original pistols with double-set triggers

[soquili]

Hi folks -
I just got me a new (to me) Traditions William Parker .50-cal. percussion pistol with double-set triggers. I do Fur-Trade pre-1840 reenactments. A friend said there were NO original pistols made prior to 1840 which had double-set triggers, and I would like to prove him wrong. So do any of y'all know of any ORIGINAL pistols, percussion or flint, made prior to 1840, which came with double-set triggers? Got a pic of them, or can you point me to a place on the web with a pic? Thanks too, for all the great stuff y'all post on this forum!

 

[Zonie]

This photo is from "THOUGHTS ON THE AMERICAN FLINTLOCK PISTOL" by S.E.Dyke, GEO. SHUMWAY PUBLISHER, York, Penn, 1974, Plate 165.

The pistol was made by Baxter Bean, Cherokee Creek Tennessee.

Although no date of manufacture was given in the book, Baxter Bean was born in March 1799 which could easily make this gun pre 1840.
The fact that it is a Flintlock would also date it prior to 1840 as by that time most of the guns being made were Percussion.

Hope this helps.

 

[buford87]

Earlier this summer I saw a pair of flintlock pistols made by Baxter Beene at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville , Tn. didn't notice the triggers but they had ketland locks on them.............watch yer top knot.........

 

[Zonie]

I did a little research on Baxter to see when he died. When a gun by a known maker exists and a question about its age comes up that is often a good way of knowing that it was made "before xxxx".

In this case the little research I did on Baxter said he was killed by a knife in a fight behind a bar in 1858 so this pistol could have been made at any time up to 1858.

Unfortunately, that is after the 1840 time limit.

The quality of work on it indicates to me that it was probably not one of his early works but he would have been 41 years old in 1840 and a man who is skilled could have easily made a pistol of this quality before reaching that age.

 

[SAJones]

Pistols w/ double set triggers are exceedingly rare but not unknown. Main reason is that pistols were for close in fighting & not fine marksmanship. Nonetheless, as a past re-enactor, I am aware of the purists' not very quiet comments about whatever they think is not PC. I rely on my own research, and have proved many of them wrong by journals, trade inventory lists, etc. And few folks would know what's correct or not.

You could also replace the double set w/ a single trigger, but personally I wouldn't. My Western fur trade pistols are a Hawken w/ a single set, & an 1805 Harpers Ferry repro. The Hawken actually would be late fur trade era based on references.

It's up to you, but from what I've read, the sidearms carried in the fur trade were not fancy high quality pieces. Very little in journals or anything I've read that specifically describes pistols, only that they were used.