what kind of pistol is this?

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SerTimtheJailer

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So I bought this from a antique store for $245. I realize I probably overpaid for it. I was just wondering what kind of pistol this is and how reliable it is. Theres nothing that says what caliber it is so the local gunsmith said to use .433 ball ammo for it. I'm hoping that it fits, I'm also new to muzzleloading, so if anybody can recommend what kind of powder to use and I guess how much to put in. I was also told to use #10 caps with it. Um yea thats really all I know, any advice or information about this pistol would be really helpful. Thanks Tim

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All I know is its an Italian repro. Use ONLY real black powder (3f, about 20 grains to start) or pyrodex P or triple 7 3f (same grains for all, 20 to start). DO NOT USE ANY SMOKELESS POWDER EVER in any muzzleloading firearm.
 
Italian "Kentucky" style pistol but hard to see maker's mark due to lense flare. XXIV stamp is code for production in 1968. Imported by any of teh major importers active then...navy, Dixie Liberty, Intercontinental, Cenntenial or arms International. Number of Italian makers active then too.See if yoiu can get a shot of teh barrel breach without so much glare...maker's mark shoud be ob left flat. Most of the .44 and .45 marked guns took either a .433 or .440 ball. Measureing teh bore will tell you.
 
Yea in the morning I'll take a better pic, on the top of the barrel part of the word is scratched off but it says EDERSOI oh and I did measure it came out to .437 so I'm assuming a .433 will be ok?
 
LOL Google P_EDERSOL_I. Not the worst deal in the world and a pretty arm I'm sure you agree.
 
I am surprised that nobody mentioned cleaning to you since that is a source of so much angst on this forum. If you have not fired black powder or Pyrodex before in anything then be advised that a thorough cleaning of the bore with hot soapy water or other cleaning solution (commercial or homemade) should be done as soon as possible after firing the gun. Thoroughly oil the bore after drying, before storing. Wipe down the exterior as well. Not a good idea to try to pull the barrel out of the stock since it is pinned and the tang screw may be a wood screw. You will need a cleaning rod and .45 cal or smaller jag, along with a nipple wrench so you can inspect the chamber under the nipple to be sure it is clean. In addition to bullets, powder and caps, you will need proper sized patches and some lubricant for the patches to facilitate loading the ball. There is a lot of information on the forum covering these subjects and there are also books available with basic information. Good luck and shoot safely.
 
He needs to be careful cleaning it because...

...that gun is loaded!
 
Hi,
Nice gun! No you did not pay too much for it.
Make sure the gun is not loaded!
The gun may be loaded with smokeless, which makes it a bomb! Be careful!
Also check to see if the drum extends into the barrel.
If it does, it will give erratic ignition, and cleaning difficulty.
If the drum does extend into the barrel & rifling the drum will have to be shortened until it does not.
When I got mine the drum extended a full 3/16" into the barrel. NOT GOOD!
Mine is stamped on top of the barrel, right in front of the tang " Cal. 44 " which means it needs a ball about .430 " to load.
My gun shoots well with 30 grs. of 3f powder.
Good luck with your find!
Fred
 
Welcome to the forum. :)

I have no idea why Alden said, "that gun is loaded". He doesn't have X-ray vision and even if he did it doesn't work on photos posted on the web.

It will take a while but you might get use to him.

Anyway, what he said is worth thinking about.
A lot of black powder muzzleloaders sold are loaded and people don't realize it.

That said, the first thing to do is to find a cleaning rod or something that fits down the bore and shove it down the barrel until it stops.

Clamp the ramrod with your thumb at the muzzle and pull the rod out. Then, lay the rod along side of the barrel using your thumb against the muzzle to position it.
The tip of the rod should almost reach the nipple on the side of the barrel if the gun is unloaded.

If the ramrod tip is over 1 inch short of reaching the nipple there is a good chance it is loaded.

The "EDERSOI" is actually, "Pedersoli", one of the better Italian gun companies that makes muzzleloaders.

For a Pedersoli pistol in good condition, I think you paid a fair price.

You've already been told about the powder to use and a powder load that will work.

The "grain" that's being talked about is a weight of the powder charge but just to make things more confusing, we always measure the "weight" by the volume a certain amount of real black powder of that weight takes up.
That means you don't actually weigh it. You measure it by pouring it into something. A brass "powder measure" is the best thing to use but if you have access to some spent pistol cartridges, they can also be used.
A .30 cal Carbine or .38 Special cartridge will hold about 20 or 23 grains of black powder.
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/247958/

You will need some cotton cloth or patch to put the ball in when you load the pistol.
For a pistol like this, a piece of an old T shirt or skivvies will work. (Cut the material into a 1 1/8" X 1 1/8" square.

