used to chisel out smoking hot cannonballs and the pick end could be used to pick out small embers which could pose a significant risk to the ship.
As merchant ships headed to the new world may be loaded with axes for colonists and natives to trade, it is likely that pirate would come to possess large numbers of axes for trade or armament. Pirates were even know to carry tomahawks.
gentlemenoffortune.com Weapons
Buckler
This is a small shield used in conjunction with a sword to dramatically enhance the effectiveness of a swordsman. It's where we get the term, swashbuckler. In the hands of a skilled swashbuckler, these could be used to deflect sword attacks, used to pin an opponent, used as a weapon and used to conceal one's movements or a stain on your shirt.
Boarding Pike
A pike was a long spear with a wooden handle and metal point. And like a spear, pikes could be thrown and targets like while fighting. The long reach of this weapon makes it effective against knife and sword attacks, especially at thwarting boarders. A boarding pike is generally shorter than the much longer pikes used for land warfare.
Pikes were often stored on racks at the base of the mast.
Pistols
The pistol was the ideal weapon for personal defense and in boarding enemy ships because of its small size (up to 18 inches long) and light weight (4-5 pounds). These were the prized possession of pirates, and in the day of handcrafted weapons, the highest quality of craftsmanship was sought out and coveted. And the first pick of captured weapons would often go to either the first to board or the first to sight a ship, which provided great motivation and sport for pirates.
The firing mechanism was exactly like the larger musket brothers (matchlocks, wheel locks and flintlocks). It fired a single shot which was loaded through the front of the barrel. And as reloading was a lengthy process, can because these were lightweight and compact compared to a musket, most pirates carried several pistols. Black Beard was said to carry six pistols. Since pistols would be cheaply made, some naval shipman would be issued 2 for boarding operations.
These pistols of old were problematic, especially on ship. It was vital that gunpowder be kept dry, which can be a real challenge on ship. If gunpowder got wet, the gun would not fire correctly or at all.
thepirateking.com/historical/flintlock.htm
Duck's Foot
Pirate pistols can get pretty fancy. Here is a Duck's Foot Captain's Pistol with four barrels. Some designs have as many as eight barrels that all fire simultaneously and at differnt directions when the trigger is pulled. And that's one guy you don't want to be in front of when boarding a ship.
dave-cushman.net/shot/ducksfoot.html
collectorebooks.com/gregg01/Lot-55.htm
Volley Pistol
A pistol version a Nock Gun is often referred to a Volley Pistol. It is basically a Duck's Foot that fires all of its barrels simultaneously straight ahead in the same direction. The barrel configurations, shape and rifling vary significantly from pistol to pistol.
Blunderbuss Dragon
A blunderbuss fires shot and is more or less and early shotgun. It can have a notable flared barrel end. A pistol version of the Blunderbuss is called a Dragon.
Pepperbox
A pepperbox has a revolving set of barrels, allow you to fire multiple times without reloading. Shots are fired individually.
These were difficult and expensive to make. Rich gentleman may carry these decorated with gold, silver and ivory. What a great prize this would be for a pirate.
Pocket Pistol
These were tiny miniaturized pistols for gentleman and ladies. They were often lock-boxed with a central dog ear, which made them more compact but also more difficult to aim down the barrel.
The short barrel and difficulty to aim, made them only suitable at short range.
Long Arms
The single shot weapons of the pirate age were limited in their utility as boarding weapons, but did allow for medium and occasional long range capabilities.
Musket
The musket was one of the first attempts at small arms with long-range accuracy. Because it didn't pack the punch of a weapon like the blunderbuss and only allowed a single shot before reloading, it was most likely used as a long range weapon before boarding or on shore.
They weight between 12 and 18 pounds each.
Before a battle, pirates to make up a dozen or so charges called "apostles" containing just the right amount of black powder to fire a shot. These could be worn in a bandoleer across the body.
Musketoon
This is a cut down version of the musket. It could be about 2 to 3 feet long and weight about 10 to 15 lbs. It was of course, less accurate than a musket, and generally fired from the shoulder. Some came with larger caliber barrels than found on regular muskets.
Blunderbuss
This is an early version of a a shotgun. It was typically half the length of a musket, muzzle-loaded, and had a very heavy recoil. It could be fired from the hip or the shoulder with devastating effects at close range. The hip was preferred do to the heavy recoil and this predates Rambo.
These weight between 10 and 16 pound each and were about 3 feet long. The barrel was about 2 inches in diameter and flared at the end.
