Hi Jonathan,That is an interesting question. The reason handgonnes developed into battle winning weapons over the span of 250 years is of course their potential for devestating effect, and the ease of training anybody in their use (unlike self bows, you could become completely competant in their use with a few days training), ease of maintenence (there goes the crossbow), and as time wore on and black powder production brought down price of powder, the overall cheapness in comparison to other projectile weapons.
They recieved the first huge surge in use in the Empire from the last decades of the 14th c. onward in the cities of the Empire. Their virtues made them ideal for town defence from the town ramparts, and they wre a weapon that could be easily mastered with minimal investment in time. Their vices were negated by use from town walls.
If you read Malcom Vales "War and Chivalry" (supposed to be reprinted shortly), Dr. Vale points out the high interest many of the Anglo/Flemish/Franco nobility in the new technology and it's applied use - in contrast to current popular opinion on the subject in armchair historical circles (most of these people painting 15th c. nobility with a very broad brush, cheap paint and ussing a small mindedness that they attribute to anybody born 50 yrs prior to themselves and back to do the painting!) 
Antoinne the Grand Bastard of Burgundy/Marshal of Burgundy did not scorn to use a bombard and mantlet as the badge for his households livery.
That said, I doubt that many people with any pretentions to the gentry would actually be personally familiar with how to load and fire one of these gonnes at this juncture in history - although they would be keen to employ the practitioners of the art, and most who studied the military arts would be aware of their potential (and at this point frustrated in getting the most out of it). By the early 16th c., the novelty of the gonne had worn off a bit, and from that point onward the nobility and gentry enthusiastically employed elaborate examples of the gunmsmiths art in the hunt (not personally using them in military applications that I am aware until the widespread introduction of the saddle pistol in the mid 16th c.).
So, in short, I doubt Etienne would personaly know how to load and fire a handgonne. I also suspect as an officer keen on preforming his duties competantly he would spend some time trying to figure out how to deploy the six under his command effectively (I'd have them skirmish ahead with the crossbows, falling back on the chambre as they run into resistance - I don't know if this is appropriate, or my projecting 19th c. uses back onto the 15th c.)
In reality, I have had 14 years of experience with black powder hand weapons and 8 years of experience with full scale black powder artillery - both in live fire competitions and re-enactment use, so I am the "training officer" for Wolfe Argent.
Glenn C. - If you don't mind, would you allow us to put up a link to your site when we create a suppliers list? I especially like the options you have for your barrels, offering octagon to round, and the bell ends to the gonnes - not to mention your locks, and options on stocks.
Jeff H. - Hurrah ! I can't wait to see a picture!
Needless to say, as a company we will be doing business with both Glenn and Jeff in the future.
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Bob R.
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