New to me Lowell Haarer Bear Pistol - Just in time for Deer season!

[Bob McBride]

This Lowell Haarer made .54 rifled Virginia Bear pistol c1770’s with a 13 inch crowned and lightly coned Rice barrel and Chambers Late Ketland lock that weighs 2 lb. 7 ¾ oz. and has an overall length of 18 ½ inches and is long enough to be fired like a long gun will be going with me after Venison this Fall. I bought it from my good buddy Mike, who had Lowell make it for him last year as part of a rifle/pistol set. It can be seen in greater detail along with the rifle on the link to Lowell's website below.

Lowell Haarer 'Sparky's Nothing Fancy' Set

Already has a place of honor on the display.....

 

[Ajgall]

That’s a beauty, and fits in the display great. Is there a video about it coming soon?

 

[bradly_tx]

Sweet

 

[GANGGREEN]

Very nice, I wouldn't mind seeing a few more photos of that rifle either we're hearing more about it. Very classy looking.

 

[Bob McBride]

I’ll be doing a few videos, including one, hopefully on the new pistol, but time is ticking until I close the range for the season as it’s only a few hundred yards from a few of my productive deer stands. I will be doing a bunch of hunting videos this year though. I’ll take the cameras to the deer stand, with me coyote hunting with the deer offal and squirrel hunting so hopefully I can keep a good run of videos going over hunting season.

 

[LawrenceA]

Eagerly awaiting your videos Bob.
With unbridled anticipation I might add.

For a "nothing fancy" pistol it is exceptional. Awesome piece of tree holding the bits in place.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Extremely handsome bear pistol!!

From my readings, hunters would use these long barreled, accurate pistols in place of a rifle in thick brush where they were much more handy. They would tree the bear with dogs and blast the bruin out of the canopy where it would plummet to the earth, where the dogs would rip him up if he weren’t dead already,

Not exactly what we would consider “fair chase” today LOL! I recall seeing a bear pistol as small as .40 caliber. Not a whole lot of power was necessarily needed but the long sighting plane really helped. Your .54 should make a superlative deering piece and should pack more than enough power.

A member here or on ALR (maybe Dennis Glazener?) posted a picture of his original bear pistol with a shoulder holster used by the owner (might have been his relative) in the 19th century:

You might consider this kind of shoulder holster as it would make a “real clever” rig for toting your piece!

 

[Notchy Bob]

Great post, Bob!

I remember Muskrat Mike showing the rifle and pistol set on the ALR forum a while back. I'm surprised that he was willing to part with the pistol, but I can't think of a better person to end up with it!

I took an interest in these Southern "Bear Pistols" a while back and even corresponded a little with Jim Chambers. I was specifically interested in the possibility of mounting double set triggers on one of his colonial pistols, which come with a 13" barrel. It turns out that was not really feasible. Mr. Chambers also gently suggested that any pistol taken on a bear hunt would be a de facto "bear pistol," and there may not be enough of them (originals, at least) to identify a specific style.

However, there are at least a few of these long-barreled pistols out there, and some of them do have double-set triggers. I've never been on a bear hunt, but from what I've read about them, hounds were and still are used to find and follow the bruins and bring them to bay. The bear would be occupied with the hounds (or up a tree), and the hunter could take his time to place a deliberate, well aimed shot. Some of the pistols do seem a little under-powered for bear, as alluded by Smokey Plainsman, but there was real concern about the risk of a pass-through injuring or killing a dog on the other side, and even a smaller caliber ball would get the job done if placed properly. Horace Kephart discussed this in the chapter on bear hunting in Our Southern Highlanders.

In any event, you got yourself a keeper, and I am very much looking forward to a report from the field!

Notchy Bob

 

[Old Timer 48]

Nice gun! I have a Lowell Haarer nothing fancy Virginia style rifle. Excellent builder!

 

[Notchy Bob]

I was browsing around on the Contemporary Makers Blogspot today, and found this interesting pistol. We can't say for sure that it is a "Bear Pistol," but it reminded me of the subject of this thread, with its simple design and long barrel:

There are more pictures here: "American Southern Pistol c. 1810-1820" The description follows:

"Stock is probably cherry.
Barrel length 14” .62 caliber Overall 18.5"
Barrel and trigger guard appear to be early French components.
Lock is unmarked and may possibly be an American copy of an English design."

