AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Contemporary Longrifle Collecting => Topic started by: Humpy on October 06, 2023, 03:53:31 AM

Title: Help please? Unknown J. Golcher percussion lock pistol
Post by: Humpy on October 06, 2023, 03:53:31 AM

Hello all, I am new to this site, so if this is not appropriate please let me know, I have recently got into Flintlock and percussion firearms, I am pretty much clueless about them, after collecting other firearms for over 50 years.
I found this interesting pistol recently, if anyone can share any knowledge about it, I would appreciate it, it looks handmade.
Approximately 68 to 69 caliber smoothbore, 12” barrel,overall 17 1/2 “
 J. Golcher percussion lock.

(https://i.ibb.co/3zfnX9S/IMG-4412.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VmHsycM)

(https://i.ibb.co/0c05qxZ/IMG-4413.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mGnpJ3t)

(https://i.ibb.co/nQhFQzR/IMG-4410.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ssLZsyt)
 Thank you.

Title: Re: Help please? Unknown J. Golcher percussion lock pistol
Post by: Bob Roller on October 06, 2023, 04:52:42 PM

I doubt if it's a recent build and that lock is called a "bar in wood" and commonly seen on the left side of a double barreled shotgun
or rifle.Have you removed the barrel to see if there are any names or numbers?This is NOT a junk gun.Using a rod,check to see if it's
loaded.NEVER assume a muzzle loading gun is empty just because it may be old.I am now 87 and remember idiots telling me to cut open
a shotgun shell to get the powder but even then I knew it was a bad idea.Welcome to this forum and what one of us does not know there
will be others who do and are willing to share whatever information is needed.
Bob Roller

Title: Re: Help please? Unknown J. Golcher percussion lock pistol
Post by: Humpy on October 06, 2023, 08:36:00 PM

Thank you Bob, yes I checked it with the rod supplied with the pistol, but to be on the safe side I took it outside and set off a percussion cap on it just to make sure it wasn’t loaded.
The person who sold it to me, thought it was a junk pistol, but I wasn’t sure being new to the genre, the more I looked it over the more convinced I was that it was a nice pistol that someone put together in the past, when that past was I don’t know, but it does not look recent.
Thank you for the information, the left side shotgun or rifle percussion lock makes a lot of sense.
I have not taken it apart yet, when I get some time though I will look.