OVERVIEW - MILITARY PISTOLS 1600 - 1800 Copyright R.H. McCrory 1995 We discuss here the subject of this program. Part One deals with the overall material in a general manner. Part Two discusses each pistol specifically. PART ONE - GENERAL INFORMATION PISTOLS 1600 TO 1800 Our purpose here is to briefly discuss and illustrate the development of English pistols, mostly military types, beginning with the earliest identifiable specimens, through the period of the American Revolution. We show specimens representing types of which enough examples exist to substantiate the probability of their being typical of their periods. Where no English specimens exist, and in one instance for comparison with continental competition, we include a contemporary continental piece. While the earliest mechanical ignition may or may not have been the wheel lock, the earliest dated and confirmed specimens are wheel locks. These are thought by some to be the outgrowth of clock making technology in Germany. Logic can make a good case that since people had been making fire by striking flint and steel for centuries, it would follow that a mechanical striking or snapping action should have been the first mechanical ignition type. It may well have been, considering the early existence of miquelet (or similar) types and the Scandinavian snap lock. We subscribe, however, to the generally accepted chronological order of development that, after the glowing match, the first form of mechanical ignition was the rotating wheel lock which appeared in the early 1500s. For those new to this subject, the wheel lock operates on much the same principle as today's cigarette lighter which has a rough, hard steel wheel rotating against a flint (actually a piece of iron pyrite) . The wheel lock was followed by the snapping or striking types such as the snaphaunce which appeared about the same time or shortly thereafter. Next, around 1630 came the flintlock. As for terminology, we use Hammer or Cock to mean the member in which the flint is clamped and is driven by a spring to strike the Steel or Frizzen. The striking and scraping effect produces sparks which are directed into a small amount of gunpowder contained in what we call the Pan. The pan is located adjacent to the barrel which is loaded with its charge of powder and ball. A small hole permits the ignited powder in the pan to ignite the charge in the barrel and fire the piece. The function of the pan is the same with the match lock and wheel lock types. Snaphaunce is used to mean a lock with a frizzen which does not serve the additional purpose as pan cover. A flintlock does have a combination frizzen-pan cover. A pan cover is a necessity to keep the priming powder from falling out or being blown away when the arm is not ready to be fired. All types have a pan cover of some description. The match, wheel and snaphaunce locks have pan covers that slide or hinge into and out of position. The dog lock type has an external hook or latch as a safety device used on some locks to physically hold the cock near the half-cock position. A variety of dog lock types exist. The evidence of the use of the wheellock in England in the 1500s and early 1600s consists mainly of richly decorated pieces owned by aristocratic figures of the period. There is every reason to believe that in this period in England the wheellock was not considered a military weapon for use by the rank and file inasmuch as there are no surviving military specimens. There are several examples of snaphaunce types that are reasonably well authenticated as being English and dating around 1600. Some people make a case that the snaphaunce was an English development. We believe the typical English pistol of the 1600-1630 period was the snaphaunce which was superseded by the primitive flintlock by about 1650. Evidence of this comes from two variations which have survived in fair numbers. Although basically the same in design and construction, one has a 'dog' latch safety with a straight lock plate. The other has a bulge on the lower edge of the lock plate similar to a wheel lock and omits the dog latch. By about 1650 an advanced form of English flint lock appeared with a simplified and cleaner exterior treatment, usually incorporating the dog latch. This advanced English lock is shown in our illustrations as the Dog Lock, which although advanced in English terms, was soon replaced by the even more advanced French flint lock that had been around for at least a decade. Very few surviving examples of wheellocks can be credibly considered to having been used in England in the 1630-1650 period. Although some few pieces have been so authenticated and are generally similar in stock design to contemporary English flint lock types, evidence is lacking as to their actual origin. The possibility exists of locks having been imported which were stocked with English barrels. The locks are practically identical to continental locks of the same period. The true flint lock with characteristics that remained essentially unchanged for two centuries is considered to have been conceived in France about 1630. It was the prototype adopted by the rest of Europe, and later, England. They were being made in England by about 1660 after which time the English lock was obsolete. It is worthy of note that the dog latch safety device is seen on flint locks in England after 1700, particularly on shoulder arms. Indeed, the dog latch survived in Scandinavia into the percussion era, post 1820. The identification of a piece as being "military", prior to about 1685 depends on it being simple, undecorated and of a size to be considered a horse pistol. These pistols had barrels of 14 to 16" and bores of around .55 to .60 caliber, whether the pistol was of wheel or striking ignition. In the early use of pistols, cavalrymen carried two holstered pistols on their saddles and used them by riding up to within pistol range of opposition groups, firing their two shots and then retreating to reload. To fairly establish a piece as actually having been used by, or at least issued to, the military takes authentic documentation of the individual piece. Specimens of the 1600-1650 period are so rare, however, that documentation or no, they are highly desirable as collection pieces.. After about 1685, English military pieces have a crowned JR, WR, AR or GR on the lock plate. These signify British monarchs James, William, Anne and George. Pieces are occasionally seen that are missing the royal cipher but that otherwise are near identical to known authentic pieces. These can be fairly considered to be military, owing to the practice at the time of arming some troops from private sources, aside from a possible maker's error in failing to mark the piece. In the earlier period covered here, 1600-1650, almost all the English military pieces are incredibly crude in workmanship and finish. Pieces of the same type may bear only superficial resemblance to one another although apparently intended to be made to approximately the same pattern. Later in the century finely crafted and silver mounted pieces are being made in England for officers and gentlemen of means. These contrast sharply with the simple and comparatively crude military pistol in both cosmetic appearance and essential workmanship. The development of the military pistol in the early decades of the 1700s continued in several intermediate steps until it had taken on the form we see in the 1730s piece. By about 1730 it evolved to a high standard of basic quality and, as military pieces go, decoration as well. Furnished with attractive molded brass fittings, it was very sturdily constructed and was probably more reliable under field conditions than the contemporary officer's pistol. An effective system of quality control in manufacture had been achieved by developing the prototype and having a number of pieces as nearly identical as possible made in government shops. These became pattern pieces, one of which was furnished each contractor to be copied by the score or by the hundreds. Each pistol felt much the same as another in the hand and, at arms length, looked the same. While interchangeability of parts was more than a century away, quality was indeed good considering the technology of the time in what was as near as they got to mass production. The Sea Service or naval pistol was never as ornate as that used by land forces. This was due to economy and the navy's view