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Pair of unidentified pistols

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Jappo

Jappo

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Just recently acquired these pistols. They are nearly identical except one is left and the other right. Bore is smooth and about 40 caliber. They look clean and clear with no evidence of rust or pitting. Hammers and triggers work. The left sided one has an issue. Doesn't go to half cock. Full cock only. I think the nipples are musket. #11 caps are way too small.
Thought I'd ask before I disassemble them. Mostly to check the insides and clean up. Remove external rust. The locks look like chrome or something similar. They look shiny behind the hammer.
 

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The pistols are from SE Asia, possibly Laos or Cambodia, judging from the script on the lockplates. They are of better-than-average workmanship for the area, but are still crude. The hammers might be from an original DB shotgun, but all other parts are probably locally made. Barrels are usually made from seamless steel tubing. The large diameter and flat-topped nipples are made for use with locally-made percussion compounds, which are prepared by apothecaries and dabbed onto sheets of rice paper. For use, the 'caps' are torn off and stuffed into the recess in the hammer nose. BP is made by the users, with ingredients sold in the country markets (saltpeter, sulfur) and readily-available charcoal. Your pair are likely made for the tourist trade, as locals have little use for single shot pistols, though they hunt small game with long guns of the same basic type. I can't recommend shooting them without a thorough inspection to see whether the breeches are properly sealed (they are often just plugged and welded).

mhb - MIKe
 
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mhb said:
The pistols are from SE Asia, possibly Laos or Cambodia, judging from the script on the lockplates. They are of better-than-average workmanship for the area, but are still crude. The hammers might be from an original DB shotgun, but all other parts are probably locally made. Barrels are usually made from seamless steel tubing. The large diameter and flat-topped nipples are made for use with locally-made percussion compounds, which are prepared by apothecaries and dabbed onto sheets of rice paper. For use, the 'caps' are torn off and stuffed into the recess in the hammer nose. BP is made by the users, with ingredients sold in the country markets (saltpeter, sulfur) and readily-available charcoal. Your pair are likely made for the tourist trade, as locals have little use for single shot pistols, though they hunt small game with long guns of the same basic type. I can't recommend shooting them without a thorough inspection to see whether the breeches are properly sealed (they are often just plugged and welded).

mhb - MIKe
Click to expand...
Ah ok. So it won't hurt to polish em up and remove the external rust. I also found the lock tumbler? Doesn't have a notch for half cock. I can fix that. I'm gonna attempt to remove the nipples and turn them down to #11. I have the breech soaking in Kroil. I probably won't attempt to shoot them but hopefully I can make smoke with em. After I thoroughly inspected I might attempt to shoot some shot with em.
I appreciate the information,
Thanks,
Vic
 
Well I got the nipples off. And no kidding on the crude part. Never seen threads like this. The screw is the lock screw.
The other picture is the breech area.
 

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mhb said:
The pistols are from SE Asia, possibly Laos or Cambodia, judging from the script on the lockplates. They are of better-than-average workmanship for the area, but are still crude. The hammers might be from an original DB shotgun, but all other parts are probably locally made. Barrels are usually made from seamless steel tubing. The large diameter and flat-topped nipples are made for use with locally-made percussion compounds, which are prepared by apothecaries and dabbed onto sheets of rice paper. For use, the 'caps' are torn off and stuffed into the recess in the hammer nose. BP is made by the users, with ingredients sold in the country markets (saltpeter, sulfur) and readily-available charcoal. Your pair are likely made for the tourist trade, as locals have little use for single shot pistols, though they hunt small game with long guns of the same basic type. I can't recommend shooting them without a thorough inspection to see whether the breeches are properly sealed (they are often just plugged and welded).

mhb - MIKe
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The Karen peoples of Burma (Myanmar) still make and use muzzleloaders. There is still political/ethnic conflict going on there where these types of guns are still being used. Might be interesting to figure out the writing.
 
PathfinderNC said:
The Karen peoples of Burma (Myanmar) still make and use muzzleloaders. There is still political/ethnic conflict going on there where these types of guns are still being used. Might be interesting to figure out the writing.
Click to expand...

