Left Handed Flint Pistol Kit ?

[HarborMaster]

This seems to be harder to find than it should be? we are looking for a lefty flint kit preferably in a shorter model than a kentucky., actually somethinglike a 6" to 8" max barrel length would work almost anything to add to our collection. Any ideas ?

 

I'm left handed so I notice these things. One thing I have never noticed is a left hand flintlock pistol. Or even a percussion one for that matter. Every pair of antique originals I have seen was a pair of identical pistols, not one with a lefthand lock and one with a righthand lock.

If you want one, you will have to go with a custom built one. L&R makes a couple of small locks that would be suitable. Frankly, I wouldn't bother. With a pistol it wouldn't matter, the lock is in a convenient place to cock with the right hand and since it is fired while being held at arms length, which side the lock is on won't matter.

 

[HarborMaster]

true but when firing a right handed pistol with your left hand your line of sight is somewhat obstructed by the frizzen., and it gets damn smokey! Thanks mate., Ill have to look into a custom I think on this one.

 

[Flintandsteel]

There is quite a famous pistol out there by Beck that is left handed. It is supposedly a mirror image of a right/left hand pair. A most beautiful and exquisitely built pistol. Very slender and sleek.
Has an oct/round tapered barrel. Nice carving, and very ornate sideplate and trigger guard. Best photos I know are in the Kentucky pistol by Whisker.
It's a beauty.

 

I have heard of this gun Smallpatch, but I have never seen a photo and all the references to it being a mirror image of the other are either ambiguous or second hand. I don't claim that there never was a lefthand flintlock pistol, but I have never seen one or heard a reliable report of one. Shotgun locks, the normal source of lefthand locks (modern locks excepted) are rather large for pistols. Even lefthand antique rifles are rare. I've one advertised in a magazine, Single Shot Exchange, one photo of a percussion gun and one percussion gun at the Las Vegas Gun Show several years ago.

 

Looking thru my references, page 346 of The Gunsmith of Grenville County by Alexander shows three views of a lefthand flintlock pistol by Beck.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Yeah,

I've heard all the rumors as well. The photos I have ARE of the left handed version.

The so called "mirror image" right handed pistol seems to not exist, or is in a VERY private collection.