of the minor importance of the pistol's role in armament. It was of severely plain utilitarian design with plain flat side plate, no lower ram rod pipe and without the spurred butt cap. A belt hook was attached opposite the lock. The lock had a flat lock plate and hammer or cock. Some early specimens are seen with the molded trigger guard finial like the Dragoon pistol. This too is simplified in later pieces. Although the twelve inch barrel Dragoon continued to be made up into the 1760s, (and the 12 inch Sea Service pistol into the 1800s) the 1760s see another period of modification and change. A few ten inch barrel pieces exist of much the same design and quality but somewhat lighter in construction than the early twelve inch piece. The transition goes to a piece with a nine inch barrel, which with a number of variations continues to be the standard until the percussion period. Simplification sets in to produce a starkly functional piece. The convex lock plate and hammer become flat after a few years. Likewise the molded side plate is flat and the lower ram rod pipe disappears in favor of just a hole for the ram rod tunnel entrance. Early in the twelve inch barrel period, certain technical improvements appeared such as the reinforcing bridle from pan to frizzen and an interior bridle supporting the tumbler and sear. These continued into the nine inch period except for some rather late Sea Service pistols which omit the pan bridle. The nine inch Dragoon was almost as simple as the Sea Service but with a generally higher standard of quality. Pistols are found that closely resemble the military pieces but without military markings. Some combine both land and sea characteristics and, in workmanship, may run from fair to excellent. It is possible to date them within a span of about twenty years by the maker's name and comparison with military types of known date. Details such as shape of lock plate, whether flat or convex, shape and type of cock and other details that varied as arms evolved. It is more difficult to assess the role of such pieces. Some such early pieces could be military from the time when regimental commanders were permitted to arms their units from private sources. Many other groups were armed outside the English military structure, such as merchant ships, exploratory expeditions, trading companies and private estates. The Turn Off pistol, often called the Queen Anne type, is an almost exclusively English type. It was an arm for gentlemen of wealth and never a military piece. Turn off means that the barrel is in two pieces threaded together at the powder chamber and is turned off or unscrewed to load. A few pistols of that functional description had been around for about half a century. Early in the 1700s, however, in the reign of Queen Anne, it was developed into a type of its own. We wrote this almost as though the French, Italians and Spanish did not exist. They were active in a big way. We mentioned the French origin of the flint lock. The French developed a wheel lock much different from the Germanic type. It had a small lock plate with the main spring extending back into the wood of the grip, anchored by a pin. The crank shaft extended through the stock and used the side plate as a bearing. In Italy the wheel lock was very much same as the Germanic type. They also made flint locks and miquelet types. They developed their own version of the snaphaunce, not a lot different from the English type in concept but carried much further in refinement and used into the 1800s. The Spanish Miquelet lock originated possibly in the 1500s and continued in development and use into the percussion period. Further exploration of these types will have to wait for another time. SPECIAL INFORMATION ON THE EARLY PIECES 1600 - 1650 One purpose of these drawings is to illustrate typical pieces for study by those seeking to restore pieces or construct reproductions, particularly the early pieces up to about 1650. The information sheet gives dimensional and configuration details to support this purpose. With the many variations and exceptions that exist in this broad subject, brevity mandates many generalizations. For those who wish to explore the subject in more detail, sources for further study are listed below. Why were the early pistols made with grips that seem so thin and so straight? Could it be an attempt to make them like a more familiar weapon, the sword? As plain and simple as it was, the mid-seventeenth century military pistol has a certain style. Its lines seem to flow and it feels good in the hand, almost too slim, in that all unnecessary wood was carved away. Although large in dimensions, they are surprisingly light. The average weight of several typical pistols was 37 ounces. Military pistols of 1640-50 in general, both English and Continental, were simple and similar except for their locks. The complexity of the wheel lock required that it be finely crafted in order to function, but the rest of the pistol was bare essentials. Even so, the Continental wheellock pistol, German or Dutch, was a cut higher in general quality than the English lock pistol. The English lock was simple enough that the parts could be roughly forged, filed enough to fit and function, assembled and issued. Reliability of function was all that appeared to matter, with little effort expended on smoothing or polishing the exterior. The profiles, lengths of barrels and bore sizes were similar. Bores range from about .55" to .60, with the English types being .58 to .60 and wheel types covering the range. Barrel lengths commonly range from 15" to 17", with the English pieces near the lower end of the range. Overall lengths range from 23" to 25", consistent with barrel length. Barrels are smooth bored and are found half round, half octagon and some with a double octagon transition portion. Some have full octagon barrels. Lock inletting was of the simplest, all the necessary wood was scooped out to make room for the interior parts. No attempt was made to fit the wood inlet to the shape of the internal parts as is seen on later arms. English pistol butts tend to be elliptical while Continental ones are usually oval in cross section, most with a plain iron band. Some German ones are seen elliptical with a shallow metal butt cap dished out of thin metal, minus the aforementioned band. Most trigger guards for the wheellock shape have the rear end terminating in a screw which enters the wood by rotating the guard. Thickness of the trigger guard is about 1/16" maximum until it swells to screw into the stock. The front end is attached with a small wood screw. Straight lock trigger guards may attach the same way or with a nail or screw on both ends. Often the front screw is the same that holds the barrel tang. The stock at the muzzle has a simple sheet metal band wrapped from below and turned inward over the wood into the barrel inlet. The ramrod pipe is also sheet metal, bent around a form with the ends brought together. A slot is cut through from the ram rod channel into the barrel inlet, the ends of the pipe are pushed through the slot and spread in the barrel inlet. Thickness of the ram rod pipe and muzzle band material is .025" or less. Wheel lock triggers usually have a return spring made integral with the trigger. Others have a spring riveted to the trigger guard which curves behind the trigger, terminating in a forked end pushing the trigger forward. All have the trigger pivoting on a pin above the lock. English lock types do not employ a trigger return spring. There was other commonality of construction in these pistols. All were iron mounted. All had the hole in the barrel tang threaded to receive a screw entering from below. Wood screws had round heads, about 50% higher than today's common wood screw. No flush or countersunk screws were used. Screws used on metal (for frizzen springs, etc.) are similar to today's flat or filister head (called cheese head in the UK) but again a bit taller. Screw heads are not necessarily perfectly round. Screwdriver slots are about twice as wide as for a screw of similar size today. Nails are often used instead of screws in wood. Nails are more or less square both in shank and head. The head can be a bit rounded at the edges and corners, especially where the hand touches, such as a trigger guard finial. Lock mount screw heads are of a shallow round head type, less than the screw shank diameter in height and