Che Dian Chong

The che dian chong (simplified Chinese: 掣电铳; traditional Chinese: 掣電銃; lit.

'lightning quick firearm') is a breech-loading, cartridge-using musket invented by Zhao Shizhen (趙士禎) during the Ming dynasty for the dynasty's arsenals.

[1] Like all early breech loading fireams, gas leakage was a limitation and danger present in the weapon's mechanism.

[2] The zi mu chong is also a breech loading musket, the earliest breech-loader musket known.

It was indigenously developed in China in the late 16th century.