Lubricate the cloth patch with some vegetable oil or Crisco. It doesn't need a lot. Just enough to wet the fabric.

When your ready to shoot, measure out the powder into the powder measure and pour it down the bore.

Place the patch on the muzzle and put a .430 to .440 diameter ball in the center of the patch and press it down into the bore.

It won't go all the way in with just your finger/thumb pressure.

Now, you need the "short starter" or a block of wood (or a plastic mallet) I didn't mention to press the patched ball fully into the muzzle.

A short starter is a wooden ball with a few dowels projecting from it. One about 1/8" long and one about 2-3 inches long. The short dowel is for the initial start I just mentioned and the longer one gets the ball far enough down the bore that a ramrod can be used to shove it the rest of the way down to the powder load.

In any case, ram the patched ball down until it stops on top of the powder charge.

Only now, can you think about putting the priming cap into place on the nipple.

Place it on the nipple and press it down until it stops, using your finger or thumb.

Your gun is now fully loaded and ready to fire.

Have fun. :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey zonie, thanks alot, I had no idea about the shot starter, or about the pistol possibly being loaded. Thanks for the heads up!
 
Old Ford got it -- the fella was being told to clean his gun with no mention of making sure it wasn't loaded first. We may take that for granted but he is a muzzleloading novice

I heard once, maybe it was twice, that every gun should always be treated as though it were loaded. Just thought I'd share a fundamental, traditional, safety reminder if not perspective with this new participant whom we'd love to see grow in this sport here...
 
Alden said:
Old Ford got it -- the fella was being told to clean his gun with no mention of making sure it wasn't loaded first. We may take that for granted but he is a muzzleloading novice

I heard once, maybe it was twice, that every gun should always be treated as though it were loaded. Just thought I'd share a fundamental, traditional, safety reminder if not perspective with this new participant whom we'd love to see grow in this sport here...

I fail to get your sense of humor sometimes. If the poster has been around guns at all, he knows to check to see if it is loaded.
 
Not necessary true.

A friend of mine sometimes works for one of the big companies that puts on gun shows.
His job is to check all guns that are being brought in to make sure they are unloaded and safety tied.

There is not a gun show that goes by that he doesn't find at least one and often many of the guns being brought in by people and the guns are fully loaded.

Now, most of those are cartridge guns. Easy to check, even by someone fairly new to being around guns.

Muzzleloaders on the other hand, with their possible loads way down the darkness of the bore need a knowledgeable person who knows what to look for and what to do (and what not to do) to check their condition.
 
"If the poster has been around guns at all, he knows to check to see if it is loaded."

I've been around guns since I was in grade school and was taught the first thing to do is to check or ask if the gun was loaded before I touched it. I have shot in competition in college and for many years after, held a number of instructor's ratings, taught classes and headed up a junior club and I'm still amazed at how many people that "have been around guns" are ignorant of the basic safety rules (or just don't care).

The number 1 rule of safe gun handling is:

All guns are loaded until proven otherwise!

Altogether too many people have been killed or injured by guns that aren't loaded.
 
I have gotten used to Alden, his posts are some of the best....just need to "know" him. He maybe/could be an instigator, I can be :grin:

And after all most of us did forget to mention the most important thing with a new/used muzzleloader!
 
Well...I will stand corrected on the loaded gun thing. I guess I have been in it so long I take for granted that people are not stupid, even though clearly they are at times, especially regarding firearms.
 
I have encountered loaded muzzle loaders at auctions and shops at least 5 times in my life. Two at gun shops, where one would think the proprietor would have checked. Bought a double barrel once that had two loads in one barrel under three or four inches of firecracker debris (from dropping lit firecrackers down the barrel)

The way I figure it is to treat every gun as loaded all the time. Can't have an accident that way.

We tend to over look some things over the years, like the guys leaning their arms over the muzzle while jawing with others. etc.

There are folks who know a good bit about some things and don't stop to consider other things. Like the elderly gun smith in this town that tried to turn out a cva breech plug and snapped the hook off.

Advice to check the gun and/or treat it as loaded is a mere abundance of caution. Never know when we have a total newbie to muzzleloaders.
 
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