about three times the diameter of the shank. How were these pistols finished originally? The wheellock types, and I have seen some in almost perfect original condition, have smoothly finished but not polished metal parts. Wood to metal fitting is usually good and the wood surface is finished rather smooth, although often with grain raised over time. Almost black from age and oxidation, the wood was probably oiled or coated with whatever was the equivalent of varnish at the time. The wood grain surface can usually be seen through the surface finish. European stockers appear to have favored fruitwoods rather than walnut. The English lock pieces range from metal filed rather smooth but with no finishing, to incredibly rough forged and filed surfaces. No effort at all was made to go any further than that which would reliably function. Even so, some have minor decoration such as the little bulb behind the top jaw screw and the simple finials on the hammer arresting bolster and on the frizzen spring. The English stocks have tolerable metal to wood fitting but the exterior shaping usually shows unfinished shaping cuts as if by a draw knife. They favored walnut with what appears to be a black paint finish of some sort. It is probable that both the English and the European pieces were issued and used with the metal bare of any finish such as browning. Snaphaunce Pistols are seen in the form illustrated in our drawing in sizes ranging from full military size pistols of 16" or so barrel length down to 6" barrel, almost pocket size. There are examples (Brooker, below) with banded butt, octagon barrel of 18" and semi-circular trigger guard. Wheellock Shaped English Lock Pistols (again best photos in Brooker) had that lock plate shape in common with several surviving examples of snaphaunce and French flint lock types made in many countries. It was a very short step from the snaphaunce to combine the frizzen and pan cover to produce this English lock. They have similar mechanisms in which the sear operates through a hole in the lock plate. Other than the twenty or so pistols discovered at Littlecote House where they had been stored for three centuries, English pistols of this type are very rare indeed. In that group they were similar but not paired. One could remove the lower semi-circular bulge and have a lock of authentic style for the period. There is an example of a long gun with lock of that shape shown in Blackmore (in reference below). English Lock Military Pistols of the type in our drawings are found in museums and collections. There are enough of them that are similar enough to conclude that a loose standard must have existed as to bore size, barrel length and general design. None are similar enough to be considered a matched pair. This lock is often referred to as the 'First Type' of English lock. The Doglock Pistol in our drawing has what is often referred to as the 'Second Type' of English lock. It can have either an external or internal frizzen spring. It has an internal lateral sear mechanism, rather than the sear which functions through a hole in the lock plate. It also has the 'Dog' latch, a hook catch which serves as a safety at the half cock position. The example in our drawing is more an officer's pistol than a common military. The true military would have an external frizzen spring, a banded butt like the 'First Type' and a barrel length of 14"+ and be constructed in a more massive manner. The 'Second Type' English lock is a more descriptive term than 'Doglock'. The external hook safety catch was used for another fifty years on flintlocks after the lateral sear had been abandoned. There are examples of percussion doglocks from Scandinavia. Military wheellock pistols survive in numbers 10 or more times more numerous than the types discussed above. Most are Germanic, including Dutch. It is difficult or impossible to determine the origin of many wheellock military pistols but none have been proven to be English. Some existing pieces have been proven to have been used in England and period portraits depict subjects posing with them. There is every reason to believe that an English wheellock, made or stocked in England, would be exactly like its Dutch or Germanic counterpart except for the elliptical butt which would resemble the early English lock type. SOME REFERENCES FOR MORE INFORMATION: I know of no current books that offer this type of information. The references below may be available from bookshops, used book dealers or from libraries for those who seek to extend their investigation. The best is British Military Pistols 1603 to 1888 by R.E. Brooker Jr., published 1978. This book has pages of good photos and useful text, giving the best illustrated coverage of the subject. One of our drawings done in the Tower of London is illustrated in Figure 10. Pistols of the World by Claude Blair, 1968, Viking Press, New York, has some of the same illustrations as well as many others which are not British and non military. One of the drawings in our set was done in the Tower of London and is shown in this book as item 104. British Military Firearms 1650-1850 by Howard L. Blackmore, 1968, Arco Publishing Co. New York, has considerable text, drawings and some photos of guns and pistols of the 1650 period and a bit earlier. Two of the drawings in our set were done in the Tower of London of pieces shown in this book on page 34. For those seeking more fundamental, broad spectrum information we suggest The Age of Firearms by Robert Held which is an entertaining as well as informative book. PART TWO - DISCUSSION OF SPECIFIC PISTOLS 01 - ENGLISH SNAPHAUNCE PISTOL - 1600-1620 The snaphaunce lock was alive and well in England by about 1590. It may have been developed there. While the wheel lock was several decades its senior, and was in the midst of improvement at that time, the English snaphaunce was fully developed by about 1590 and underwent only minor cosmetic changes until it was replaced by the English lock about 1640. Germanic Europe, and to some degree the Dutch, was infatuated with the complexity of the wheel lock and continued its refinement and widespread use well beyond 1650. The bulbous muzzle of our example was disappearing by about 1600, which tends to date it close to the turn of the century, although it could be a decade or so later. The earlier pieces tend to have flat faced hammers and frizzen arms while this hammer is convex from the lower jaw down to where it joins the lower section. The lower portion of the frizzen arm is convex. This pistol has several important characteristics that are used to identify English snaphaunce pistols from Dutch and others which may be similar. These are: the 'Monster Head' treatment at the tail of the lock and on the belt hook plate; the 'Acorn' trigger; the large headed trigger pin; and the simple parallel line decorations which appear in several places. The 'Lemon' butt is seven sided, with the ridges scored about 1/32" wide and deep as illustrated. The grip section is round at the butt and gradually changes to a flat on top and flat sides. The lock and belt hook are fitted into simple flat plane areas, although the stock is much narrower at the bottom (see dimensions). The side opposite the lock is more or less flat from the grip to the muzzle, with no profile of the lock as is seen on later pistols. The trigger guard terminates in a screw at the rear which turns into the wood. The barrel is rather crude. The bore appears about 1/32" off center at the muzzle. The octagonal portion tapers with a 'swag' of 1/16" or so from breech to the belted area. Note that the belt is only over the top three flats and the side flats continue beyond it, fading to round. The tang is about 1 1/2" long, tapering to a 'bullet' point. The ram rod pipe is about .025" iron, bent around a form, with ends pressed together. The ends pass through a slot in the ramrod channel and are spread inside the barrel inlet. Most of the surviving examples of these pistols are either extremely plain military or utilitarian versions or are highly decorated pieces. Our piece is not decorated, probably average quality for the period, but is a bit better than the starkly simple military pieces. For those who would construct a piece of this type several authentic variations are possible. Full octagon barrels are known, either straight tapered or with a flare of the muzzle of about 1/16" over the last two inches. The 'lemon' can be plain round. Triggers can be ball shaped and the trigger guard can be omitted on small pistols. The lock plate could be brass. The size of lock shown could be used with a barrel a bit shorter or up to about 14" long, assuming other dimensions are altered in proportion. