| Khirimi | |
|---|---|
 Khirimi with ivory butt cap and silver barrel bands | |
| Type | Musket |
| Service history | |
| In service | 17th century to early 20th century |
| Used by | Caucasian Territories |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 17th to mid 19th century |
| Specifications | |
| Barrel length | 35 - 44 inches |
| Caliber | .50 - .73 |
| Action | Miquelet Lock orCaplock (conversion) |
TheKhirimi was a distinctive type ofmusket produced and widely used throughout theCaucasus from the 17th to the early 20th centuries.[1] Characterized by its long, slender barrel,miquelet lock, and ornate decoration, it was a prized weapon of both everyday life and warfare among various Caucasian peoples.
The Khirimi is easily identified by several key features:
Barrel: It featured an exceptionally long and slender barrel, which contributed to its accuracy. While most commonly encountered as a rifled weapon, smoothbore variants are also known to exist.
Action: It utilized amiquelet lock, a type of flintlock mechanism known for its reliability. Circassian versions are noted for their miquelet locks with particularly long and pronounced "lips" or jaws designed to hold the flint.
Stock: The stock was typically crafted from Circassian walnut (Juglans regia). A distinctive feature is a decorative section of walrus ivory on the butt. Some stocks were entirely covered in donkey leather for protection and grip.[1]
Trigger: Similar to the TurkishShishane, it had an exposed ball trigger with no trigger guard.
Sights: It was equipped with an advanced (for the period) barrel-mounted peep sight, similar to those found on the TurkishShishane, which aided in accuracy.
Decoration: Metal components, such as the barrel bands and trigger, were often made of silver and decorated with intricate niello work, a black metallic alloy inlay.Kubachi was the most well known place for this.[1]
The Khirimi was produced by gunsmith guilds and workshops across the North and South Caucasus, including inDagestan,Chechnya,[2]Ingushetia,Karabakh,Georgia,[3]Kabardino-Balkaria,Armenia, and some parts ofIran.
It saw extensive use during theCaucasian War and theRusso-Circassian War. Photographic evidence confirms its use byirregular forces and militias during theRusso-Turkish War (1877–1878), even as more modern breech-loading rifles, such as theBerdan,Krnka,Carle,Snider,Martini, were becoming available.
Russia would go on to issue official military rifles to theirCossack division that were more in line with the form of the Khirimi than the standard infantry rifle.[4]
The name "Khirimi" is derived from the word "Crimea" (Qırım). This is because the high-qualitydamascus steel barrels were primarily forged in theCrimea, notably in the city ofBakhchysarai,[5] and then imported into the Caucasus region to be stocked, locked, and decorated by local gunsmiths.[1][3] This practice of importing barrels from specialized centers was common throughout the Ottoman Empire and its periphery.