I don't know how they determined it is a Southern pistol, but I'll take their word for it. I'm guessing it is a smoothbore, and you wonder how it might shoot with a SkyChief load in that long barrel. I like the fact that it is a real minimalist's handgun... no sideplate, entry pipe, or buttcap, and it doesn't even have any sights. However, it appears to be well designed and nicely put together out of recycled parts. Somebody knew what he was doing!

Notchy Bob

 

[Mulebrain]

Dang! I love it, now gonna have to look at pistols

 

[Griz44Mag]

I was browsing around on the Contemporary Makers Blogspot today, and found this interesting pistol. We can't say for sure that it is a "Bear Pistol," but it reminded me of the subject of this thread, with its simple design and long barrel:

View attachment 43302

View attachment 43303

There are more pictures here: "American Southern Pistol c. 1810-1820" The description follows:

"Stock is probably cherry.
Barrel length 14” .62 caliber Overall 18.5"
Barrel and trigger guard appear to be early French components.
Lock is unmarked and may possibly be an American copy of an English design."

I don't know how they determined it is a Southern pistol, but I'll take their word for it. I'm guessing it is a smoothbore, and you wonder how it might shoot with a SkyChief load in that long barrel. I like the fact that it is a real minimalist's handgun... no sideplate, entry pipe, or buttcap, and it doesn't even have any sights. However, it appears to be well designed and nicely put together out of recycled parts. Somebody knew what he was doing!

Notchy Bob

With a barrel that long it (almost) qualifies as a short stock carbine!
I'll bet that one is a fun day of shooting....

 

[Ajgall]

This thread has really made me want a long barreled pistol. That may have to be my next project.

 

[Bob McBride]

Extremely handsome bear pistol!!

From my readings, hunters would use these long barreled, accurate pistols in place of a rifle in thick brush where they were much more handy. They would tree the bear with dogs and blast the bruin out of the canopy where it would plummet to the earth, where the dogs would rip him up if he weren’t dead already,

Not exactly what we would consider “fair chase” today LOL! I recall seeing a bear pistol as small as .40 caliber. Not a whole lot of power was necessarily needed but the long sighting plane really helped. Your .54 should make a superlative deering piece and should pack more than enough power.

A member here or on ALR (maybe Dennis Glazener?) posted a picture of his original bear pistol with a shoulder holster used by the owner (might have been his relative) in the 19th century:

View attachment 41316

You might consider this kind of shoulder holster as it would make a “real clever” rig for toting your piece!

FYI Smoke, I’m getting ready to send this pistol to Eric Ewing for a custom made shoulder slung holster for this pistol. He sent me over some sketches and we’re ready to move on it so I’m pretty excited.....It’ll be slung opposite side like a bag and will have a small flapped pocket on the front for incidentals. Similar in concept to the one you posted above.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

FYI Smoke, I’m getting ready to send this pistol to Eric Ewing for a custom made shoulder slung holster for this pistol. He sent me over some sketches and we’re ready to move on it so I’m pretty excited.....It’ll be slung opposite side like a bag and will have a small flapped pocket on the front for incidentals. Similar in concept to the one you posted above.

Awesome! Please share it with us when it’s done!

 

[Cowboy]

Beautiful Pistol my friend.

Thanks for sharing!

Respectfully, Cowboy

 

[Hillbilly Delux]

I would love to see someone put a kit together for a bear pistol. I have planned on building one for some time. Maybe Chambers it Kibler will take that task on.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I would love to see someone put a kit together for a bear pistol. I have planned on building one for some time. Maybe Chambers it Kibler will take that task on.

Jim already has plenty on his plate with the new Indian trade gun.

 

[Hillbilly Delux]

Jim already has plenty on his plate with the new Indian trade gun.

Yes
Jim is quite busy expanding the business including new designs, it is my hope he adds another offering to this nature, additionally, a bear pistol would compliment his SMR quite well.

 

[toot]

This Lowell Haarer made .54 rifled Virginia Bear pistol c1770’s with a 13 inch crowned and lightly coned Rice barrel and Chambers Late Ketland lock that weighs 2 lb. 7 ¾ oz. and has an overall length of 18 ½ inches and is long enough to be fired like a long gun will be going with me after Venison this Fall. I bought it from my good buddy Mike, who had Lowell make it for him last year as part of a rifle/pistol set. It can be seen in greater detail along with the rifle on the link to Lowell's website below.

Lowell Haarer 'Sparky's Nothing Fancy' Set

Already has a place of honor on the display.....

View attachment 41301

what is the unfinished pistol hanging up?