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .56 at muzzle, tapering over 1 1/4" to a bore diameter of .46 2. Butt 1 3/4 3. Grip 1 1/16 4. Rear of Lock 1 3/16 5. Wood at Breech 1 11/16, Note that this stock tapers in width from top to bottom. It is 5/16 narrower at the bottom. 6. Barrel at Breech 31/32 7. Front of Lock 1 1/32 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 31/32 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 15/16 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 7/8 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 25/32 12. Trigger Guard Bow 3/8 13. Trigger Guard at Grip N.A. 14. Side Plate Config. Flat except where belt hook attaches. 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Flat, see text. 16. Furniture - all iron 17. Barrel Length 17 7/8 18. Length Overall 19 3/8 02 - ENGLISH MILITARY PISTOL, ENGLISH LOCK WITH WHEELLOCK SHAPE OF LOCK PLATE 1640-1650 In some early English locks the lock plate has the shape of the wheel lock, a semicircular bulge on the lower edge. It has been suggested that these locks were converted from wheel type but evidence does not support this notion. Of several English pistols of this type examined, none had been converted. None had the inletting in the wood that would have been required to install the interior wheel crank mechanism, nor of modifications to the lock plate itself. In the 1640s the wheel lock was recognized by some as the 'standard of excellence' and lock plates were configured in the wheel form to pace existing opinion and expectation. Some years ago the equipment of a company of cavalry was discovered on an English country estate, Littlecote House, in Wiltshire. It had remained undisturbed in an out-building for three centuries. There were numerous pistols, long arms, edged weapons, uniform items, etc. In photos of some 50 pistols, 18 have the wheel lock shaped lock and 32 have straight lower edge lock plate. These pieces, in use about 1650, have the English lock, those with the wheel bulge being of the earlier style, possibly 1640 or earlier. Although of the same general pattern, differences are seen in these pistols as to curvature of the grip and size of the butt swell - hardly an actual pair in the lot. This is a drawing of one of the Littlecote pistols, drawn in the Tower of London about 1974. It is a functional weapon with no effort expended toward finish or appearance. Heavy file marks are still present and the wood carries obvious evidence of crude shaping as if by a draw knife. Even so, these pistols have a certain style and grace to them. The example available to us now is very similar but is a bit better finished, without the tool marks on the metal, possibly made better originally or improved by later cleaning efforts. The stock appears to be of walnut and seems to have been painted black or coated with something that has turned black. Typical of wheel lock treatment, the lock plate is inletted only forward of the wheel. The aft three quarters just sits flush on the flat surface with the wood above and below meeting and blending into the narrow flat exposed surface adjoining the lock plate. This means that the width of the stock just below and forward of the crane and crane spring area will be wider than the flat area on which the lock plate sits. The opposite side of the stock has a flat surface with a profile similar to the lock plate. The trigger guard, in wheellock fashion terminates in the rear as a screw entering the wood. This pistol bears a faint Crowned GP barrel proof mark. The barrel is full octagon and the tang is about 1 5/16" long tapering to a flat end about 1/4" wide. A wood marking of a long 'V' extends from each side of the barrel tang at the breech rearward, fading away about an inch behind the rear of the lock. This seems filed in with a round file and is about 1/32" or less in depth and about 5/32" wide. On each side of the described marks is a parallel incised line about 3/32" from the wide mark. No other marks or decoration are present. The muzzle band and ram rod pipe are thin, about .020". The band is bent around the wood with the ends turned inward and bent down into the barrel inlet. The ram rod pipe is a similar strip bent around a form with the ends clamped together, inserted in a slot up into the barrel inlet and spread to hold it in place. The band around the butt is less than 1/16" thick, with the wood butt cap nailed on with either one large nail in the center plus a small anti-rotation nail near one end, or with two small flush nails. The ram rod is centered at the muzzle but the groove 'drifts' to the left side about 1/4", apparently to avoid ram rod interference with the main spring. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .60 2. Butt 1 1/8 3. Grip 1 1/8 4. Rear of Lock 1 5/32 5. Wood at Breech 1 7/32 6. Barrel at Breech 7/8 7. Front of Lock 1 9/32 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 7/32 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 1 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 1 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 29/32 12. Trigger Guard Bow 1/2 13. Trigger Guard at Grip N.A 14. Side Plate Config. None 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Flat 16. Furniture - All Iron 17. Lenght of Barrel 14 5/8 18. Length Overall 22 1/2 03 - ENGLISH MILITARY PISTOL WITH ENGLISH LOCK - 1640-1650 This is an example of the typical early or First Type English lock. The major improvement of the English lock over the snaphaunce is that the frizzen and pan cover are the same piece. The separate frizzen (or 'steel' as it was called) and sliding pan cover on the snaphaunce were simplified. The idea of the combined frizzen with pan cover was possibly borrowed from the early flintlock that was being made in France at the time. The external hook or 'dog' catch that engages the base of the hammer as a safety or half-cock is present on the English lock but not on the snaphaunce. The full-cock sear on both operates laterally through a hole in the lock plate. The English lock may have both an internal half-cock and the 'dog' catch. Some have only the external safety and no half cock position. This particular one has both. The lock plate of the English lock and the geometry of the hammer to frizzen interface are, of course, somewhat different due to the improvements over the snaphaunce. Our drawing was done in the Tower of London about twenty years ago, of the piece in the Tower collections. The pistol bears the early 1637 Gunmaker's proof marks. About one third of the octagon portion of the barrel has a transition section of 'double octagon' or sixteen sided treatment as it reaches the belted round portion. The barrel tang is about 1 5/16" long tapering to a flat end about 5/16" wide. A simple flat border is carved around the tang, about 1/8" wider than the metal, extending rearward as seen in the drawing, terminating with a flat end. No other marks or decoration are present although the side of the stock opposite the lock is profiled to resemble the outline of the lock boss. The top of all the grip area has a flat about 1/2" wide extending from butt to the tang, where it gradually widens and blends. The trigger guard is nailed at the rear. The butt cap of wood is nailed with a large nail in the center and probably a flush small nail near one end to prevent rotation. The butt band on pistols of this type is a flat strip of iron, less than 1/16" thick bent into the desired shape and welded as a band. The muzzle band and ram rod pipe are about .025" thick. The band is bent around the wood with the ends turned inward and bent down into the barrel inlet. The ram rod pipe is a similar strip bent around a form with the ends clamped together, inserted in a slot up into the barrel inlet and spread to hold it in place. Additionally, it is located so that the front barrel pin passes through its tabs. Considering this pistol as to its time and place, it is quite competently made. The lock and barrel are very well made indeed. The stock is simple and only as good as it needs to be to carry the hardware. Tool marks are quite visible as it was carved or planed, with no effort toward producing a finished surface. The wood appears to be walnut, (having been painted black, or) with whatever coating having turned black, with the lighter wood showing through in the worn high spots. