Fist Guns1550 - 1900

Copyright 02.2011, Peter H. Kunz, CH-8200 Schaffhausen

Ca. 1550: Early Double Wheel Lock Pistol

External Wheel Lock with V-shaped main spring

To fire the second barrel thepistol must be turned aroundits length axis

Dagger pistol handle

Ameria Reale, Madrid

Ca. 1565: Military Wheel Lock Pistol, German

External Friction wheel

Security catch behind lock

Fish tail handle

Howard Ricket, Firearms, 1964

Ca. 1559: Double Wheel Lock Pistol, German

Private Collection

Two pistols are combined inone back to back

To fire the second barrel thepistol must be turned around itslength axis

Ca. 1570: Pistol with Nürnberg Snaphance

Tower of London

A most ingenious pan coverclosing design is found on therarely preserved Nürnbergsnaphaunce lock. The wholemechanism is installed on theoutside of the lock plate. Witha leaf spring, the pan cover isswung into the open position. After closing the pan cover, alever holds it in the closedposition. When shooting, acam at the Iower part of thecock unlocks the lever andfrees the pan cover for a quickopening.

Ca. 1580: Double Wheel Lock Pistol

The lock has two independentwheel lock systems on a lockplate at the vertical distance ofthe two barrels lying aboveeach other, and a horizontaldistance of the distance of thetwo flash pans of the wheellock.With the two independentlocks, the loads of the twoindependent over-underbarrels were ignited.

Private Collection

Ca. 1590: Wheel Lock Pistol, Regensburg

The wheel lock pistol has anunusual shape with a sharplyangled stock, ball knob buttand an iron barrel that has aTromblon or Blunderbussmuzzle. The prove marks of thecity of Regensburg are on thebarrel. The advantage of thesharp angled shape and itstrigger O peration are unclear.

Private Collection

Ca. 1590: Wheel Lock Pistol with Petronel Butt

This wheel lock pistol has astock similar to a Petronel.

It can be shot like a regularpistol or in a shoulder firingposition.

Private Collection

Ca. 1590: Ripoll Wheel Lock Pistol

This beautifully designed wheellock pistol has a ball knobstock and a slightly angledwheel lock without an outsidewheel bearing.

The ball knob stock has theadvantage that it can be easilytaken out of a holster andaimed easily without fear oflosing grip.

Private Collection

Ca. 1650: Catalan Snaphance Pistol

The Spanish presentation pistolhas a Catalan snaphance lockwith elaborate engravings,relief cut iron barrel and aMascaron on the butt plate.

Private Collection

Ca. 1650: Military Wheel Lock Pistol, German

O ld Armory Museum, Solothurn

Wheel lock pistols were putinto action by the cavalry foronly a relatively short andmoderately successful period.

They were presented mostly asrecognition for deservingofficers.

Ca. 1700: Hunting Knife Flint Lock Pistol

Emil Volmer, Feuerwaffen, 1974

A flint lock is positioned on theside of a hunting knife.

The Firearm was used “ tofinish-off”

Ca. 1730: Flint Lock Pistol, France

Flintlock pistol with octagonalbarrel, blending into a roundmiddle and front part. Flintlock without tumbler bearing,meaning there is only oneplain bearing supporting thehammer axis in the lock plate.

Private Collection

Ca. 1750: Flint Lock Pocket Pistol

This flint lock pocket pistol ismade by the gunsmith, IsraelSegalas of London. For easierloading, it has a detachablefront barrel. The loading isdone by unthreading the frontend of the barrel, loadingblack powder and ball into theback end of the barrel, scre-wing front part of barrel backon, filling of the pan withpriming powder, cocking thehammer and flint, closing thepan cover, and locking thepan cover by moving thetrigger forward.

Private Collection

Ca. 1760: Highland Pistol, King George III

Richard Akehurst, Feuerwaffen, 1974

Pistol has typical Scottish butt

The butt is entirely made inmetal and beautifullydecorated

Ca. 1777: Cavalry Flint Lock Pistol, M. 1777, France

French flint lock pistol ofunusual construction. Thecentral bronze part has anintegrated powder pan and isalso the lockbox, into which allparts of the cock mechanismare installed. The barrel, triggerguard and the iron connectingband to the knob are attachedwith screws to the lockbox. Thetrigger mechanism, as well asthe storage bore for the ramrodare part of the bronze casting.

Private Collection

Ca. 1780: Four Barrel Flint Lock Pistol

All four barrels are ignited atthe same time with a flint lock. The pistol is often called aducks foot pistol.

To achieve a wider scattering,the barrels are not arrangedparallel.

It was used against mutineersand apparently to hunt flocksof ducks.

Private Collection

Ca. 1800: Splendor Pocket Flint Lock Pistol

The pistol was made by Pirmetat Paris

The trigger bar appears whiletensioning the cock

Emil Volmer, Feuerwaffen, 1974

1816: Forsyth Percussion Pistols

W. Keith Neal & D. H. L. Black, Forsyth & Co.: Patent Gun makers, 1969

This pair of officer pistols aremade by Forsyth.

They are equipped with the firstmodel sliding primers

1824: Flint Lock Revolver, London

This very rare flint lock revolverwas made according to apatent of the American Cap-tain, Artemus Wheeler. It hasan octagonal ribbon Damas-cus barrel and a five shotcylinder. This weapon repre-sents the peak in the develop-ment of the flintlock firearms. It was designed and manufac-tured after there was alreadyknowledge of more advancedpercussion locks.

Private Collection

Ca. 1840: Percussion Pistol, Converted

The illustration shows a pistolthat originally had o flint lockand was converted to apercussion lock about 1840.

Private Collection

Ca. 1860: Blunderbuss Pistol, Spain

Bronze barrel with a wideningat the muzzle.

Percussion lock is transformedfrom a flintlock.

The pistol has ben used byNaval officers.

Private Collection

Ca. 1873: Harmonica Pistol, A. E. Jarre

This bulky percussion pistolhas 10 laterally arrangedbarrels. By pulling back thelarge cocking/ trigger lever, thebarrel organ is moved side-ways by one barrel, and thehammer is cocked at the sametime.

Private Collection

Ca. 1882: Protector Pistol

This five shot pistol can beheld in the hand while beingbarely visible. The barrel isplaced between the index andmiddle fingers, while the flatdisc-like magazine lies in thepalm. The thumb and the ballof the band are on the back-side of the trigger. To fire ashot, the shooter presses thehandle from behind, similar tothat of squeezing a lemon.

Private Collection

Ca. 1890: Deringer Pocket Pistol

With a length of only 118 mmthis one shot flat pistol is oneof the smallest pocket pistols.

Private Collection

Ca. 1895: Gaulois Pistol

This pistol is based on a Frenchpatent by P. Blachon and E.Mimard. It was manufacturedby Manufacture FrancaiseArmes et Cycles, Saint Etienne,France.

The loading gate also serves asa case ejector.

Private Collection

1896: Mauser Pistol C96, German

Semiautomatic pistol with amagazine for 10 center firecartridges with a caliber of7.63 mm

Private Collection

Ca. 1906: Four Shot Shattuck-Unique Pistol

This elegant pocket pistol forthe lady uses Flobert cartridgesand has four barrels arrangedin a bundle. It was registered for patentingin 1906 by O . Mossberg,Massachusetts.

The trigger button is above thebarrels at the front.

Private Collection

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