Original item. Only One Available. This is a very interesting example of the Classic French Military Flintlock Pistol of the Napoleonic era, made at the famed IMPERIAL ARSENAL at SAINT-ÉTIENNE. This arsenal, properly termed Manufacture Impériale de St. Étienne (also known as Manufacture d'Armes de St. Étienne), is a famous factory located in located in southern France. They would later develop numerous firearms, including the well known MAS revolvers.

The pistol is faintly marked on the lock plate M. Imp. / de St-etienne in scroll engraving below a CROWN  / J proof mark. It features all brass mounts on walnut wood stock fitted with large skull crusher butt cap, and is dated C 1809 on the barrel over another proof mark. It also has a MLE AN 9 marking on the barrel tang, short for "Modèle An IX", introduced in the 9th Year of the French Revolutionary Calendar, or 1801. However, a quick look at the stock of the pistol shows that it is definitely in the Modèle An XIII configuration, so this was made as the An IX but later converted at arsenal to the An XIII configuration. There are some markings stamped into the left side of the stock, but we are not able to make out what they say. Definitely some interesting history to this pistol!

This is a very nice converted example of a French Dragoon pistol of the Napoleonic era, which probably saw long service. The lock action is still very strong, and it holds correctly at half cock, firing only at full. It still has the correct cup tipped ramrod, and the bore is clear, with oxidation and fouling on the barrel walls. The stock is in lovely condition, probably replaced when it was upgraded to the the more recent model.

A very interesting pistol that may well have seen service at WATERLOO, having been produced just 6 years prior! Ready to display!

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1809
Caliber: .67" Pistol
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 7 3/4 inches
Overall Length: 13 1/2 inches
Action: Flintlock Side Action
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

The Pistolet modèle An IX was a flintlock cavalry pistol, in service in French units from 1801. It replaced the modèle 1777, which had been criticized to the point where the older modèle 1763 had been brought back into service. This pistol is superficially similar in appearance to the well respected Pistolet modèle 1763/66 pattern. The Pistolet modèle An IX is in effect the same in terms of changes made to the musket pattern of the same year, but when compared to the modèle 1777/1786 had the spring and brass barrel bands of its predecessor restored to make it much easier to service.

The Pistolet modèle An IX, like its earlier patterns, was designed to equip mounted units, each cavalry soldier using two pistols. It was used in most mounted units of the Consulat and during the early years of the Empire, as well as in the Navy.

In 1806, the Pistolet modèle An XIII was introduced; the two patterns co-existed for some time, until the last modèles An IX were upgraded to the An XIII standard. In the 1840s, the variants that were now of the An XIII standard were converted to a caplock action.

The Pistolet modèle An XIII was a flintlock cavalry pistol, in service in French units from 1806 until 1812. It was mostly inspired by the Pistolet modèle An IX, which it succeeded, but also incorporated elements of the Navy pistolet modèle 1786, notably the barrel mountings. Over 300 000 pistols were made, mostly between 1806 and 1814 in Charleville, Maubeuge and St-Etienne. The Americans copied the design as the Harpers Ferry Pistol, and used it against the British during the War of 1812.

The Pistolet modèle An XIII was designed to equip mounted units, each horseman using two pistols. It was also used by the Navy. An improved version, known as the M1822, was produced after the Napoleonic Wars. They were kept in service well into the 1840s, at which date the pistols still in usage were converted to use percussion caps.

The model number for these is derived from the French Republican calendar, which counts 1792 as Année I (An I), with the year starting in late September. An IX began 23 September 1800, and An XIII began 23 September 1804

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