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .59 2. Butt 11/32 3. Grip 1 5/16 4. Rear of Lock 1 1/2 5. Wood at Breech 1 7/16 6. Barrel at Breech 31/32 7. Front of Lock 1 11/32 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 7/32 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 1 3/32 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 1 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 3/4 12. Trigger Guard Bow 9/16 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 1/4 - 3/16 14. Side Plate Config. None 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Flat 16. Furniture - All Iron 17. Length of Barrel 14 5/8 18. Length Overall 22 1/4 04 - GERMAN MATCHLOCK PISTOL - CA. 1650 With a wheel lock mechanism this would be a typical military pistol of the period. It is identical in all other respects to the wheellock pistol. As shown in the drawing, it has a SVL mark on the lock plate. The barrel also has a different SVL mark under the wood. These are marks found on arms made in Suhl, Germany in the XVII Century. The match lock was simple to make and therefore unlikely to get out of order. It was the standard military long arm until the late 1600s, well into the flintlock period. As simple and practical as it was for use in organized foot military operations, managing the glowing match cord made it less useful for cavalry or any impromptu purpose. It is difficult to imagine a pair of smouldering matchlock pistols in cavalry saddle holsters. It is even more difficult to conceive of how a matchlock pistol with a glowing and smoking match cord might be carried on one's person. One reason for the existence of such a pistol might be for training purposes. Soldiers experienced with the matchlock musket could readily manage the matchlock pistol and practice firing with it. For the extremely high cost of one wheellock, possibly a half dozen matchlock counterparts could be acquired, with the additional saving of wear and tear on the complex wheel mechanism. This lock has only a very simple spring and slide bar linkage mechanism from trigger to serpentine, with no room in the wood inlet for ever having had a wheel mechanism. The sliding pan cover is identical to the wheel lock type. The wheel is only a dummy which does not rotate and is rounded on the edges. The square which would wind the wheel is also a dummy which rises from the surface only 1/4" or so. On this example, the pan is a part of the lock plate as with the wheel lock. Earlier match locks had a simple long rectangular lock plate with only the serpentine (match cord arm) on it, the pan being attached to the barrel of the gun. The grip just behind the trigger guard is almost round and becomes more oval toward the butt. The side opposite the lock is flat with the profile of the lock outlined. Typical of wheellock treatment, the lock plate is inletted only forward of the wheel. The aft three quarters just sits flush on the flat surface with the wood above and below meeting and blending into the bevel of the lock plate. This means that the width of the stock just below and forward of the serpentine area, will be wider than the flat area on which the lock plate sits. The rear end of the trigger guard terminates at the rear with a screw into the wood. The muzzle band and ram rod pipe are thin, about .020". The band is wrapped around the wood with the ends turned inward and bent down into the barrel inlet. The ram rod pipe is a similar strip bent around a form with the ends clamped together, inserted in a slot up into the barrel inlet and spread to hold it in place. The band around the butt is less than 1/16" thick, with the wood butt cap nailed on with either one large nail in the center plus a small anti-rotation nail near one end, or with two small flush nails. The wood is a close grained, light colored hardwood, painted black, with the wood color showing through in worn spots. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .58 2. Butt 1 9/32 3. Grip 1 7/32 4. Rear of Lock 1 11/32 5. Wood at Breech 1 5/16 6. Barrel at Breech 7/8 7. Front of Lock 1 7/16 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 7/16 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 15/16 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 7/8 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 11/16 12. Trigger Guard Bow 15/32 13. Trigger Guard at Grip N. A. 14. Side Plate Config. None 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Convex 16. Furniture - Iron 17. Length of Barrel 17 1/8 18. Length Overall 24 3/4 05 - GERMANIC WHEELLOCK PISTOL - CA. 1650 This example is typical of mid-century military pistol in Northern Europe. The term Germanic indicates probably German but possibly Dutch. I have owned it since 1949 and the previous owner obtained it in Berlin prior to 1914. It has some faint engraving around the border of the lock plate, which is out of character with a simple military pistol. A wheellock pistol stocked in English style would be almost identical except the English pistol would have an elliptical butt about 1/2" smaller in the long dimension. The grip just behind the trigger guard is round and becomes more oval toward the butt. The side opposite the lock is flat with the profile of the lock outlined. Typical of wheel lock treatment, the lock plate is inletted only forward of the wheel. The aft three quarters just sits flush on the flat surface with the wood above and below meeting and blending into the bevel of the lock plate. This means that the width of the stock just below and forward of the crane and crane spring area, will be wider than the flat area on which the lock plate sits. The trigger spring is a part of the trigger, attached at the lower end with the free end pressing against the wood up inside the trigger inlet. The rear end of the trigger guard terminates at the rear with a screw into the wood. The muzzle band and ram rod pipe are thin, about .020". The band is bent around the wood with the ends turned inward and bent down into the barrel inlet. The ram rod pipe is a similar strip bent around a form with the ends clamped together, inserted in a slot up into the barrel inlet and spread to hold it in place. The band around the butt is less than 1/16" thick, with the wood butt cap nailed on with either one large nail in the center plus a small anti-rotation nail near one end, or with two small flush nails. The barrel is half octagon, half round on top but below the wood it is all octagon. I have rarely seen this on other guns. Usually wheellock pistols have part round, part octagon barrels, rarely full octagon and none I have seen are full round. The front sight on this barrel is brass, probably a later addition in that most have no front sight. For those who may wish to build their own reproduction of a wheellock pistol there are numerous authentic variations in addition to those mentioned above. The barrel might be a couple of inches shorter or a very little longer. Bore could be a bit smaller. This piece has two lock mount screws although many have three, some with the rear screw short, engaging the mainspring crotch member. The side opposite the lock can be flat with the lock plate profile or be contoured and blended. For the European type, various fruitwoods are typical. The English might have preferred walnut. You may have the same problem the wheellock pistol makers had in the good ole days with the barrel tang screw interfering with the very wide main spring. This was dealt with in various ingenious ways. The screw, entering from below might be filed flat where it passes the spring. The screw might be offset or entered at an angle. I have seen one that had no tang screw, the tang being secured by the center lock mounting screw passing through a hole in the breech plug bit. