Grandfathers Grandfather's Flintlock?!

[Cacique500]

I just received this - supposedly it's been in the family for YEARS.

Does anybody have the slightest clue where I can get more information on it?

It appears to be a 17" long flintlock pistol and approximately 50 caliber. The inlays are all silver with a small gold inlay on the top of the barrel. The tip of the ramrod is ivory.

Several markings appear to be in Arabic, especially down both sides of the barrel (not pictured because it's very hard to see but it's definitely Arabic writing).

Any help would be greatly appreciated & thanks in advance!

 

[Stand_Watie]

Stuff a couple ounces of smokeless powder down there and touch her off

 

[redbone]

I suggest you contact the Frazier Historical Arms Museum in Louisville, KY.

Very nice, and way too cool!

RBH

 

[Cacique500]

Thank you Redbone - I'll give them a call next week and see if they have any ideas!

 

[Harry Tuttle]

It looks Moorish

 

[4v50 Gary]

The lock appears English, though it is not of the 1820s-30s. I would say it's earlier and perhaps 1785-1810. There's no roller frizzen on it for one thing and it does have Joseph Manton's "waterproof" pan. I suspect that the lock was an export lock. The engraving on the cock is not that of a highly skilled artisan and is not something that would be sold to an English gentleman. However, the engraving on the swan neck cock is good enough for export (and it doesn't detract from this pistol's history at all).

Look at the inlays. Initially I thought it was American with that semi-bleeding heart but the barrel bands are unlike anything I've seen on American pistols. An American pistol would be closer along the lines of a French gun. Furthermore, the trigger guard gives a good clue to its origin: Arabic. Final clue is the inlay in the wood (pic #4). Also Arabic.

Did you have a relative who served in the USMC or USN during our war with the Barbary Pirates? Perhaps this gun is "loot" captured from them?

I think the US Forest Service or USDA will analyze a wood sliver (procured from an unseen part of the gun - preferably one that is falling out anyway) for its origin. It's rare that wood was exported overseas from Europe for American manufacture.

 

[4v50 Gary]

BTW, suggest that you show it to the folks at Colonial Williamsburg first. They surpass me in knowledge of old timey guns (and two of the Master Gunsmiths were my teachers). Dixon Gunbuilders' Faire in Pennsylvania will have a collection of luminaries of the blackpowder crowd. So will the Kentucky Long Rifle Owners' Association (too rich for my thin blood). All of them are closer than the Frazier (not knocking the Frazier, just that everyone else I mentioned are closer to Virginia).

 

[Dbl0Kevin]

I gotta say I'm not into old guns too much, but that thing is COOL!

 

[JamisJockey]

Very cool!
I'd find out if its loaded, too. Not sure how to clear a gun like that without discharing it, but it wouldn't be the first one that was loaded and left that way for many, many years.

 

[redbone]

To check if its still charged: Place the ramrod in the barrel and compare the length that it goes in to the position of the flashhole on the barrel. If a charge is in place, the ramrod will not go in as far as the flashhole.

If loaded, use a worm to pull the ball. Some suggest soaking the charge first by submerging the flashhole in water.

RBH

 

[Cacique500]

Thanks for the replies guys!

The pistol is not loaded...shined a Surefire down the barrel and looked with a dental mirror and nothing in it.

Great suggestion on Williamsburg...I'm only about 40 minutes west. Any idea who I'd contact specifically?

 

[c_yeager]

Let us know what you find out. A family heirloom that old and neat looking is a pretty cool thing to have, congrats.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Check your PM for contact info.

 

[theCZ]

That's one cool pistola you have there!

 

[HEiST]

That is sweeeeet!

 

[Trebor]

My first reaction is that it looks like it was made for the tourist trade. I believe they did that in the 19th Century as well.

Granted, I'm not on expert on Flintlocks, but that's what my gut says.

 

[tc300mag1]

Sweet looking piece be a good wall hanger..

 

[Cacique500]

I left a message for Gary in Colonial Williamsburg and hopefully he'll get back to me in a few days so we can have him take a look at it.

Trebor - it very well could be a 'tourist' model, but I think it's unusual that it has the gold inlay on the top...I wouldn't think they'd put that on a tourist model (but maybe they did?!)

I'll keep you guys posted as I learn more.

Unfortunately, this pistol just sucked me into the world of flintlocks and now I've now got a new 1805 Harpers Ferry model on order

 

[Lonestar.45]

I'd suggest you hit this forum and ask the guys over there:

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php

There are guys over there that have forgotten more about muzzleloaders than I'll ever learn. Nice gun, btw!

 

[crewsr]

I'm no expert but the first thing I thought of when I saw the three arrows...was that it looks like the logo for beretta.

 

[Strings]

well... they HAVE been around since the 1500's...

 

[MrMurphy]

Good point. Beretta started out making cannons.

 

[Tinker]

The 3 arrows got me to thinking about Beretta too. They have certainly been around long enough to have made it. They have a website. Maybe you could send a pic to them to see if they did make it.

Also, that has got to be one of the coolest looking flint pistols I've ever seen.