Noch Gun
A Noch gun was made for ship boarding and would allow the firer to deliver a blast of seven rounds all at once. The recoil of such a weapon could injure the firer and the muzzle flash was so large that it set fear in the hearts of ship captains that it might set nearby sails and rigging ablaze, which is generally bad when the sails are your own or are right next your yours.
Hand Mortar (Grenade Launcher; Grenade Rifle; Mortier)
Grenade launchers were not a main weapon of pirates, but they were available during the age of piracy. The one shown above is from the 16th century.
These should not be used by children or adults weighing less than 60 pounds.
Gentlemen of Fortune handmortar.htm
Backup Weapons
There were several items that Pirates had at hand that allowed for fighting when a sword or firearm was not available.
Knife
A knife is all so important for its utility on ship and as a close quarter's backup or even primary weapon. They were great for cutting rope and cutting and handling food.
Knives came in all forms, from folding to small cutting knives, to shortened swords (after they have broken). These may include:
Dirk
Main gauche
Stiletto
Poignard
Gully
Boucan knife
Belaying Pin
Many potential bludgeons were readily available on ship. And even in the age of flintlocks, a bonk bonk on the head still hurts.
A Belaying pin is a wooden pin used to secure the rigging lines. These wood pins fit into hole on pin rails and fife rails which surround the masts. These were easily accessed onboard ship and made handy weapons.
 The size of the pin is directly related to the size of the ship as the diameter of a belaying pin was never less than the diameter of the rope which was to be belayed. And as only one size of belaying pin was kept on board, all pins would at least be the diameter of the thickest rope to be belayed. They would weigh about 4 pounds, and were a favorite weapon during mutinies. |
Marlinspike
This is a small pick made out of bone, wood, or steel with a round blade and a sharp point. They were commonly used as a tool to separate strands of rope, while the handle could be used for pounding. These were a favorite for pirates because they were widely available as tools and could be mustered quickly for the purpose of a mutiny.
Thrown Weapons
There were a handful of weapons that could be thrown and used by pirates.
Grenado (Powder Flask)
These were named after the the Spanish Pomegranate (granada). Grenados, or powder flasks, were in essence an early form of the hand grenade in common use by 1700. The Grenados used by pirates were small hollow balls that were about two ounces in weight. They were made of iron, glass or wood and filled with gunpowder. And like a firecracker, they had a fuse that was lit just before being thrown at the intended target. A successful throw and detonation could result in significant casualties, confusion and panic. They could also be a dud or blow up prematurely causing serious danger to the thrower.
Granados could also be made from glass bottles or clay pots filled with shrapnel and gun powder.
gentlemenoffortune.com Weapons
Stinkpot
These were a favorite of the Chinese. They used several pots filled with chemicals (spice) that were flung into a ship to be boarded. The pots would break open and ignite, creating noise, fire and a cloud of very foul smelling odor. These pots would cause the opposing crew to cough and gag, creating physical illness and confusion.
They may have been filled with decaying meat, saltpeter, limestone and asafetida.
encyclopedia.com/topic/Stinkpot.aspx
Caltrop's (aka Crowsfoot, Calthrop, Jack Rock, Star Nail, Iron Barbs)
The Romans called these tribulus or murex ferreus (jagged iron). These could be thrown onto a shipped to be boarded to inflict severe damage to the unlucky sailors who would step on them. These could of course backfire is you weren't paying attention to were you were walking while boarding. They were a popular weapon of French corsairs.
thepirateking.com/historical/caltrop.htm
Grappling Hook (Grappling Irons, Grapnels)
Grappling hooks were attached to rope and thrown at ships to grab a hold of them to bring them in for boarding.
Hand Weapons
Knives, Pikes and Axes could all be thrown and used effectively by a skilled thrower.
CombiWeapons
There are a number of weapon combinations that have been tried in the past.
pirates.missiledine.com/specialweapons.html
myarmoury.com/feature_spot_combo.php
Cannons
Cannons supplied the heavy fire power needed to disable ships before boarding.
Ship's Cannon
 The size of a cannon refers to the weight of the projectile it fires. They could range from anywhere from 4 to 32 pounders. Typically, a sloop would have 4-8 pounder cannons aboard, while 32 pounders were reserved for naval fortifications due to their extreme size and weight. The 4-8 pounder cannons had a maximum range of 1000 yards, but were effective mostly to 100-200 yards only. They tended to wear out quickly.