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .60 2. Butt 1 1/4 3. Grip 1 3/16 4. Rear of Lock 1 5/16 5. Wood at Breech 1 3/16 6. Barrel at Breech 13/16 7. Front of Lock 1 9/32 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 3/16 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 7/8 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 13/16 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 23/32 12. Trigger Guard Bow N/A 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 7/16 14. Side Plate Config. None 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Flat 16. Furniture - All Iron 17. Barrel Lenght 15 1/2 18. Length Overall 24 1/4 06 - ENGLISH DOGLOCK PISTOL BY WOTSON - CA. 1650 This pistol is one of a pair in the Tower of London collection. I made this drawing there about 1974. An almost identical piece in private hands is the basis of this writing. The only differences noted are in a slightly different curvature of the handle and in its marks and decoration. The Wotson pieces have a simple barrel transition from octagon to round and the private piece has leaf-like decorative chiseling at that point. These are most elegant and gracefully designed and executed pistols, no doubt made for a person of means. A military pistol of the type would be of the same general shape, somewhat more massive, of simpler execution and have an external frizzen spring. The butt would have a simple iron band with a wood cap of approximately the same shape. The lock is the 'Second Type' of English Lock or classic Doglock type. The external hook or 'Dog' catch serves as a safety at about the same angular rotation as the half cock position. The internal frizzen spring is an innovation not seen on earlier English locks. It has the sear with lateral movement with both half-cock and full-cock sear engagements inside the lock plate, whereas the earlier English locks had the full-cock sear operating on the cock through a hole in the lock plate. The French had a well developed flint lock with vertical sear by 1650. The lateral sear, because of its compound curvatures, was a much more difficult exercise to manufacture than the simple and effective vertical sear. It is probable that the English clung to the lateral sear design out of conservatism. This pistol is finely crafted in all respects that apply to the piece as a weapon. Lock and barrel are excellent as well as their fitting to wood. The engraving on the silver is simple in execution. The lock engraving is better, although not as well done as on some other pieces of the period. This applies to both the Wotsons and the private piece. Many indications of its lineage are present in this pistol. It is slim in the grip and the wood is only as thick as necessary to contain the hardware. Possibly to reduce the weight of the ebony wood, the fore end ahead of the lock is 'pinched in' to give a concave or fluted effect as shown in the drawing. The silver muzzle band and ram rod pipe are about .025" thick. Typical of earlier pieces of the period the muzzle band is wrapped around the wood with the ends turned inward and bent down into the barrel inlet. The ram rod pipe is a similar strip bent around a form with the ends clamped together, inserted in a slot up into the barrel inlet and spread to hold it in place. As shown in the drawing, the barrel bears a mark resembling a small shield. To build a reproduction, the wood can be walnut in place of ebony and the furniture all iron with the butt configured in the typical military style in vogue since the 1630s. A plain elliptical iron band about 1/16" thick by 3/8" (or a bit less) in width is covered by a simple convex wood cap similar in shape to that shown in the drawing. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .60 2. Butt 1 1/8 3. Grip 1 4. Rear of Lock 1 1/32 5. Wood at Breech 1 1/16 6. Barrel at Breech 13/16 7. Front of Lock 1 1/32 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 15/16 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 29/32 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 29/32 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 21/32 12. Trigger Guard Bow 17/32 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 9/32 average of taper 14. Side Plate Config. None 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Flat 16. Furniture - D.A.. Iron, Butt Cap, Pipe, Band Silver 17. Barrel Length 13 3/4 18. Length Overall 20 3/4 07 - ENGLISH MILITARY PISTOL - 1685-1688 This drawing was done in the Tower of London about 1974 from the pistol in that collection. Made during the short reign of James II, this is the result of an early effort toward standardizing the military pistol at the national level. As shown in the drawing, the lock bears the name 'Brooke' and the Crowned J2R cipher. This pistol is a typical piece of a pattern that was also made by other makers which also bear the royal cipher. The barrel is marked RB, Crowned IR and Crowned Rose. The Brooke pistols have the 'fat' trigger as a characteristic and the barrel is flared externally about 1/8" at the muzzle. The wood at the muzzle is also flared in proportion. The pistols of similar pattern by other makers may have conventional backward curl triggers with an unflared muzzle. Some barrels are seen with a round transition section two inches or so long, separated by turned moldings, between the double octagon and the round barrel proper. The ram rod disappears into a plain hole in the fore end. On some pieces the hole is elongated into a "V" about an inch or so long which leads back toward the trigger guard. The barrel has a double octagon portion, which with the flare, are decorations of sorts. The barrel tang is 1 9/16" long with parallel sides approximately the width of the top flat of the barrel and squared end. A simple wood boss carving about 5/32" wide frames the tang, terminating in a 'teat' about 1/2" long and 3/16" wide projecting rearward. The plain lock mounted with three screws is very well made. Aside from the ram rod pipe, which has a molded or turned decor, these pistols are severely plain. The walnut stock is of full dimensions, with a thick grip terminating in the almost hemispherical butt cap which is held on by a screw. The grip blends forward into a boss into which the lock is inletted on the right side and the profile of the lock boss is duplicated on the other side of the stock. The trigger guard of pistols of this and earlier period seems to have been treated as a necessary evil or, at least, an after thought. Even on finely crafted pistols, trigger guards are often just a plain flat piece of iron bent to shape, with the necessary holes for screws or nails. On this pistol it is about as simple as it can be except for the primitive arrow head finial. Shape and decor, if any, will vary from piece to piece. This massive pistol, although well made, seems crude and clumsy when compared to either the earlier or later military pieces. There are a number of existing examples of military type pistols of the period of somewhat smaller and lighter construction that have the hemispherical butt cap, simple trigger guard, etc., which do not have the royal Crowned J2R cipher on the lock. It should be noted that there are numerous existing English non-military pistols of suberb quality made in the 1680s. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .59 2. Butt 1 15/16 3. Grip 1 13/32 4. Rear of Lock 1 3/4 5. Wood at Breech 1 11/16 6. Barrel at Breech 1 5/32 7. Front of Lock 1 19/32 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 13/32 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 1 7/32 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 1 1/8 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 15/16, 13/16 at 1" from muzzle 12. Trigger Guard Bow 5/8 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 5/16 14. Side Plate Config. None 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Convex 16. Furniture - Brass, Iron T.G. 17. Length of Barrel 14 18. Length Overall 21 1/4 08 - ENGLISH MILITARY PISTOL - 1706 This well proportioned pistol was made during the reign of Queen Anne and bears the Crowned AR on the lock. AR is also engraved on both sides of the butt cap and appears as a Crowned AR view mark on the barrel. The lock bears the maker's name T. Fort, with 6 below the name signifying 1706. Pistols of this pattern were made by several makers and follow the pattern quite closely in the examples I have seen. The markings are quite similar, including the abbreviated date, seen as 6 or 06 or whatever year applied. It is an example of evolutionary step in that the butt cap has evolved from the hemisphere to a molded brass fitting with a bit of a boss for the attaching screw. The bulges on the cap are rudiments of the long spurs seen on civilian pistols of the period and will appear later on military pistols. A simple flat side plate or 'key' plate cast of brass is now present. The trigger guard is shaped and molded with a decorative finial and is cast of brass, rather than the simple bent strip of flat iron found on earlier military pieces. The shape of the walnut stock eliminates most of the excess wood and 'flows' with a minimum of attention to location of the hardware. The boss for the lock inlet is minimal and is likewise duplicated on the back side. A very simple carving frames the barrel tang. The ram rod disappears into a simple hole in the fore end, without a rear pipe. The front pipe is about .032" brass strip bent around a form with the ends pressed together to form a tab by which it is pinned into the stock. The octagon portion of the barrel fades into a round section and then steps to a smaller diameter as it tapers to the muzzle. This is the first 'elegant' English military pistol in that it is of clean functional design and has lost the ungainly appearance that characterized its most recent predecessors. