Fist Guns1550 - 1900
Copyright 02.2011, Peter H. Kunz, CH-8200 Schaffhausen
Ca. 1550: Early Double Wheel Lock Pistol
External Wheel Lock with V-shaped main spring
To fire the second barrel thepistol must be turned aroundits length axis
Dagger pistol handle
Ameria Reale, Madrid
Ca. 1565: Military Wheel Lock Pistol, German
External Friction wheel
Security catch behind lock
Fish tail handle
Howard Ricket, Firearms, 1964
Ca. 1559: Double Wheel Lock Pistol, German
Private Collection
Two pistols are combined inone back to back
To fire the second barrel thepistol must be turned around itslength axis
Ca. 1570: Pistol with Nürnberg Snaphance
Tower of London
A most ingenious pan coverclosing design is found on therarely preserved Nürnbergsnaphaunce lock. The wholemechanism is installed on theoutside of the lock plate. Witha leaf spring, the pan cover isswung into the open position. After closing the pan cover, alever holds it in the closedposition. When shooting, acam at the Iower part of thecock unlocks the lever andfrees the pan cover for a quickopening.
Ca. 1580: Double Wheel Lock Pistol
The lock has two independentwheel lock systems on a lockplate at the vertical distance ofthe two barrels lying aboveeach other, and a horizontaldistance of the distance of thetwo flash pans of the wheellock.With the two independentlocks, the loads of the twoindependent over-underbarrels were ignited.
Private Collection
Ca. 1590: Wheel Lock Pistol, Regensburg
The wheel lock pistol has anunusual shape with a sharplyangled stock, ball knob buttand an iron barrel that has aTromblon or Blunderbussmuzzle. The prove marks of thecity of Regensburg are on thebarrel. The advantage of thesharp angled shape and itstrigger O peration are unclear.
Private Collection
Ca. 1590: Wheel Lock Pistol with Petronel Butt
This wheel lock pistol has astock similar to a Petronel.
It can be shot like a regularpistol or in a shoulder firingposition.
Private Collection
Ca. 1590: Ripoll Wheel Lock Pistol
This beautifully designed wheellock pistol has a ball knobstock and a slightly angledwheel lock without an outsidewheel bearing.
The ball knob stock has theadvantage that it can be easilytaken out of a holster andaimed easily without fear oflosing grip.
Private Collection
Ca. 1650: Catalan Snaphance Pistol
The Spanish presentation pistolhas a Catalan snaphance lockwith elaborate engravings,relief cut iron barrel and aMascaron on the butt plate.
Private Collection
Ca. 1650: Military Wheel Lock Pistol, German
O ld Armory Museum, Solothurn
Wheel lock pistols were putinto action by the cavalry foronly a relatively short andmoderately successful period.
They were presented mostly asrecognition for deservingofficers.
Ca. 1700: Hunting Knife Flint Lock Pistol
Emil Volmer, Feuerwaffen, 1974
A flint lock is positioned on theside of a hunting knife.
The Firearm was used “ tofinish-off”
Ca. 1730: Flint Lock Pistol, France
Flintlock pistol with octagonalbarrel, blending into a roundmiddle and front part. Flintlock without tumbler bearing,meaning there is only oneplain bearing supporting thehammer axis in the lock plate.
Private Collection
Ca. 1750: Flint Lock Pocket Pistol
This flint lock pocket pistol ismade by the gunsmith, IsraelSegalas of London. For easierloading, it has a detachablefront barrel. The loading isdone by unthreading the frontend of the barrel, loadingblack powder and ball into theback end of the barrel, scre-wing front part of barrel backon, filling of the pan withpriming powder, cocking thehammer and flint, closing thepan cover, and locking thepan cover by moving thetrigger forward.
Private Collection
Ca. 1760: Highland Pistol, King George III
Richard Akehurst, Feuerwaffen, 1974
Pistol has typical Scottish butt
The butt is entirely made inmetal and beautifullydecorated
Ca. 1777: Cavalry Flint Lock Pistol, M. 1777, France
French flint lock pistol ofunusual construction. Thecentral bronze part has anintegrated powder pan and isalso the lockbox, into which allparts of the cock mechanismare installed. The barrel, triggerguard and the iron connectingband to the knob are attachedwith screws to the lockbox. Thetrigger mechanism, as well asthe storage bore for the ramrodare part of the bronze casting.
Private Collection
Ca. 1780: Four Barrel Flint Lock Pistol
All four barrels are ignited atthe same time with a flint lock. The pistol is often called aducks foot pistol.
To achieve a wider scattering,the barrels are not arrangedparallel.
It was used against mutineersand apparently to hunt flocksof ducks.
Private Collection
Ca. 1800: Splendor Pocket Flint Lock Pistol
The pistol was made by Pirmetat Paris
The trigger bar appears whiletensioning the cock
Emil Volmer, Feuerwaffen, 1974
1816: Forsyth Percussion Pistols
W. Keith Neal & D. H. L. Black, Forsyth & Co.: Patent Gun makers, 1969
This pair of officer pistols aremade by Forsyth.
They are equipped with the firstmodel sliding primers
1824: Flint Lock Revolver, London
This very rare flint lock revolverwas made according to apatent of the American Cap-tain, Artemus Wheeler. It hasan octagonal ribbon Damas-cus barrel and a five shotcylinder. This weapon repre-sents the peak in the develop-ment of the flintlock firearms. It was designed and manufac-tured after there was alreadyknowledge of more advancedpercussion locks.
Private Collection
Ca. 1840: Percussion Pistol, Converted
The illustration shows a pistolthat originally had o flint lockand was converted to apercussion lock about 1840.
Private Collection
Ca. 1860: Blunderbuss Pistol, Spain
Bronze barrel with a wideningat the muzzle.
Percussion lock is transformedfrom a flintlock.
The pistol has ben used byNaval officers.
Private Collection
Ca. 1873: Harmonica Pistol, A. E. Jarre
This bulky percussion pistolhas 10 laterally arrangedbarrels. By pulling back thelarge cocking/ trigger lever, thebarrel organ is moved side-ways by one barrel, and thehammer is cocked at the sametime.
Private Collection
Ca. 1882: Protector Pistol
This five shot pistol can beheld in the hand while beingbarely visible. The barrel isplaced between the index andmiddle fingers, while the flatdisc-like magazine lies in thepalm. The thumb and the ballof the band are on the back-side of the trigger. To fire ashot, the shooter presses thehandle from behind, similar tothat of squeezing a lemon.
Private Collection
Ca. 1890: Deringer Pocket Pistol
With a length of only 118 mmthis one shot flat pistol is oneof the smallest pocket pistols.
Private Collection
Ca. 1895: Gaulois Pistol
This pistol is based on a Frenchpatent by P. Blachon and E.Mimard. It was manufacturedby Manufacture FrancaiseArmes et Cycles, Saint Etienne,France.
The loading gate also serves asa case ejector.
Private Collection
1896: Mauser Pistol C96, German
Semiautomatic pistol with amagazine for 10 center firecartridges with a caliber of7.63 mm
Private Collection
Ca. 1906: Four Shot Shattuck-Unique Pistol
This elegant pocket pistol forthe lady uses Flobert cartridgesand has four barrels arrangedin a bundle. It was registered for patentingin 1906 by O . Mossberg,Massachusetts.
The trigger button is above thebarrels at the front.
Private Collection
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