Dragoon My Arse

Who doesn't have one, or a few, of those assorted flintlock "Tower" pistols from back-in-the-day? Some were always wall-hangers and some may work modestly but not even my best out-of-the-box FIE Jap is a faithful reproduction, of best-quailty materials, excellent production, nor first-class assembly as any semi-custom might be.

So, it was time to get an early Brit Heavy Dragoon...











The Rifle Shoppe feels this is one of the most graceful of the large English Military pistols and that's where the parts came from about a decade and a half ago (which, coincidently, is about how long it may take to get all the parts from them for a build if you buy the lock assembled as invaluable insurance that all the parts are truly there and roughly fit together first). The parts here are, indeed, reproduced to original specs (lock plate measures 5 1/2" x 1" and the throw of the cock is 1 5/8") including the stock which has the tang and lock panel moulding in proper place.

This British heavy dragoon flintlock pistol model is of the 1720's through 1760 pattern. This would have been prevalent during at least King George's (II) War (started 1740), the F&I, the Rev War, and everything in between.

The lock parts are cast 4440 steel while the springs and frizzen are 6150. It has a 12" tapered steel smoothbore barrel in .62. From tip of barrel to middle of butt is 19" -- a full size holster pistol! With a strong main spring it sparks as well as anyone could ever hope. The stock is American Walnut with some nice figure some of which comes across in the photos...

Looks pretty good to me. I wouldn't want to make
it from scratch...
Wulf

Here's a Jap FIE ubiquitous and arguably later "Tower" pistol...

I like it :thumbsup:

And here's CVA's kit for another. Ah, the good ol' Bicentennial days! LOL Oh, and I love the way they rest the finished gun down on the sandpaper...

Here are a pair of TRS Dragoons I built a while back. Fun to shoot in pairs !
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/259522/

A brace of beautiful pistols has been PROVEN to be exponentially four times as nice as one -- all the enjoyment is squared, not doubled. And yours are even nicer than that!

The photos themselves are great as well.

I have one of those, paid $35 for it. Replaced the frizzen and frizzen spring, keep the loads light and it shoots well. Has killed a coon or 2 and makes big holes in 'possums. All and all I bets its qulity aint far removed from the king dragoons or boarding parties.

Very nice gun. Did you build it from parts from The Rifle Shoppe or did they build it? Either way, it is a very nice gun. Oh BTW have you ever tried putting grits on top of your powder charge? Uncooked, of course. :haha: :haha:

Alden: That is a really nice looking Dragoon. About perfect. Always been one of my favorites. Agreed, it is really a good looking well balanced pistol. Probably why it had such a long life span. I like the markings on the lock too. Great looking pistol. Congrats. Rick. :hatsoff:

Tenngun: I think that's what I paid for mine too. :haha: Back maybe the late 60's or early 70's. Bought it from Dixie along with the optional frizzen hardening and frizzen spring reduction. I would shoot it with blank loads in the back yard. Traded it to a guy at Friendship for a knife. :haha: Had lots of years fun with it. Rick. :hatsoff:

As long as we're showing Dragoons here is mine:
It started life as an Indian made replica. Had to have Earl Kathan re-work the tumbler, harden the frizzen - generally some serious lock work. Then it went to Mike Brooks for stock reduction and antique finish. Looks and works much better now. But I still like Alden's better. :haha: Rick. :hatsoff:

Dave: Those look wonderful!! Those would look great in a shoulder bucket like this. (Without the Turkish decoration of course) :haha:
Those are a beautiful pair. Rick. :hatsoff:

Another British Dragoon. Here's the predecessor to the Heavy Dragoon above. This is the earlier Queen Ann period pistol. Thought I'd post this as a comparison. Don't seem to be many of these around. Notice the three screw lock. Rick. :hatsoff:

Nice. Lovin' the stepped-down barrel, and who needs a backplate (even a rounded one) with three screws!