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .61 2. Butt 1 15/16 3. Grip 1 7/16 4. Rear of Lock 1 9/16 5. Wood at Breech 1 9/16 6. Barrel at Breech 1 1/16 7. Front of Lock 1 7/16 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 9/32 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 1 5/32 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 29/32 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 23/32 12. Trigger Guard Bow 23/32 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 7/16 14. Side Plate Config. Flat 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Convex 16. Furniture - Brass 17. Barrel Length 13 7/8 18. Length Overall 20 3/4 09 - ENGLISH SEA SERVICE PISTOL - 1738 The English Sea Service pistol reached a standardized pattern in the 1730s and changed very little for almost a century. This is an early one dated 1738 on the lock. 'Tower' on the lock and the barrel marks are typical. This lock has a bridled pan while most early pieces do not. Other maker's names are often seen in place of Tower. Most have Crowned GR on the lock on the flat beneath the pan. It may have been omitted on this piece through error. Although this piece has all the attributes of the military sea service pistol, it may have been part of ship's armament for some kind of expedition. I also made a drawing of a similar piece with the maker's name Edge dated 1761 bearing the Crowned GR. I chose to duplicate the 1738 here because it is earlier and is a bit more massive in various dimensions than the later pistol. This is typical of English military pistols made over a long period. Although of the same basic pattern and lengthwise dimensions, the earlier version will be a bit fuller in width and thickness and have heavier furniture. The 1761 piece, typical of its time, has no pan bridle nor a fence. Although a simple pistol in the beginning, the Sea Service is further simplified in later models. The somewhat decorative trigger guard finial, similar to the land pattern dragoon pistol, changes to a simpler bullet-like shape. Even the carved 'apron' surrounding the barrel tang finally disappears. Some other variations are seen in the Sea Service pistol through its long life as a military type. Some pans are rounded, some are angular. Most frizzens are peaked or rounded on the top while some are squared or more rectangular in shape. The engraved line or lines bordering the lock plate and hammer may or may not be present. The British navy obviously gave weapons funding priority to major items such as cannon. Consequently, reliable sidearms at the cheapest cost resulted, both in muskets and pistols. Whether the English Sea Service pistol was the best military pistol of the period is arguable and it certainly was one of the most cost-effective. At the end of the century, the Sea Service was almost unchanged, except for technical improvements such as the fenced and bridled pan. Other military pistols of 1800 were much like the Sea Service had been since the 1730s. On most military pistols of 1800 the long spurs of the butt cap had dwindled to lumps, now with a single ram rod pipe, the ornate carving was gone and the molded side plate had become flat. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .58 2. Butt 1 27/32 3. Grip 1 5/16 4. Rear of Lock 1 9/16 5. Wood at Breech 1 17/32 6. Barrel at Breech 1 1/32 7. Front of Lock 1 7/16 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 7/32 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 1 5/32 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 31/32 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 11/16 12. Trigger Guard Bow 1 1/32 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 1/2 14. Side Plate Config. Flat 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Flat 16. Furniture - Brass 17. Barrel Length 11 7/8 18. Length Overall 19 1/8 10 - ENGLISH HEAVY DRAGOON PISTOL - 1743 This pistol was made from the early 1730s for a period of more than 30 years. They are found with many maker's names in addition to those with the Tower mark. They will usually be dated, as late as about 1761 when the practice of dating lock plates was discontinued. The pistol drawn here has all the attributes that make the English Heavy Dragoon pistol probably the most ornate and highest quality military pistol of the period. The brass thumb piece or escutcheon, the heavy molded side plate, trigger guard and other furniture are complemented by relief carving of the wood surrounding the lock plate boss, the barrel tang and the boss which duplicates that of the lock plate on the left side of the stock. These carvings extend an inch or so ahead and back of the lock plate and barrel tang. This particular piece is marked Grise, which is probably an engraver's error in spelling the name Grice, a prolific maker of pistols and muskets. The lock is marked WG with the Crowned GP and scepters. The wood at rear of the lock bears the storekeepers mark. The Crowned GR appears on the lock plate. These pistols are found in pistol bore size, about .60, and carbine size, about .65. A carbine bore pistol marked Tower 1739 is somewhat heavier in the width dimensions and has a lock plate a bit wider. Typical of English military pistols made over a long period, earlier pieces will be somewhat more massive than the later pistol. Although of the same basic pattern and lengthwise dimensions, the earlier version will be a bit fuller in width and thickness and may have heavier furniture and more pronounced carving. Late in the model life of a piece, simplification becomes even more evident, probably as an economy measure. The latest pieces omit the carving except for a small 'apron' around the barrel tang. In the late pieces, the original hammer with the 'feather' riser behind the top jaw is seen replaced by a simpler riser that employs a forked top jaw. This treatment is similar to that used on the Sea Service pistol except that the hammer face remains round instead of flat. In addition to being a visually attractive piece, the English Heavy Dragoon Pistol was very competently made. Wood and metal parts were very well fitted and finished for a military piece. Given less robust construction, reduced weight and dimensions, it would be preferable to many non-military pieces of the period and be more reliable under adverse conditions. