.75 caliber trade pistol

[McLeanWelsh]

Morning everyone, So at the gun show in Longueuil a while back I picked this piece up. It was just what I was looking for to complete my fur trader outfit.

Its quite interesting. There is a an 1812 half penny pinned into one side of the stock and what looks to be a very old repair where the grip was broken clean off. I like to imagine he fired his shot missed and had to defend himself with this massive pistol, So he smashed it into some poor thing and it broke.

Its in overall very solid shape with very firm two clicks and solid lock up no play anywhere. I haven't fired it yet as I am just waiting to get some balls made up and a new large flint.

Now the information I have been able to source on this so far is that it was made from a brown bess barrel and lock. you almost cant cock it with one hand. It has one good British proof mark on top of the barrel and what looks to be one other but it is far to worn down to see. Also there is "SG:" stamped onto the left side of the barrel. Perhaps a makers mark ? The only other markings I found is on the lock plate it looks like the top left side of a crown can just be seen.

Just thought I would share it and hear your thoughts on it and any info someone might have, as my research on the net has yielded nil in terms of results.

Cheers, McLean

[smart dog]

Hi McLean,
My guess, and it is only a guess, is that it is some sort of restocking for private use of old parts from a British light dragoon pistol from the late 18th century.  I cannot tell if the proof mark is a Birminham proof or private Tower mark.  Someone else might be able to make that distinction.  The SG stamp might be Samuel Galton of Birmingham but again, I am guessing.

dave

[Mike Brooks]

Lock looks dutch to me, the rest of the gun is british.

[JCKelly]

Birmingham-ish proof on barrel. Which might mean it was made there. Also can mean it was a gun from one of the assorted contracts the Brits had with Continental makers, the so-called "Belgian" contracts. These imported guns were proved (and occasionally re-proved) in Birmingham. I have one such "Belgian" musket, actually I think it was made in Denmark, with both original Dane proof well worn off + Birmingham proof & view marks.

With respect to that cut-down Brown Bess story, consider measuring the barrel diameter about at the touchhole. Muskets were much larger here than were pistols of similar caliber. I have an .80 cal plain flint pistol, possibly early British sea service, single bridle lock. The barrel measures 1.195" across at this point, same as my .65 cal light Dragoon . My India pattern Brown Bess musket is 1.334. Both measured about 3/8" ahead of breech, with Vernier calipers.

Minor point, might be nice to see the front end of that trigger guard finial, also fairly close view of the thimbles. Don't claim to be expert here, but it seems to me that pistols for the sea service tended to be simpler than for land service, maybe not so picky about precise patterns. Your sideplate is British.

[smart dog]

Hi JC and Mike,
Doesn't that triggerguard remind you of the type on British military guns during the very late flint era or percussion era?  The bow has filleted joints with no internal curl.  That said, Blackmore's book "British Military Firearms"  does show a modified model 1796 light dragoon pistol with a similar guard.

dave

[vtbuck223]

I agree that the lock and sideplate look like they may be from a light dragoon and the 1812 Canadian penny suggests that it is a North American restock using surplus parts.

[JV Puleo]

There is something fishy about that proof mark. It looks as if its a crown over crossed scepters... which isn't a B'ham mark at all... its Ordnance Private Proof. However, if that is what it is, it should be struck twice. If it was actually an Ordnance barrel it would have on crossed scepters mark and another with the royal cypher... crown over GR. As Mike has noted, the lock isn't English at all. I'd say its made up of miscellaneous parts but exactly where they come from is a mystery.