Has anyone built a steel Scottish pistol?

[Justin Urbantas]

I've always been interested in the Scottish pistols made of all steel/iron with the ramshorn butt. I imagine the majority of it was cast in one piece, then bored and fitted? Do you guys have info on how they were made, or why? Seems like a project that Dave Rase would tackle.

[Rolf]

Runastav has made one a couple og years ago. He posted the build. The pictures are probaly eaten by photobucket.

Best regards
Rolf

[smart dog]

Hi,
They were not cast but forged and brazed from iron.  Get Martin Kelvin's book on Scottish pistols.

dave

[J. Talbert]

Houston Harrison built a pair years ago that were displayed at Gunmakers Hall at Friendship.
Unfortunately he is now deceased and I have no idea what may have happened to the pistols.
I just remember that they were made with components similar to a conventional pistol but instead of a wooden stock they had a “Metal Stock”

Jeff

[Dennis Glazener]

Runastav has made one a couple og years ago. He posted the build. The pictures are probaly eaten by photobucket.

Best regards
Rolf

Rolf I found Runar's topic, no Photoshop had not eaten them but I had to fix a PILE of photos to make them display after changing our site security. I think I got them all fixed but if you see one I missed let me know.

Here is the URL  https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=16486.0
Dennis

[Dave B]

I too have enjoyed the Scottish pistols being half Scottish on me mums side. I was lucky in finding a kit for one made under the title "Coach Harness" from Haugley, Stowmarket  Suffolk  England. the cock reminds me of a Rifle shoppe casting. They may have more bits for this same pistol. The Sheet metal is pounded out and welded together not investment cast. Here are the pictures. I met a guy at a gun show selling several guns one was a finished Scottish pistol in a blue velvet bag with a gold braded draw string.  He wanted $700.00 for the finished Scottish pistol and that was too much for my pocket book at the time. Then he talked about having a Kit of the very same pistol at home he would part with. I could  afford the Kit. The lock has the traditional horizontal Sear. the cast barrel has been proofed and bears the touch mark of the proofing house. It is .54 cal and 7 3/4" long.  They stamped the weight of the ball at 210 gr and the charge of "one dram of black powder" on the bottom of the barrel. Not sure how to fix the sideways pics. Maybe one of our gifted moderators can straighten them out for us.

[Justin Urbantas]

Wow! That looks like a really nice kit. I wish I could come across something like that.  Rifle Shoppe lists a kit, but it is a cast frame, and I know their quality is variable.

[Gunnermike]

Justin, I found a site that shows photos of the Harness Coach Scottish Pistol or of the The Rifle Shoppe pistol.  The guy that posted the finished pistol is an engraver - looks great!   Here's his site - http://www.bolis.com/gallery/wsm/album04
It appears to have been built around 2003-4.  Here's his work -





There are 7 more photos on his site.
I just looked at the TRS site and it looks like they have copied the Coach Harness kit.
Mike

[smart dog]

Hi,
I have a set of TRS cast parts for a Scottish pistol.  They are good quality, however the barrel has issues.  It is rifled, which these pistols were not, and the fluting at the breech looks like somebody did it with a Dremel.  It needs a lot of cleaning up.  The cast trigger is not correct.  The ball at the end was usually a separate hollow piece made of silver in 2 hemispheres that were riveted to the trigger stem.  Another common feature is silver wire inlaid in the steel stock usually in some woven Celtic design.  Evidence indicates the stocks were charcoal or fire blued and the silver would contrast beautifully. 

dave