smoothbore-firearms

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I have been wondering about this for years and I need to know, how would someone carry a zweihander that is almost as tall as them? You can't really carry it in a normal scabbard

Great question! Here's a hastily thrown together video answer:

Essentially, scabbards are for conveniently carrying weapons when you don't expect to use them right now. Weapons of this size are so bulky that you simply wouldn't carry one /unless/ you intended to use it (even if what you intend to use it for is intimidation rather than actual combat). In which case, you want it in your hands, and ready for use.

(That's not to say that you couldn't make a scabbard design for a huge sword, and I've seen some viable options, but for the most part I don't think there's much point. I've taken weapons of this size to a LARP, and even if you can strap it to your back, you end up taking it off any time you want to go through a door, bend over, walk in a group, run, sit down, climb a tree, do a flip, tie your laces, or basically do anything that's not carefully walk in a straight line.)

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Moro suit of armor with helmet, The Philippines, 19th century

from Runjeet Singh Antique Arms and Armor

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Vengeance is sworn - Francesco Hayez, 1851

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Lucas van Valckenborch the Elder (c. 1535 -1597,Flemish)-View of Antwerp with Frozen Schelde. Date 1593.

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Pierre Jean van der Ouderaa (1841-1915) "The Smith and his Sword"

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Miyamoto Musashi

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Making sternway until the smoke clears - Action between USS Frigate and HM'S Cyane and Levant, 20th February 1815, by John Steven Dews (1949-)

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Religion in France, 1600.

by atlas_cartography

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One can only envy the ingenuity of the creator of this instrument of death. Here you have a slander on a long shaft, and a pistol, moreover, a combat pitchfork is fixed on its barrel! Overall length 1 mm, barrel length 942 mm. Royal Arsenal, Leeds

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Luigi Bechi (Italian, 1830-1919)

Due piccoli ciociari

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Marguerite Godin / "Griselda" / 1894 / Baron Gérard Museum

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Dagger Crucifix (Torture Museum)