Flintlock Pistol Information Requested

[steve98]

Can anyone provide any information about this Flintlock Pistol? It was given to my dad in 1952 where it was found in a house attic in Michigan. Sorry, that is the only thing we know about it.

There is some text on the inside of the side trim, but I couldn't make any sense out of it. I thought it might be Russian, but a Ukranian person said no. There may be some very small numbers or something on the barrel, but it might just be rust.

Even guesses would be appreciated.

Thank you for looking.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/steve_car/gunstuff/P8300727.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/steve_car/gunstuff/P8300726.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/steve_car/gunstuff/P8300730.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/steve_car/gunstuff/P8300728.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/steve_car/gunstuff/P8300729.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/steve_car/gunstuff/text.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/steve_car/gunstuff/P8300731.jpg

 

[JV Puleo]

Balkan, Turkish, eastern Mediterranean or even North African. Very little is known about them and about 90% of what we see is junk made in recent for the tourist trade.
I don't think that is... It has the look of a gun that was actually meant to be used which means it could have been locally made or it could be a European product for the "Levant trade."

They aren't generally desirable in the collector marked - in fact, real ones are so outnumbered by the junk that they are all classed as junk since the average collector can't distinguish between them.

 

[steve98]

Thanks for the information.

I did a search on the Cyrillic alphabet and now am thinking that may be what it is.

When you say this gun is junk, do you mean it is worthless? If so, maybe I will glue the stock back together and replace some of the missing wood and missing screw.

To me it looked well made and very old,but I sure don't know much about these.

 

[Zonie]

I may be wrong, but I don't think he was saying your gun is junk.

What he was saying was there are a lot of similar looking guns made in small shops all over that area of the world today that are intended to be sold to tourists and generally they aren't worth much.

Many of them don't even have working locks on them or touch holes in the barrel where the flash of priming powder ignites the main powder charge n the barrel.

The lock on your gun looks to be authentic and it is too bad the stock is cracked.

If I were in your shoes I would attempt to glue the stock back together and perhaps mount it on a felt covered board in a picture frame and hang it on the wall. It would make a interesting portrait.

 

[JV Puleo]

I did not say your gun was junk... I said that there are so many junk examples out there that one like yours, which I think is the real thing, is still not particularly valuable... by that I mean something like $150 to $350 - that being very much a guess as I've never bought one and selling prices, not "asking prices," are what counts. Most people never look beyond the "flash" decoration and dismiss this sort of gun out of hand... which isn't right, or smart, but it is common.

By all means glue the stock back together. If carefully done will do nothing but good.

 

[steve98]

Thanks for the clarification. I will go ahead and glue the stock, but I think I will not try to fill in the missing wood.

Any ideas what years this style working gun were made? It sounds like the tourist models would be made way later.

 

[Many Klatch]

Steve, the gun looks to age from the 1770's to the 1800's at least that is my WAG.

What the others are saying are that very similar guns are being made today for sale to unsuspecting or uncaring tourists. From about 10 or 15 feet away these new guns will look almost exactly like your authentic antique gun.

If this was a real family heirloom that everyone felt deeply about you could probably find someone that could put the gun back into shootable condition if the barrel isn't rusted out. The lock looks usable with a bit of oil. Too bad about the stock.

The gun looks like something that might have been carried by the Barbary pirates.

Many Klatch

 

[colmoultrie]

If the gun as a whole has neither sentimental nor actual value, but the lock and barrel are both usable, this might be a candidate for a restock by a skilled gunsmith.

The furniture does look nice - not too gaudy as Eastern pistols go - and you'd have a piece of history that you could actually use and enjoy. The critical pieces will be the lock and barrel. It's hard to tell actual quality and condition from photos, at least for me.

 

[steve98]

I suspect that this is a very novice question, but I haven't been able to find an answer in my searches. Maybe I don't use the right key words or something.

I was given an old Flintlock pistol and do not understand why the ramrod is only 6 inches long while the barrel is 11 inches. Was there that much air in the barrel? I always thought that the ball would be packed next to the powder.

Thank you.

Here is a picture.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Have you ever taken the ram rod out of the gun?

 

[necchi]

I always thought that the ball would be packed next to the powder.

And you would be correct :thumbsup:

It could be the ramrod is a replacement that someone got wrong.
That pistol could have a tapered steel rod that is the proper length,,someone lost it and just stuck a short wood one in for looks.
Find a small rod and slide it down the ramrod hole,,see how far it goes,,? :wink:

 

[Stumpkiller]

You definately want it tightly packed with no airspace. That's the difference between a pistol and a hand-held pipe bomb.

The rammer channel should extend well into the stock behind the lock. If it is shorter it is probably broken or a "decorative replacement" for a lost rod.

 

[steve98]

I removed the rear ramrod holder and while that piece is open on both ends there is no hole in the stock. I guess it could be plugged, because there is a round discoloration there. But I cannot imagine why someone would do that. I believe the stock to be original. It is very well made in my opinion and looks very old.

 

[Zonie]

It is highly unusual for a pistol with ramrod thimbles to not have a hole in the stock for the ramrod. Usually there is a ramrod sized hole under the rear thimble that extends back past the front of the lock.

When you say there is a round discoloration is it possible that this is the end of what remains of the ramrod?

 

[MSW]

sounds as though Zonie is on the right track- i wouldn't be surprised if someone who didn't really understand the way these things work put something there and used the pistol as a 'wall hanger.'

you should slide a bit of dowel into the barrel and see how far down it goes. Hopefully, the dowel will go to just past the touch hole. If it stops before the touch hole, there is a possibility the pistol is loaded, and you should pull the load and clean the barrel. If this is actually an original, you would do well to have it appraised, and i suspect that you'll be surprised at the value.

good luck with your pistol!

 

[Rogue River]

Are you sure this is the real deal or could it be some sort of wall hanger or movie prop? :shocked2: :idunno:

 

[steve98]

This is a working gun. The only thing I know for sure about this gun is that it was given to my dad in 1952, where it was found in an attic in a house in Michigan.

The barrel is open past the touch hole.

The ramrod is made of wood, so it sounds like it is not original. But if the wood ramrod is broken off in the stock, it is a very tight fit and has been sanded smooth. But I don't see why someone would go to the trouble of sanding it.

I looked at the angle of the stock, aft of the rear ramrod holder (sorry I don't know all the terms)and if the ramrod did come through there, it would be pretty thin where it starts.

Thank you very much for your help. I am just trying to figure this thing out. Here is a picture showing the ramrod and barrel better.