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My French Dueling Pistol!

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AAOG

36 Cl.
Joined
Oct 25, 2018
Messages
53
Reaction score
76
Location
Argentina
Double trigger
Walnut polished stock
Caliber .45 rifled
Polished Brass
Hand made!!
I love it!!!
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French dueling pistols were generally more accurate than English, as the French had rifled bores and the English were plain (because of the solemnity of the occasion) and were smoothbore. There was an English "satisfaction" if both guns missed, an act of God, whereas the French wanted blood.

That's a beautiful pistol. Handsome work.
 
French dueling pistols were generally more accurate than English, as the French had rifled bores and the English were plain (because of the solemnity of the occasion) and were smoothbore. There was an English "satisfaction" if both guns missed, an act of God, whereas the French wanted blood.

That's a beautiful pistol. Handsome work.

Having rifling in a duelling pistol was, according to the English Rules, cheating by having an extraordinarily accurate pistol that would almost certain hit the mark. However, some English duelling pistols had what was termed 'scratch' rifling at the breech end that was not visible to a casual glance. I think that the OP's pistol is a target pistol raher than a dueller. Not seen many duelling pistols with what appears to be a set trigger.
 
I think we all know that a smooth bore pistol can be more than accurate enough at dueling range. I think a shakey hand would be the bigger issue. I'm thinking that no one ever missed with a smooth bore that had steady hand, and was looking down the barrel, and was "shooting small". However, what a fine pistola. Me like. I'd have a holster made, and take that sucker hunting with me, and put some grouse, or wabbit in the pot. Then I'd sit under a tree, watch a game-trail, take her out of the holster and straight out admire the thing. But that's just me.
 
I would have to look up the two involved but I recall reading of two Americans in a dual. The pistols had set triggers and one of the parties objected since he never shot set triggers and he had on a deer skin glove that he said would spoil his touch. Later he shot off early and yell he protested the hair trigger.
He was allowed a reload, but shot to miss, he had told his seconds he had no intention of killing his opponent. His opponent had also shot for a miss, fufilling honor with out spilling blood.
Do you all have a native walnut, or do you have to import your wood... is it in fact walnut or do you have a similar looking local wood?
 
I would have to look up the two involved but I recall reading of two Americans in a dual. The pistols had set triggers and one of the parties objected since he never shot set triggers and he had on a deer skin glove that he said would spoil his touch. Later he shot off early and yell he protested the hair trigger.
He was allowed a reload, but shot to miss, he had told his seconds he had no intention of killing his opponent. His opponent had also shot for a miss, fufilling honor with out spilling blood.
Do you all have a native walnut, or do you have to import your wood... is it in fact walnut or do you have a similar looking local wood?
Are you thinking of the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr?

If memory serves me correctly, Hamilton knew that the the pistols were rigged. Pressing on the back of the trigger would "set" it so that it took less pressure to fire the pistol.

He supposedly didn't intend to use the set trigger feature. Nevertheless, his shot went high and to the right of Burr. On his deathbed, Hamilton claimed that his intention was to miss Burr.

Anyway, Burr, took the shot that Hamilton made as intentional and made his shot connect with Hamilton.

If I'm wrong on any of that, please let me know.
 
I've always been fascinated with cased dueling pistols. I see that companies like Pedersoli are making the pistols. Sometimes they are offered in a case.

What I'd be interested in are the cased sets with two pistols. Keep in mind, I'm talking reproductions. I couldn't afford the originals.

Heck, I don't even think I could afford the reproductions.
 
In Germany, Hege make a cased pair, one of which is smooth and the other rifled, NOT for duelling, but for the competitions where each pistol has its use. If you watch capandball on Youtube - Dr Balász Németh - you'll see him shooting the Pedersoli offerings - VERY well. He is the Hungarian national BP single-shot pistol champion, BTW.
 
Yes, it was the Hamilton/Burr duel that Tenn is recalling.
Beautiful pistol. Drool worthy. That little sett trigger is interesting. As is the finial on the bottom of the butt. Any practical reason for it?
The cased brace is beautiful also. Love that flask. In the early years of CVA they sold a cased set of pistols. I've never been a CVA fan but do believe one of those sets would be collector worthy these days.
FWIW, if I lived in the days of dueling I would not be so 'honorable' as to deliberately miss. I would consider that my opponent is trying to kill me so I would do my best to kill him first.
 
I'd prefer boxing gloves, but I suppose the pistols made both men equal....to a greater extent. I'm still thinking that it's the steady had that wins, in which case the man with the shakey hand would be less equal.
 
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