• Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.

    We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.

    Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103

Your guess on pistols nationality

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Relic shooter

Decades of bringing worthy orig. ML back to life
MLF Supporter
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
1,150
Reaction score
1,930
Location
Kuna, Idaho
As mentioned previously my 'European Gun Makers library hasn't turned up since downsizing to smaller home so back again.

Based on past experience & enclosed photos i think we can all agree this nicely made pistol with it's original iron ramrod started life as an 'early' flintlock.
We usually only see early European flintlocks without bridles on the tumbler, unless they are of lesser quality than this pistol.
Closeup photo of the lock shows screw hole where the frizzen was mounted & filled.

Closer examination indicates that the lock's original hammers base may have been used by forging a percusion nose to make the conversion..
Percussion conversion was done with a snail type drum screwed into the touch hole area & fitted to the old pan's recess.
Judging from past collecting experience this pistol appears military with it's .64 cal. smooth bore & skull cracker butt pin, maybe custom for officer due to carving ?
Surprisingly the wood, bore & breech remains in excellent shape.
QUESTION !
Any ideas on the HP & Crown type markings shown on the breech area photo ???
Kinda resembles the Danish / Austrian style ?
Appreciate hearing what you all think.
Best regards,
Chuck/Relic shooter
 

Attachments

  • Flint to perc pistol, right side photo.jpg
    Flint to perc pistol, right side photo.jpg
    3.5 MB
  • Flint to perc. lock closeup photo.jpg
    Flint to perc. lock closeup photo.jpg
    647.7 KB
  • Flint to perc pistol, left side photo.jpg
    Flint to perc pistol, left side photo.jpg
    3 MB
  • Flint to perc pistol, bottom view photo.jpg
    Flint to perc pistol, bottom view photo.jpg
    813 KB
  • Flint to perc. pistol, Barrel markings photo.jpg
    Flint to perc. pistol, Barrel markings photo.jpg
    1.6 MB
I believe the mark HP with crown over is French. I'll have to dig out my Gun Marks book to check, may take a while though.
Edit: I found my book The Official Guide To Gunmarks Third Addition by Robert H. Balderson and it is a French Black powder proof Mark, the letters are the initials of the person conducting the proof but it does not say who that was. Some of the same crown with only one letter below indicate the proof house or armory/arsenal.
 
Last edited:
I believe the mark HP with crown over is French. I'll have to dig out my Gun Marks book to check, may take a while though.
Edit: I found my book The Official Guide To Gunmarks Third Addition by Robert H. Balderson and it is a French Black powder proof Mark, the letters are the initials of the person conducting the proof but it does not say who that was. Some of the same crown with only one letter below indicate the proof house or armory/arsenal.
Much thanks for your input Bpd303 !
I'm inclined to agree with you, the workmanship & tapered top flat that runs full length along top
of the barrel is similar to other French pistols I've owned.
 
Back
Top