Pirates preferred to load them with anti-personnel or mast-damaging rounds, since their purpose was to disable ships and not to sink them. |
Canon loads could include:
Iron Cannon Ball
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Bar and Chain Shot (Split shot )
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Canister Shot
 This incorporated a cloth bag filled with gravel, nails and spikes. When this shot at its target, the bag would burn and release sharp shards all over the deck, which caused severe wounds. |
Grape Shot
 Specially designed small iron balls or stones, about three quarters of an inch in diameter, were packed in bags and/or metal rings and used as grapeshot. Grape shot was used to make deadly blows for crew on deck, causing little damage to the ship. Pirate Bartholomew Roberts was killed by this type of shot. |
Stone Balls
 These were easy to shape and readily available in Cuba and other parts of the world. Some were covered in lead, but basic stones made for cheap and available projectiles. These predated iron cannonballs. |
Carcass
 An incendiary/antipersonnel projectile designed to burn fiercely and produce poisonous fumes. It was constructed of an iron frame bound with sack cloth and filled with various ingredients such as pitch, antimony, sulfur, saltpeter, tallow and venetian turpentine. It was ignited by the cannon's propellant charge, bursting on impact with the target and releasing noxious fumes while setting fire to its surroundings. It was effectively an early chemical weapon as well as an incendiary and area denial weapon. |
Langrage (Sangrenel) - This anti-personnel round consisted of a cloth bag filled with small jagged scraps of iron. The bag disintegrated when the powder ignited and jagged bit of iron flew in all directions. It caused devastating injuries, and this type of shrapnel was almost impossible to remove without causing further damage.
Bundle Shot - This type of shot are specially designed for damaging opposing crew. Bundle shots were packs of short metal bars bundled together with a length of rope. When fired, the rope would loosen and the iron bars would begin to spread apart, whipping around and hitting everyone in the blast zone. These were most effective at close distance.
Spider Shot - a chain shot, but it has many chains instead of just one. It is very effectiveness against small ships and morale.
Exploding Shells - A hallow ball filled with explosive. It was designed to explode after hitting its target or as it flew past it.
Hot Shot - Metal cannon balls and other projectiles were super heated up prior to loading. Gunners could then place damp clay over the wadding in the gun to prevent premature setting off the propellant charge as the heated cannon ball was loaded. This red hot metal projectile was more like to set a ship ablaze with a direct hit.
Martin’s Shot - a variation of hot shot. It consisted of a cast iron spherical shell lined with insulating materials and it was filled with molten cast iron. When the Martin’s shell contacted its target, the shell would break up and the molten iron inside would cling to the target thus setting any combustible materials aflame.
Iron darts (garros) - the earliest ammunition for black powder-powered artillery. They were usually wrapped with leather near the driving end to improve the fit of the projectile in the bore of the gun. This leather gasket helped to reduce the problem of windage, or the leakage of the propellant gases around the projectile. Darts continued to be used until about 1700.
Star Shot or Faggot Shot - A cylindrical wooden shot, either a solid log scored into triangular bars or wooden rods tightly bound by iron bands. When fired they would split and splinter apart creating an effective and inexpensive short range anti-personnel munition.
Hailshot - In 1573, a German known only as Zimmerman invented hailshot, a form of case shot that also had an explosive charge to burst the canister and a fuze that was ignited by the propellant charge. Another type of hailshot was usually found in naval antipersonnel weapons and included a special hailshot gun and cubic-formed shot. The hailshot gun was heavy – on the order of a hand cannon and usually provided a means of resting it on a ship’s railing to control recoil. Hailshot guns sometimes had rectangular muzzles.
Cannon projectiles became more and more sophisticated over the years and got pretty fancy after the Golden Age of Piracy.
thepirateking.com/historical/cannon_projectiles.htm
Wiki List_of_cannon_projectiles
roguescove.org/info/cannons/ammunition.shtml
Swivel Gun
These were small portable cannons that could be mounted on the deck railing and repositioned to any side of the ship. They typically were less than 1m (3 ft) in length and had a bore diameter of up to 3.5cm (1¼ in). They could fire grapeshot or small ball rounds.
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A solid ball of iron cast in basic
molds used to damage the hull of a ship or fortification. These were
used to sink ships, generally not the goal of a pirate ship. 
This type of ammunition has two
or more cannon balls connected together with iron bar or chain. When fired,
the shot would rotate through the air creating destructive force able to
destroy any sails and riggings. Bar shot was typically two halves of a
cannon ball with a solid bar welded between. Called "angels"
(possibly because of the fluttering noise they made as they rotated
through the air) these were frightening weapons but relatively
inaccurate and only used at close range.