Harpers Ferry Military Police pistol

[sssnot]

Greetings! This is my first post, so please be gentile--I HAVE already consulted the database here with no luck as of yet...

...so here are my questions:

1. How many different models of Harpers Ferry pistols were made? *There are at least 2 that I know of--one with and one without knearled handles.

2. What is the model number for the model with the knearled handle (the glass-encased Military Police crossed pistols that are currently used as reference/inspiration for the Military Police Corps 'crossed-pistol' insignia)?

 

[sssnot]

How 'bout a web site or museum somewhere that may have this info?

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Me thinks over at the Dixie Gun Works website, I know the catalog, they have a book for sale all about those pistols. Heck they got the pistols too.

 

[Zonie]

Flayderman's Guide To Antique American Firearms says the pistols manufactured at Harpers Ferry Arsnal are:
Model 1805 Flintlock .54 cal, brass butt. These were made in 1805, 1806, 1807 and 1808.
This was appearently the first pistol manufactured by a national armory.
I don't find any other military pistols made by Harpers Ferry Armory listed.

This is not to say there were no other Primary Military pistols made, it just indicates that they were not made by the Harpers Ferry Armory.

Looking thru the various other Primary Military Single Shot Pistols, one of the makers names which pops up quite often is Simon North, Berlin, Connecticut.
North made (among others) the 1808, 1811, 1813, 1816, 1819 and 1826.

There may be some other pistols made by Harpers Ferry but IMO, Flayderman's is an excellent source of information and he rarely overlooks American guns of value (as all American Military pistols are).

Flayderman's also has a section which lists Secondary Military pistols which there is little doubt served the military. The prime distinction is they were not made under government contract.

Most public librarys have a copy of Flayderman's book. If your library has one, take a look. It's fascinating!

 

[sssnot]

Flayderman's Guide To Antique American Firearms says the pistols manufactured at Harpers Ferry Arsnal are:
Model 1805 Flintlock .54 cal, brass butt. These were made in 1805, 1806, 1807 and 1808.
This was appearently the first pistol manufactured by a national armory.
I don't find any other military pistols made by Harpers Ferry Armory listed.

This is not to say there were no other Primary Military pistols made, it just indicates that they were not made by the Harpers Ferry Armory.

Looking thru the various other Primary Military Single Shot Pistols, one of the makers names which pops up quite often is Simon North, Berlin, Connecticut.
North made (among others) the 1808, 1811, 1813, 1816, 1819 and 1826.

There may be some other pistols made by Harpers Ferry but IMO, Flayderman's is an excellent source of information and he rarely overlooks American guns of value (as all American Military pistols are).

Flayderman's also has a section which lists Secondary Military pistols which there is little doubt served the military. The prime distinction is they were not made under government contract.

Most public librarys have a copy of Flayderman's book. If your library has one, take a look. It's fascinating!

Wow--now THAT's what I'm talking about!! Thanks very much for your time and effort in finding this info for me!! *I'll pass this on to the MP Historian too...

:hatsoff: :applause:

 

[Zonie]

sssnot: The Military Police Corps 'crossed-pistol' you refered to is indeed the 1805 pistol made by Harpers Ferry.

Other things Flayderman's mentions is there were 4096 pistols made. They were issued in matches sets with each set having the same serial number.

My 1994 Flayderman's book says one of these pistols in excellent condition was worth about $30,000

 

[sssnot]

:shocked2: :bow:

Whoa.