Flintlock pistol ID

[Robert Egler]

My son in law just inherited a flintlock pistol from his aunt. It was sold to her about 40 years ago with the statement, (undocumented, so always suspect), that it was a revolutionary war relic.

Any help with IDing this would be helpful. The lock is too rusted to see any markings, but the barrel has the stamps shown in the photo

A separate question is what it the best way to preserve it from further damage?

 

[Shine]

Those proofs look like thisle . :hmm:

 

[MacRob46]

Send a side view of the lock so we can look at whatever the thing is on the frizzen spring.

 

[MacRob46]

French, I think, possibly very early 18th c. Not made during the Revolutionary era but possibly used then. The proof marks are none that I have seen but they are definitely not Scottish.

 

[pargent]

That's an early French frizzen bridle, pistol is most likely early French +/_ 1740

 

[robinghewitt]

I've got one of them, I was told "Levantine" which translates as Eastern Mediterranean.

Do your lock securing bolts not go all the way through the lock plate? I thought that was quite clever which is why I bought it. I paid around $300 which probably means I have more money than sense :idunno:

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I think the squire is closer to the mark

 

[rickystl]

This pistol has all the hallmarks of being Balkan made - for the Turkish market. Probably early to mid 19th Century. These pistols were made by the thousands under contract for the Ottoman Empire.
Question: Does the ramrod extend in the channel to approximately back to the breech? Or does it stop short, just past the rear thimble?
More photos would be great. Is the lock hanging out of the mortice?
Thanks for posting. Rick. :hatsoff:

 

[Robert Egler]

The ramrod is a full ramrod, the length of the barrel. The wood above the lock has been broken away so you can see the internals of the lock from the top view. One of the 2 lock screws is missing, so the lock easily flops up and down, but doesn't hang out of the mortise too much, some, but not as loose as it looks in the pictures.

The screws do pass all the way through the lock, flush with the lock surface. Hopefully I can get him to send some more pictures

 

[rickystl]

Hi Squirrel. Thanks for your response. Yes, I hope your friend can provide some more pics. A couple additional questions: 1. Is the trigger guard nailed on the stock? Or is it set by screws? 2. The brass butt cap looks like it is missing a piece that would be in the center bottom of the butt cap. Is there a hole in that location? Or what looks like a broke off brass/iron nail?
Thanks again. Rick. :hatsoff:

 

[laufer]

turkish made pistol.

 

[thehorn]

I think Ricky is spot on about it being Turkish. If I recall right, back in the late 1960's and early 70's Century Arms (St. Albans, VT) advertised these in their Shotgun News ads along with Indian Sikh talwars (curved-blade swords). They identified the pistols in their ads as being "Turkish" and straight out of the "Ottoman Empire."

 

[Toomuch51]

I am unsure of country of manufacture but he period appears to be correct. The markings on the barrel appear to be those designating an artillery unit, ie: an exploding bomb.

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

 

[Robert Egler]

Ok, I finally got to actually handle this pistol, so I thought I'd give an update.

The barrel and stock appear to be originally made for each other. My son in law (who knows nothing about BP firearms) was incorrect, the ramrod is not removable.

The side plate is held on with 2 small nails. There is one screw from the side plate. It does not correspond to a hole on the lock. The lock does not have the internal parts needed to have a functioning lock.

The lock and side plate are absolutely not original to this gun and do not come close to fitting the inletting for them.

The brass parts are poorly cast and roughly finished, with many file marks clearly visible. The carving of the wood is roughly done.

The age seems to be real, as in not artificially aged, but I'm no expert.

The story it was sold to his aunt with (for over $1000 in the '70s) was that it was an English Cavalry officer's pistol from the US revolution, which I find extremely hard to believe after examining it. I strongly suspect that story is :bull: