Various European gunsmiths

The wheellock was a sophisticated ignition mechanism for firearms that used a spring-loaded serrated steel wheel spinning against a piece of iron pyrite to generate sparks, igniting the priming powder. Unlike the matchlock, the wheellock required no burning match, allowing firearms to be carried ready to fire at a moment's notice, which made cavalry pistols and the first true handguns practical. The mechanism was expensive and complex, requiring skilled clockmakers and gunsmiths to produce, which limited wheellocks to wealthy officers, cavalrymen, and nobility. The wheellock pistol became a status symbol of the European aristocracy and a transformative weapon for cavalry tactics, though it was eventually superseded by the simpler and cheaper flintlock.