FOR SALE Antique A. Ruggles style Underhammer percussion pistol

[BlackPowderKeg]

This pistol style, with a bottom percussion cap lock, was designed and built by Fordyce and Adin Ruggles of Massachusetts, supposedly due to an accidental discharge of a flintlock pistol in a bag by a traveler. It's very simple (10 parts, 4 of which move) and inexpensive.

Oh January 29, 1828, Fordyce finished a test firing and went to the local tavern with the gun in his pocket. A young man pickpocketed the unusual gun out of his coat and immediately accidentally shot and killed him with it. His brother and widow continued the business.

November 18, 1833, Adin Ruggles is walking outside the factory. A worker casually test fires the gun out a nearby doorway and kills him.

Cynthia Ruggles continued the business until it shuttered in 1838.

Pistol in remarkable condition considering it's almost 200 years old, the most important nipple is not beat up and bore looks serviceable, wood is good and trigger locks works fine. I would not hesitate to fire this gun tomorrow. Below you will find fine article dedicated to the history of early American underhammer pistols

https://americansocietyofarmscollec...-Early-New-England-Underhammers-in-the-St.pdf

$495 shipped

 

[BlackPowderKeg]

 

[BlackPowderKeg]

 

[Darto]

Two of the four moving parts are springs. The other two are the hammer and the trigger. In it's day almost no private American gun maker made locks, they imported them. But Ruggles' design was very easy for them to make.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Is this gun actually marked Ruggles?

Their were numerous makers of this style of pistol.

Also, I have never seen any with that style of grip. It looks a bit crude, perhaps it was sanded or modified at some point.

I’m curious also why the top strap is bend upwards? Notice the gap. It should be flat along the receiver.

 

[BlackPowderKeg]

there's some hard to read stamping on the side of the top strap closer to rear sight, that to say if you read above article you will realize it could be E. HUTCHINGS & CO, Andrews Ferrey Co or Andrus-Osborn this pistol was inspected by few collectors in the past and majority were tend to think it's Ruggles because of the "cast steel" style of stamping that still visible on the barrel but again I'm not making a statement here saying it's for sure Ruggles

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

there's some hard to read stamping on the side of the top strap closer to rear sight, that to say if you read above article you will realize it could be E. HUTCHINGS & CO, Andrews Ferrey Co or Andrus-Osborn this pistol was inspected by few collectors in the past and majority were tend to think it's Ruggles because of the "cast steel" style of stamping that still visible on the barrel but again I'm not making a statement here saying it's for sure Ruggles

Thank you. These are a very interesting piece of firearms Americana.