Percussion pistol

[per-anders]

Hi!
I'm trying to identify my percussion pistol!
Total lenght 18", barrel 12", cal approx.35
No markings/stamps detected

Please follow link for pic, I didnt succeed to get the picture in the thread

pistol

 

[cynthialee]

No idea but the double set trigger leads me to believe it is a target shooting gun. I don't know that they were bored enough like we are to go out on a hunt with a pistol on purpose.

 

[Zonie]

I agree. It appears to be a target pistol due to the double set triggers and the long barrel.

Without a manufacturers name stamp on the gun , it is impossible to say much about it beyond it was probably made around 1840-1860.

Steel framed, percussion, pistols like this were quite popular during that time period.

If it had manufacturer markings like Eathan Allen, Allen & Thurber, Blunt & Syms. W.W. Marston or others, it would be more valuable.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Has a lot of similarity to the Allen & Thurber target pistols...they came with barrels in the 10 to 12 inch range. Obviously it's not or it'd be so marked. Many makers copied the general design and a section of unknown copies appear in Flayderman's book, though many of these were under-hammer designs rather than side locks. Allen & Thurber's guns were often fitted with detachable shoulder stocks and boxed with accessories. What I'm trying to say is that unless you can find some sort of markings on it, identifying it may be a lifetime's chore! Good luck. It is an interesting piece!

 

[DickS]

I suspect that it is gunsmith made, rather than a production item.

 

[per-anders]

Thanks to all replies, i will look up the diffrent makers mentioned in the thread!

 

[Wes/Tex]

I suspect that it is gunsmith made, rather than a production item.

That's entirely possible. It's not a duplicate of any one I've found though it's 'similar' to several. If gunsmith made, as we both suspect, it was a gunsmith of some talent.

 

[nit wit]

It looks to me like it might have Belgium roots.
NW

 

[Zonie]

It could have Belgian roots but it the gun was made in Belgium it would have Belgian proof marks on the barrel.

Similarly, if the gun was made in England, France or Germany, it would have proof marks on the barrel.

Without proof marks of any kind I believe it was made in America where proof marks are not required by law.

 

[crockett]

What makes you think it is an original? What about the rifling?

 

[nhmoose]

PLEASE define original????

 

[TFoley]

In that case it would be a great story to discover how it ended up in Sweden.

In any event, there was no unified German proof before 1891, when the national proof laws came into being. Prior to that date, each component state military arsenal had its own proof house, but even Prussia, the first state to have such a proof house, only dates back to April 30th, 1867.

Surely this piece, if genuine, would predate that?

tac

 

[TFoley]

Original - Made within the same time-frame as others of the same general type and style, when they were all contemporary with each other.

tac

 

[per-anders]

It is not that hard to explain how the gun ended up in sweden! It was bought by a previous owner from an "importer" of old guns. In Sweden "muzzleloaded" guns made pre 1890 is free to own without a permit.
Unfortunatly without its history. I will try to pump previous owner of info, maybe he knows from which country it came from!

 

[per-anders]

France or Belgium, was the previuos owners guess! So it was probably not imported from the US.

The search goes on...

By the way, it is 8 groves in the barrel

 

[nhmoose]

Thank you good definition. :hatsoff:

 

[Pete44ru]

PLEASE define original????

An "original" firearm is one that is the first of it's type ever made, whenever that may have been.


For instance, Sam Hawken designed the original Hawken rifle in IIRC the early 1800's, and every other "Hawken" made since then is a copy/clone or an imitation - no matter how original looking (or not) they are.

 

[Zonie]

While Pete44ru's definition of "original" is correct, when I use the term here on the forum, I am speaking of a gun that was made back in the time frame that the guns were originally produced.
For instance, Colt originally produced the Colt 1849 Pocket Revolver during the years 1850 thru 1873.
I would term a Colt 1849 Pocket Revolver which was made by Colt during any of these years as an "original".

Likewise, a Colt 1851 Navy made by Colt between the years 1850 thru 1873, a Remington New Model Army Revolver made by Remington between the years 1863 thru 1875 or a Colt Model 1860 Army Revolver made by Colt between 1860 and 1873 would be, by my definition, "original".
I do not consider the pistols which replicate these pistols, made in Italy, Spain or by Colt (the 2nd Generation and Signature series) to be "original" even though they may be physically exactly the same or even made by the same company at a later date.

 

[arilar]

Well Tac...collecting old weapons has been of great interest in Sweden since Carl Gustaf Wrangel put together his big collection at Skokloster Castle in late 17th Century. You might find almost any kind of antique weapons in private hands among collectors in Sweden. Often bigger collections than you might expect....😉