British Light Sea Service Dragoon project !

So with the current prices of original Light Dragoons these days….especially ones in shootable condition !!!
I’ve went with an Indian copy.
1st impressions outta the box it’s actually not too bad…exceeded my expectations. Feels good/points well enough….and from a few feet away looks pretty legit to an 1821 pattern light Sea Service pistol !
Finish is pretty rough in places but decent in others. The 2 main differences from an original, it uses only one barrel pin, originals have 2 (rear one nonexistent on this) and the entry pipe is not even close appearance wise(I think they must be using the same ones for numerous guns) it’s actually the crudest thing cosmetically on the whole pistol….really quite terrible.
Lock is functional and actually throws a decent spark. (Definitely needs some tlc though) trigger pull is pretty stiff…and the trigger shape is pretty far from originals.(another case of one part for multiple guns I’m thinking)
Barrel measures 1” at the breach & tapers to .875 at the muzzle. Barrel thickness at muzzle .098-.1” Bore measures .632 !
Weighs 3 lbs 2ounces
Wood is obviously not walnut but is shaped decent enough…inletting is passible. Hopefully i can clean most of it up to serve as a decent shooter and passable replica !
….we’ll see about that

The entry pipe……

Sparks okay….

Gonna be a winter project……

No, not walnut, but still "interesting" figure. Should get you some nice comments at the range.

Do you mind me asking where you got it from?

Xenophon said:

Do you mind me asking where you got it from?

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No problem….private sale from Quebec
I have no idea who the original importer was….maybe Loyalist ?
It is dated 2018 under the barrel…..

Thanks. And congratulations on your purchase. I’m seriously thinking of getting one. Be sure and post any updates as you start using it.

Xenophon said:

.....I’m seriously thinking of getting one. .....

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Just FYI here's the thread I started when I wanted some input on deciding to get one:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/loyalist-arms-vs-veteran-arms-flintlock-pistols.174994/

wiscoaster said:

Just FYI here's the thread I started when I wanted some input on deciding to get one:
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/loyalist-arms-vs-veteran-arms-flintlock-pistols.174994/

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Thank you

The wood grain on the grip is really nice. Is that teak maybe? I bet she cleans up into a nice pistol.

CyrusP said:

The wood grain on the grip is really nice. Is that teak maybe? I bet she cleans up into a nice pistol.

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Yep for sure it’s Teak….. thanks I sure hope so

CyrusP said:

The wood grain on the grip is really nice. Is that teak maybe? I bet she cleans up into a nice pistol.

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His did. Mine did. Just be ready to expend some time and elbow grease.

wiscoaster said:

His did. Mine did. Just be ready to expend some time and elbow grease.

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Well yours did anyways…..mines still in pieces getting the elbow grease ! lol
Just about got all the metal work done, working on the brass now….then I’ll start the wood
Pics soon….

Hi,
Light sea service dragoon pistol? You are kidding, right? So dragoons fought on ships?

dave

BCWILL said:

Sparks okay….

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Nice example. I've got one of the veteran arms brownbesses that I'm looking to refinish the wood on (font care for the lacquer) everything else is fine. I'm thinking about buying one of the sea service or dragoon pistols to experiment on the wood so to speak first (I just want a pistol too)

dave_person said:

Hi,
Light sea service dragoon pistol? You are kidding, right? So dragoons fought on ships?

dave

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No, the Sea Service is not a dragoon pistol. Maybe you misread or mixed up something somewhere in the posts. There was a "lighter" Sea Service version came out later, but it was still a Sea Service. The Light Dragoon is a different pistol but similar to the Light Sea Service, as far as I can tell from various references. Names don't mean everything. This was two hundred years ago and reproductions today take liberties and can't be relied on as authentic in terms of form, function or NAME. And nobody here is certainly an expert on what's what wrt to variants that came out two centuries ago, examples of which only reside in museums, and only the museum curator is an "expert", so if labels get a little mixed up or a little muzzy, I don't think it's worth calling out in a ridiculing tone of voice.

dave_person said:

Hi,
Light sea service dragoon pistol? You are kidding, right? So dragoons fought on ships?

dave

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Yep you noticed ! Someone was paying attention

BCWILL said:

Yep you noticed ! Someone was paying attention

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You're a more magnanimous person than I.

Meh no worries….it’s all fun folks
That’s actually how the pistol was listed for sale when I bought it so I titled the thread that way….surprised it took this long for someone to catch it
Yes it would be incorrect to refer to a Sea service pistol as a “dragoon”