Boot Pistol, make/model id'ing needed.

[Grove]

Ok was looking through the threads but I honestly don't know where to start.

Just got my first black powder pistol and it's an antique at that, don't have the antique letter available so no idea what I got.

Boot pistol, percussion cap, 8 inch overall length with a barrel just shy of 4 inches.

Here's a whole lot of pictures of the bugger, I know someone out there knows exactly what this is or owned this gun before me.

Proof markings on the gun, a Crown of some sort and the numbers 35.

Left side of the receiver. a stamped letter L?

Field stripped, if you want to call it that.

Receiver again.

Barrel receiver side.

Muzzle end.

Trigger/main spring assembly.

Sum's it up for pictures.

 

[tiriaq]

You have a little Birmingham made pocket pistol of a type popular ca. 1840-1870. I suspect the trigger guard is a replacement, although its been there for a long time.

 

[Skinny 1950]

Looks like the bore could use some work. What diameter is the bore? Are you going to shoot this gun??????

 

[Grove]

Got it hoping to make it a gift for a family member but I do want to shoot it.

Trigger spring great, hammer drops HARD.

Not cleaned gun yet at all, as is how I got it. Haven't measured the bore either.

 

[Skinny 1950]

If you don't already own a caliper buy one, get a dial gauge not digital...... measure the bore. Rebore one 64 th over to remove all or most of the crap and make an insert to return this to a smooth bore. The threads on the end of the barrel are weak so don't over load maybe shoot wads only for demonstration.

With your new caliper measure the nipple, a # 11 cap measures .062 inches inside.
Don't clean anything except what you can't see like the hole going down to the nipple.

 

[smellie]

That being an English gun, it is highly likely that the "35" represents the bore in GAUGE. It is a 35-gauge gun, meaning that the bore is of the correct size to handle a ball weighing 1/35 of a pound. Being that a pound is 7000 grains, this would be a 200-grain ball, making the gun itself very close to a .50 calibre.

Hope this helps.