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .60 2. Butt 2 3. Grip 1 15/32 4. Rear of Lock 1 11/16 5. Wood at Breech 1 9/16 6. Barrel at Breech 1 1/32 7. Front of Lock 1 17/32 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 1/16 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 1 9/32 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 1 1/32 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 23/32 12. Trigger Guard Bow 31/32 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 17/32 14. Side Plate Config. Convex 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Convex 16. Furniture - Brass 17. Barrel Length 12 1/8 18. Length Overall 19 1/2 11 - FRENCH MILITARY PISTOL - MODEL OF 1733 The 1733 is the first regulation French military pistol. Prior to this model there was no standard pistol in the French military. It is contemporary with the British Heavy Dragoon pistol in both general design and the period of manufacture, from the early 1730s through the next 30 years or so. Although 1733 French specimens look alike, there is a certain amount of variation within its basic design as a military pistol with a 12" barrel. The differences are found in dimensions such as size of lock, width of barrel at breech, width of trigger guard bow and bore size. Therefore the dimensions below will apply only to the piece illustrated here. Some were fitted with a short belt hook, possibly 20% of the specimens I have seen. Carving of the stock around the barrel tang, around the lock and along the ram rod channel is omitted on some. This is probably the result of the simplification that we find in later manufacture of most military arms made over a long period. They are found with markings of St. Etienne, Charleville, Tulle and possibly other arsenals. I have seen only one with the Tulle mark and it had iron furniture rather than the usual brass - possibly a prototype. The French 1733 pistol saw much use in North America during the French colonial period and through the French and Indian War and American Revolution. A rare pistol, specimens are mostly found in North America. Very rare in Europe, as of the mid 1970s the French Musee de l'Armee in Paris had none to display. As to rarity, I estimate one French 1733 to ten British Heavy Dragoons. These pistols are less ornate than their British counterpart although no less competent as a weapon. Quality, in terms of materials, fit and finish, appears to be on a par with the British piece. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .71 2. Butt 1 13/16 3. Grip 1 3/8 4. Rear of Lock 1 9/16 5. Wood at Breech 1 9/16 6. Barrel at Breech 1 1/8 7. Front of Lock 1 1/2 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 9/32 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 1 3/16 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 31/32 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 7/8 12. Trigger Guard Bow 11/16 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 15/32 14. Side Plate Config. Flat 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Flat 16. Furniture - Brass 17. Length of Barrel 12 1/4 18. Length Overall 19 1/2 12 - ENGLISH LIGHT DRAGOON PISTOL WITH 9" BARREL This is the primary pistol used by the British in the American Revolution. As a type it dates from about 1760 and became standard issue to replace the Heavy Dragoon pistol with 12 inch barrel. There was a 10" barrel dragoon pistol made in small numbers as an interim model which was a slightly reduced version in most respects of the 12" piece. For whatever reason it was discontinued in favor of the simplified 9" barreled dragoon. This was at a time when most military services were reducing barrel length of pistols. Simplified is the key word that applies to the 9" dragoon. From the beginning the English naval or Sea Service pistol for several decades had been severely simple. Apparently a cost-effectiveness decision gave the land forces this simplified but effective weapon. Although almost devoid of cosmetic features, the 9 inch Light Dragoon pistol maintained quality in those respects having to do with its effectiveness. If not the absolute high point in British flintlock military pistol development, it was not surpassed by any later piece. It should be noted that there were some very cheaply made 9" barreled military pistols but they are not standard and usually differ from our illustrated example by having a butt cap that is straight across formed of sheet brass in sort of a hemisphere, rather than the lobed cast brass butt cap as we illustrate. Some of these cheap pistol bear proper English military markings. As with earlier types, the Light Dragoon pistols are seen with various markings such as Tower, various contract makers names and Dublin Castle. Early Dublin Castle pistols may have some of the cosmetic features of the old Heavy Dragoon such as convex molded side plate and a lower ram rod pipe. Later they become like our illustration. As with earlier types, some Light Dragoons are seen with regimental markings, some of which can be historically connected with units serving in North America. Early pieces will have convex lock plates and hammers which become flat with later production. Pieces made in the early years of the 1760s may bear dates but the practice of dating ceased after about 1763. Other than the adoption of an iron swivel-attached ram rod on late pieces, there was little significant change in the Light Dragoon pistol until it was replaced by a percussion type. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .66 2. Butt 1 9/16 3. Grip 1 5/16 4. Rear of Lock 1 19/32 5. Wood at Breech 1 17/32 6. Barrel at Breech 1 1/16 7. Front of Lock 1 1/2 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock 1 1/4 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry 1 7/32 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe 1 1/8 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 27/32 12. Trigger Guard Bow 7/8 13. Trigger Guard at Grip 13/16 14. Side Plate Config. Flat 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Flat, Early may be Convex 16. Furniture - Brass 17. Length of Barrel 9 18. Length Overall 15 5/8 13 - TURNOFF PISTOL - "QUEEN ANNE" - CA 1740 The Queen Anne pistol gets its name from the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714), early in the 18th century, when this type of pistol became popular. There were earlier versions of the turn off pistol but the Queen Anne type became almost standardized for half a century in the sense of its construction with the combined lock, breech and barrel with only the grip being of wood. "Turn off" refers to the barrel which unscrews (turns off) to load. It is a step in the direction of breech loading. When the barrel is removed, the chamber is filled with powder, the ball is placed over the powder and the barrel is screwed in place over the ball. The ball is a bit larger than the smooth bore and cannot roll out. This gives an added advantage of shooting a bit harder by virtue of the added pressure developed to drive the larger ball down the bore. A lug is seen on the lower side of the barrel which engages with a slot in a ring spanner to turn the barrel. The spanner is sometimes made integral with one of the handles of the mold in which the lead balls are cast. The Queen Anne was not a military pistol but it is almost exclusive- ly English. Only a few continental examples exist. The Queen Anne pistol must have been expensive to build due to the intricate forging and filing necessary to produce the unitized breech, lock and frame. Almost without exception they are found with engraving and with silver furniture. In all my years and dozens of Queen Annes I have seen, I recall only one that was brass mounted and none that were plain or cheaply made. The trigger guard is of iron, with silver butt mask, escutcheon and side plate. Some are seen with stylized silver dragons or other inlays on each side of the barrel tang (which is not a barrel tang at all but is a fitting in that position to attach the wood stock). Early pieces from the actual reign of Anne will have an octagonal breech, which becomes round shortly thereafter. These superb quality pistols were made by a variety of makers and seem to be the weapon of choice of affluent Englishmen until late in the century. They must have been extremely popular because they survive in fairly large numbers. Our illustrated example is a bit larger than average size and they are found in smaller pocket pistol size. A few turnoffs are seen with spurred butt cap but these are a variation from the basic Queen Anne. Before the Queen Anne, the turnoff existed from mid 17th century with a conventional lock, stock and barrel design with a shortened fore end, sometimes with the barrel attached with a linkage to prevent its loss when unscrewed. Late in the 18th century the Queen Anne evolved into a more compact Box Lock turnoff design which became the principal small pocket pistol type up until the percussion period. WIDTH MEASUREMENTS AND CONFIGURATION NOTES (dimensions in inches) 1. Bore Dia. .62 2. Butt 1 5/8 3. Grip 1 3/16 4. Rear of Lock 1 9/32 5. Wood at Breech 1 5/32 6. Barrel at Breech 1 1/32 7. Front of Lock NA 8. 1/2" Forward of Lock NA 9. 1/2" Aft of Ramrod Entry NA 10. Forward Ramrod Pipe NA 11. Barrel O.D. at Muzzle 27/32 12. Trigger Guard Bow 3/4 13. Trigger Guard at Grip NA 14. Side Plate Config. Varied 15. Hammer & Lock Face Config. Convex 16. Furniture - Silver 17. Length of Barrel 7 5/8 18. Length Overall 13 1/4