Sorry, it's been a long day and my BS tolerance ceased about 8am.you're not nearly a cordial as I am...
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James Lowe 1740 Pistols. Shootable?
- Thread starter pipascus
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Show me the Italian proof marks please. I'll keep an open mind.
Sam squanch
69 Cal.
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If the original poster wants to shoot these pistols, then he has enough advice to decide whether to do so or not. If nothing breaks, he is good.
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I'm a long time Gun collector and prefer BP Flintlocks, what you have there is either an original matched brace of smooth bore screw barrel gentlemans pistols in whats commonly referred to as the "Queen Anne" style or a damn fine reproduction of them.
My advice is to pass on all the sage advice in regard to not firing them, I fire my own with care given to both Black powder grade, loading and Ball calibre.
If you look into the receiver end where the Barrels screw into the main body of the Pistol you should see a cupped end with an open "tunnel" leading to a chamber, that Sir is your pre-set Powder measure.
I recommend that you only use a 2f grade of black powder and dont ram it down, just trickle in enough to be level with the "tunnel" opening in the cupped surface I mentioned.
The cupped surface is there to sit the round Ball, so shouldnt have any residual powder on it.
Understandably I cant determine what calibre round Ball those pistols are chambered for, but they were usually between .50" and .60".
It would be wise to have the bore checked so you can use the correct size Balls.
Don't bother trying to patch the Ball when loading, the Screw barrels of the period didnt allow for patched Ball loading as they featured a slightly tapering Bore out to the muzzle.
When you load, after Powder is settled the Ball is simply seated on top in the cup and the Barrel is screwed down firmly over the seated Ball.
Original Pistols came with a "Key" which was a circular band on a handle designed to slip over the Barrel so it could be tightened down.
Sadly most of the original Keys were lost, if yours dont have them just use a sturdy plastic zip tie loose enough to slip over the Barrel and be tension twisted with a small screw driver (avoid marring the barrel) surprisingly they dont need to be that tight to be safely fired.
Enjoy them with care, you're truly blessed in having them.
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"Rifling" ?
I've never seen, heard or handled an original or reproduction "Queen Anne" style of FL Pistol that was Rifled, and believe me I've handled more of them than I could count over the last 50 odd years.
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I've only seen a couple of pair of turn-off barrel pistols, and like those of the OP, they were not Queen Anne style. Both pairs were rifled.
Sam squanch
69 Cal.
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Didn’t some of the turn off pistols have grooves cut into the muzzle for a wrench to fit into? It would look like rifling..
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Hi,
Most of the turn off pistols popular in Britain were smooth bored. However, some of the earliest made during the mid 17th century were rifled. The system seems to me to be ideal for rifled barrels but perhaps the British saw no need for that extra expense given the pistols were used at such short ranges. It is believed that Prince Rupert's famous shooting of the weathervane in front of Charles I was done with rifled turn-off pistols. Sam, some did have grooves at the muzzle for a barrel wrench or key used to unscrew the barrel. Some had twisting flutes on the outside of the barrel to allow grip for turning the barrel.
dave
Most of the turn off pistols popular in Britain were smooth bored. However, some of the earliest made during the mid 17th century were rifled. The system seems to me to be ideal for rifled barrels but perhaps the British saw no need for that extra expense given the pistols were used at such short ranges. It is believed that Prince Rupert's famous shooting of the weathervane in front of Charles I was done with rifled turn-off pistols. Sam, some did have grooves at the muzzle for a barrel wrench or key used to unscrew the barrel. Some had twisting flutes on the outside of the barrel to allow grip for turning the barrel.
dave
I just chuckle at almost every post regarding an antique gun, one of the very first questions inevitably is:
“Are you going to shoot it?”
“Are you going to shoot it?”
Yup. Guns look good and in fine condition. Unless I was interested in flipping them for a profit, I'd shoot the heck out of 'em.
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The rights & wrongs of this matter ide tend to leave to the owner if we should be about preservation of antigues generally speaking that said if like Kieth Neal & Coinreach I shot many rounds from original guns before I was able to' roll my own.'. I made a rifled flintlock on this same' Turn off 'principal The ever helpfull .Pecatonica gave or let me have cheap a nice pre shape of maple at a Friendship shoot the stock scarce a bit more that the lock region .but I contrived a join of three quarter Whitworth thread in oct to taper round with a canon muzzle . The breech section was a bit of 1" 44 cal Dixie blank off cut smooth from a matchlock . So ide load the 2 & 1/2 or so drams then fill the rest with breadcrumbs adding two oiled felt wads ere I sat the ball just over its 50 cal then screwed on the barrel and though I allowed for a spanner in practice hand tight was enough its 30'in toto with the joined on rifled section 27 & 5/8s" barrel. What I found was that just pouring powder into the chamber did not give reliable filling and often miss fired accordingly .but if I dropped it from the muzzle it packed itself reliably an important point if hunting. The lock incidentally the great ' Davis 'Twigg.'
' What I concluded that while it shot harder it was so slow to reload that I stayed with my muzzle loaders . ( Allways said these Breach loaders will never catch on !). I did try over sized ball but unless it was tight the barrel on fireing was allowed to wobble and results poor accordingly . Thats me breech loaded out Regards Rudyard
' What I concluded that while it shot harder it was so slow to reload that I stayed with my muzzle loaders . ( Allways said these Breach loaders will never catch on !). I did try over sized ball but unless it was tight the barrel on fireing was allowed to wobble and results poor accordingly . Thats me breech loaded out Regards Rudyard
Just my opinion but I won't buy anything new or old that can't be fired. Guns (even originals) were made with one basic purpose, to shoot. You can argue that the status of an original takes it out of the shooting category but it's not something personally I would choose.
A case in point would be an original flint duelling pistol. There's a category in the MLAGB competition calendar for these pistols and most of the guns used have already been fired dozens more times than they would have originally but they still do the job, admittedly some better than others! If anything breaks there are a small number of Gunsmiths with the skills to repair them and while these exist there will be people ready to shoot them. I suppose the argument could be said that a beautiful cased pair of Mantons with all the accessories shouldn't be fired but I wouldn't nor couldn't afford to do this anyway. However if I was ever gifted a set then that's a different story altogether...
A case in point would be an original flint duelling pistol. There's a category in the MLAGB competition calendar for these pistols and most of the guns used have already been fired dozens more times than they would have originally but they still do the job, admittedly some better than others! If anything breaks there are a small number of Gunsmiths with the skills to repair them and while these exist there will be people ready to shoot them. I suppose the argument could be said that a beautiful cased pair of Mantons with all the accessories shouldn't be fired but I wouldn't nor couldn't afford to do this anyway. However if I was ever gifted a set then that's a different story altogether...
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Thats unusual for screw barrel /turn off FL pistols, but I'm not disputing they existed.
Ballshooter
50 Cal.
Shoot them!
So in your opinion, not actually handling or inspecting these particular guns, and not knowing anything about them or if they have ever been shot or not, you recommend shooting them because…. even if it reduces their value by 75%.