They are commonly made and used by most, if not all, of the hilltribes of SEA - I have seen them in use in the Golden Triangle. Most often they are used for small game, with coarse shot which is also sold in the hill markets. Typical bore diameter is ca. 1/2" or slightly smaller. I did see one bear which had just been shot and killed with such a gun, but did not ask with what sort of projectile(s).

mhb - MIke
 
After looking more closely at the inscription on the lockplates, it dawned on me that it is actually the customary Thai greeting "Sawaddee", though the script at first looked odd...

mhb - MIke
 
mhb said:
After looking more closely at the inscription on thesaid salockplates, it dawned on me that it is actually the customary Thai greeting "Sawaddee", though the script at first looked odd...

mhb - MIke
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I have a nephew in Thailand and that's what he told me. He said it says Hello. He also said they all say the same thing just different writing.
 
Heres some more pictures of the locks and plates.
 

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I posted them on Facebook and my nephew was the first to reply. Then I came over here and mhb said the same.
Two of two cant be wrong.
After taking them apart, they look shootable. I'll get em back together and use a long string. I have a set up just for that. If I can find it. I'll use just loose powder first. Then check for any leaks. Then with a wad or packing. I still have to turn down the nipples for a #11 cap.
 
Jappo said:
I posted them on Facebook and my nephew was the first to reply. Then I came over here and mhb said the same.
Two of two cant be wrong.
After taking them apart, they look shootable. I'll get em back together and use a long string. I have a set up just for that. If I can find it. I'll use just loose powder first. Then check for any leaks. Then with a wad or packing. I still have to turn down the nipples for a #11 cap.
Click to expand...

Well, if the two were Democrats... I lived and worked in Thailand for a bit over 8 years, altogether, with my last overseas tour being 4 years working out of the embassy in Bangkok. I did a year at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA for Thai Language, and was once fairly proficient, but that was 30-some years ago, and it took a while for what I was seeing to dawn on me. I suspect the engraving was meant more to add interest for the benefit of the (likely) tourist buyer, than to convey any particular message - it's like saying 'Howdy!' on an American version (if there were such) of these things.
Before you fire anything in these beauties, you might just stand the barrels on end and fill them with water, to see if anything leaks out the breech end.

mhb - MIke
 
Well I got them cleaned up and put back together. I turned the nipples down for #11 caps. Both pop the caps. Put 20gr 3f loose powder. Both ignited powder. 20gr and a 44 caliber 1/8 thick wad. They did good. Don't have the right size balls, the bores at the muzzle measure .369. I have some .310 but they are too small. What size are the 32 caliber rifle balls?
 

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Hornady swaged roundballs for .32 caliber are .315" diameter. They also offer swaged buckshot, with 00 measuring .330" and 000 at .350" - the 000 size with proper patch would probably work best in your pistols.

mhb - MIke
 
PathfinderNC said:
That’s so interesting. What a strange thing to engrave (from a Westerner’s perspective). Nice detective work.
Click to expand...

TBH, it's no odder than some of the things we see on T shirts from Japan and other parts of the Far East. My daughter sill wears her T bearing the words - 'Ahoy! Happy melidy [sic] rhino!' on the front, and 'Great days! Good eatings are here!' on the back.
 
mhb said:
Hornady swaged roundballs for .32 caliber are .315" diameter. They also offer swaged buckshot, with 00 measuring .330" and 000 at .350" - the 000 size with proper patch would probably work best in your pistols.

mhb - MIke
Click to expand...
Ok, I found a couple .350. Don't know where they came from. They were in my lead scrap bucket. A .012 patch is still a little loose. Probably with a thicker patch. As much as I'll be shooting em, don't think I want to order a box. I have plenty of shot. Make good snake guns.
 
If you shoot those things, we need to see it on YouTube, also, also, so that your widder-woman has something to remember you by.
 
TFoley said:
If you shoot those things, we need to see it on YouTube, also, also, so that your widder-woman has something to remember you by.
Click to expand...
Haha yep, I ain't skeered to choot em. And I'm a widderer.
I used to have a set up and a long string. Can't find it. Might have to make another one.
 

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