Arab Miqulet

[rickystl]

Not sure if this falls under smoothbore or pistol. I'll let the Moderator decide;
Here's something different: This is an original Arabian Rat Tail pistol with a miqulet style lock. It retains 100% of all it's brass and silver wire and 99% of the silver mounts on the lock. Ball trigger made without a trigger guard. She is in perfect firing order thanks to a barrel liner from Bob Hoyt. It's now a .540 caliber. I've shot it three times using 40 grains FF, .509 ball, pillow ticking/patch greese. Shoots about the same as other smoothbore pistols out to 15 yards. Sure does eat up flints. But all these Middle Eastern flint arms have real strong mainsprings. This is probably due to the quality of flint available in that part of the world? It's very awkward aiming this pistol due to the very tapered grip. Wonder why they built them that way? Must have had small hands compared to Europeans. Rick.

 

[Leonredbeard]

Very Nice. So it will throw the sparks into the pan?
volatpluvia

 

[miqueleter]

Ricky, that is a very nice Istanbul miquelet lock on that Balkan pistol. That pistol is very likely not the first pistol that lock has been on. It is a Cadilac lock on a Pinto stock. And good on you for shooting it, after you got the barrel lined. I envy you for the fun you are having with it.

 

[bingo1952]

Just a guess but they may have put that pointy end on the grip to better hole a skull by concentrating the force of the blow into a smaller area after the lone shot had been fired. After all these were close range weapons with no time to reload just flip it around and club it.

 

[rickystl]

It sure was a conversation piece at the range. A combination of curiosity and laughes. :haha: But yes, it was fun to shoot. There is something about shooting an original. I agree with you that this may not be the first lock it's seen. I have another Caucasen (spelling?) miquelet that I can tell was not the original lock, but very close. I'm sending the barrel off for a reline on that one too. I'll post pics when I get it back. Thanks for taking a look. Rick.

 

[Toomuch_36]

It's very awkward aiming this pistol due to the very tapered grip. Wonder why they built them that way? Must have had small hands compared to Europeans. Rick.

I believe the long tapered grip may be just a hold-over from the match fire hand gonnes which were nothing more than a small cannon mounted on a stick to be held by the shooter rather that mounted on a casson.
Bobby does very good work and it is a very fine looking pistol. :thumbsup:

Toomuch
.........
Shoot Flint

 

[rickystl]

I agree with you. Bobby does great work. He told me he's had alot of practice. :haha: You have to look real close at the muzzle to tell it has a liner. Not even noticeable.
Only trouble is his current turn around time. I've had a barrel up there for a re-line for four months now. And I'm getting ready to send him two more. Seems that all of a sudden he's had a flood of orders for ML barrels. Something about a shortage of Getz barrels. I'll have to try calling him again Monday.