Hi All,
An ancestor of my fought for George Roger's Clark's Illinois Regiment of the Virginia Militia. In researching papers on the unit, I found out that they received pistols in 1781 that were issued to the unit prior to their raid on the Shawnee. My research indicates that these pistols were most likely French Model 1763 pistols.
I have since been looking for a genuine antique Model 1763 pistol to add to my collection. I thought I found the perfect one. The pistol had an initial engraved on it as would be typical of an American owned pistol and everything ask explained by the antique dealer was in keeping with what I would expect for a correct pistol of the period.
As soon as I received the pistol I had an expert review it, and he told me that the pistol looked correct -- expect for the forestock being shortened and the brass band around the barrel being a modification.
Do you think this type of modification something that would have been typical of what a soldier in the Revolutionary War would have done to keep a pistol in service, or do you think this is likely just some modification made long after the war and I should try to return the pistol and search for a pistol that is authentic to what a Revolutionary War solider would have carried?
The first 4 images show the pistol I purchased. The last photo shows the Model 1763 as it should look in its original form
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screen shot in windows [/img]
An ancestor of my fought for George Roger's Clark's Illinois Regiment of the Virginia Militia. In researching papers on the unit, I found out that they received pistols in 1781 that were issued to the unit prior to their raid on the Shawnee. My research indicates that these pistols were most likely French Model 1763 pistols.
I have since been looking for a genuine antique Model 1763 pistol to add to my collection. I thought I found the perfect one. The pistol had an initial engraved on it as would be typical of an American owned pistol and everything ask explained by the antique dealer was in keeping with what I would expect for a correct pistol of the period.
As soon as I received the pistol I had an expert review it, and he told me that the pistol looked correct -- expect for the forestock being shortened and the brass band around the barrel being a modification.
Do you think this type of modification something that would have been typical of what a soldier in the Revolutionary War would have done to keep a pistol in service, or do you think this is likely just some modification made long after the war and I should try to return the pistol and search for a pistol that is authentic to what a Revolutionary War solider would have carried?
The first 4 images show the pistol I purchased. The last photo shows the Model 1763 as it should look in its original form
screen shot in windows [/img]