primitive pistol

[mlbrant]

new to this forum and i hope some of you guys can help! i am looking to make a primitive flintlock pistol. it will not be a weapon crafted by a professional gunmaker but a poor farmer/settler on the appalachian frontier circa 1790-1807. the architect of the stock as a result will be very crude in appearance.
since the farmer was not that skilled and to make it appear as crudely made as possible, i am considering using sheet metal brass or rawhide around the barrel on the forestock instead of securing it with pins. do any of you have knowledge of this being done on early weapons?
if the above is feasible what would be the easiest to use--rawhide or sheet brass?
also,have any of you ever seen early pistols without ramrod channels? i have seen one ex. in a book. history states that the ramrod was carried around the neck on a laynard instead of in the channel itself.
again, this will be a very crude pistol made by someone without gunmaking skills. i just thought these two construction ideas for making the weapon would help in giving the appearance i am after. also, would love to know from those of you who know more than i if you think this historically correct

 

[Xtramad]

Example of homemade flintlock

 

[Pigman]

THe rawhide would loosen with use. For a quick field repair it may have been done but not for a build. First time out in the rain it might fall apart.

Foster From Flint

 

[LaBonte]

THe rawhide would loosen with use. For a quick field repair it may have been done but not for a build. First time out in the rain it might fall apart.

Foster From Flint

Not necessarily - rawhide was and still is widely used for repairs and construction of lots of things especially here in the West. Items include hundreds of mostly Indian firearms of all types, knives and axes, saddles, wagons, and in so far as buildings, The original sections of the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City were built with rawhide and wooden peg fasteners. Our much less humid weather is of course more conducive to it's use, but even in the midewest and east rawhide "repairs" can be documented.
On the other hand, rawhide should be sealed to make it more water resistant: White's often used varnish or the same types of leather care goods used (tallow, wax, etc), while Indians used mostly grease and oils along with animal and vegetable glues.
Even unsealed rawhide, takes quite a lot of soaking to get wet enough to loosen up.
FWIW - worth I've made over a hundred knives and hawks with rawhide grips and of those being used in a normal way I've yet to get a complaint about the rawhide loosening up.
It's great stuff when used properly and well documented at least here in the west.

As for crude pistols - there are some originals out there - one that springs to mind was Indian made using a piece of antler for the stock, and IIRC all held together with rawhide wangs - I'll see if I can find it........

 

[El Lobo]

Not to throw a damper on your ideas, but my understanding is that the pistol was a weapon of the elite during the time period you identified. I think it somewhat improbable that a poor farmer would own a pistol. What use would he have for a pistol on the frontier? It's far likelier he would have carried a longarm, either a smoothbore or a rifle. He would certainly have carried a belt knife and possibly a belt axe and would have been proficient with all of them as defensive weapons.

Pistols did not come into use in any widespread fashion until after the advent of automated production in the early 19th century and many if not most of the single shot pistols carried at that time were surplus military weapons from European armories.

Having said all this, I think if you want to build a rustic pistol then go for it. I would love to see some pictures of it when you get it finished.

Good luck
Lobo

 

[Steve Boyleston]

Suggestion for you- Google search EricKettenbergGunsmith. Look under pistols and relics. Should Help. TGP