Original Item: One of a Kind. This is a very appealing and unusual mid-19th century Belgian percussion naval pistol, dating to circa 1850 and fitted with a captured swivel ramrod, brass naval mounts, and a large .70 caliber smoothbore barrel. A scarce and distinctive maritime sidearm, this pistol represents the important Belgian arms industry during the period when Liège was supplying military firearms throughout Europe.

Belgium as we know it today was only established in 1830, when the population rebelled against Dutch rule. Prior to that, much of the region had been known as Flanders and other local territories, passing over the centuries through Spanish, French, and Dutch control. After independence, Belgium quickly became an industrial powerhouse, with much of that strength centered in the city of Liège, where gunmaking had long been a major industry. By the 1830s, once Belgium had established its own government, Liège gunmakers were supplying military weapons across Europe.

Belgian makers had already played an important role during the Napoleonic era, supplying naval pistols to the Batavian Navy after France overran the Netherlands. They continued producing naval pistols well into the 19th century and later developed percussion examples such as this one, which were supplied to various European nations.

This particular pistol is especially interesting because it may have been supplied to a Scandinavian country, most likely Norway or possibly Denmark. It has a distinctive lock with an uneven lower edge, a form for which we have only been able to locate a few comparable examples online. This gives the pistol a much more unusual collector appeal than a standard Belgian commercial percussion pistol.

The pistol is fitted with the desirable captured swivel ramrod, an important naval feature designed so the ramrod could not be lost at sea. It also has a brass butt cap with a lanyard loop, another classic feature of naval pistols of the period. The lock screw escutcheon has a distinctive teardrop shape, and the pistol appears to have had a belt hook at some point. The hook was removed long ago, and the inlet was filled with wood putty.

The right side of the barrel is marked with the **E / L G / *** in an oval proof, indicating manufacture in Liège, Belgium. We were not able to locate any other identifiable markings on the gun.

The pistol is fitted with an 8 5/8 inch barrel with a bore of approximately .70 caliber. Overall length is approximately 14 1/4 inches. It is all brass mounted, which is typical for naval pistols due to brass being more resistant to corrosion from sea air and maritime service.

Overall condition is really quite nice for a naval pistol of this age. The brass fittings display a lovely mellow aged patina, giving the piece the exact look collectors like to see on a true 19th-century maritime arm. The stock shows honest service wear throughout, including small scratches, dents, and handling marks. There is a repaired crack that appears to go all the way through the pistol grip area, as well as the previously noted area of wood filler on the left side where the belt hook was likely once mounted.

We checked the lock, and it is functional, though it will fire from both half cock and full cock due to wear on the tumbler. The half cock position is also very close to the nipple cone, making it essentially unusable. This is being sold as a historical antique collector’s item.

Overall, this is a scarce and very attractive 19th-century Belgian percussion naval pistol with all the right maritime features: large .70 caliber bore, captured swivel ramrod, brass mounts, lanyard loop, Liège proof, and a highly distinctive lock profile. A wonderful display piece for any collection of European naval arms, Belgian military firearms, or mid-19th century percussion pistols, ready for further research and display.

Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: Circa 1850
Caliber: .70 Pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 8 5/8 inches
Overall Length: 14 1/4 inches
Action: Percussion Rear Action
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

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Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.