Pistol questions.

thepeacemaker

thepeacemaker

Member
Rating - 98.4%
63   1   0
Location
The Hammer
A friend of mine found this in his brothers apt while cleaning it out after he passed away.

Does anyone have info at all on it?
What can he do with it?
Etc?
Any value or market for it?

Thanx,

6-A350101-F4-C0-4403-8-B8-B-04265024-F5-EB-1-201-a.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
FE54-DCFF-6-AF6-4-CCC-8733-971896-E7965-A-1-201-a.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
93-BEE880-983-B-48-A9-9-BBF-959-E18-CD6-B1-A.jpg
[/url][/IMG]
 
Last edited:
they are known as muff pistols because a woman could supposedly carry one in her muff (muffs were for keeping a person's hands warm) The lug on the bottom of the barrel was for a barrel wrench that allowed the barrel to be unscrewed and powder poured into the receiver then a ball on top of that. If you check the barrel near the breach end, you should find some proof marks which will tell you if it is british or belgian. Finally the gun does not appear to be a modern reproduction and is an antique and you do not have to register it and don't need a license to own it

cheers mooncoon

thepeacemaker said:
A friend of mine found this in his brothers apt while cleaning it out after he passed away.

Does anyone have info at all on it?
What can he do with it?
Etc?

Thanx,
Click to expand...
 
According to: "The Standard Directory of Proof Marks", the pistol features Birmingham proof marks. Consistent with the era 1812-1904. It is also marked: "Nock". Possibly: Samuel Nock. Nephew and apprentice of Henry Nock. Samuel Nock, Gunmaker. Address: 43 Regent Street Picadilly, London. At that address from 1823 to his death in 1852. . Likely a gun sourced from one of the various small Birmingham makers to the trade and sold through Nock's shop. Are there any other markings on the top of the barrel, etc. Maker's name, etc. ? This may be of some use for your further research.
 
Last edited:
The English - Birmingham - proof stamps are by the barrel key lug. Under the cross sceptres you can see the letters BPC [Birmingham Company Proof] on the barrel and V [View] on the receiver. The pistol dates from between 1840 and 1860, and was made by the thousand for personal protection. Popularity for personal defence pistols for ladies dropped, though, with the widespread growth of the railways, which rapidly replaced instead of stage-coaches as the most popular and cheaper form of travel. A stage coach is pretty easy to hold up at gunpoint - a train, well, not so much.

a couple of years back I got to shoot a rifled version - very unusual, too. It was around .45cal, and, as mooncoon notes was loaded by filling the chamber in the receiver and placing the unpatched ball in the cup-shaped receptacle and screwing the barrel back on. The charge was around 18gr and it had a formidable amount of recoil - totally rotating in my hand. There is no doubt that at the usual distances of around five feet it was going to cause a lethal wound - young ladies were advised to aim directly at the face of the threat.

Here in yUK if you have one of these little pistols and wish to shoot it, it must be registered on your Firearms Certificate as a Section 1 live-firing firearm, or else you are in a world of trouble. It's a RPITA, but, the law is the law.
 
Last edited:
Boxlock action- made by Nock in reasonable condition altho' the stock looks to be a replacement, should normally draw 300- to 350- at usual gunshows once they can be held. On the EE here have seen them ask higher but remain unsold for a while.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom