Should technology not take a lot longer to research?

[Pinxit]

I just ended a game as Prussia in 1730 because i had rifling and great estates and i didn't see any point in playing anymore... and i only used 1 school up until 1710.

It's all fine and dandy saying simply don't research them, but researching is half the fun, and when my soldiers are using plug bayonet and i come across single state German nations using ring or socket, i have to research them to keep up... that's historically accurate, that's the way the world works, so if anything holding back on the research is even worse than going full steam and getting everything by 1730, at least for someone like me who likes to play as accurately as is possible.

Also... were plug bayonets not already invented at least half a century before this game starts?

I am playing as Sweden and my research equals zero. Seriously, it takes me 10-15 turns per tech. I have built more schools etc, but its still a very, very slow progress. This might be because me investing almost all money into warfare (Sweden starts of with a lot of enemies, and playing on VH). But still, my country is backwards as hell.

I have just defeated Russia and forced them out of the war, gaining one of their regions and peace. Also, I have forced Denmark to retreat to Iceland, so I control the Scandinavian peninsula. Courland is destroyed by me, also. Now, having forced all my enemies out of what seems to have been Empires version of The Great Northern War, I am currently at war with my last foe. The prussians. Their technology and prestige is seven times my own. Still winning, ofcourse, due to my superior brain ;)