Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice French Officer's percussion pistol, which looks to have been custom ordered with some very interesting features. The most noticeable is the lovely octagonal twisted steel barrel, which has a large rifle bore measuring about 0.69" / 17.7mm. The barrel is dated 1845 on the right side, and bears French proofs on the left.

The lock is marked :

This is the abbreviation for Manufacture Royal de Châtellerault, the Royal and later Imperial Arsenal in the French city of Châtellerault.

The pistol is half-stocked, with all iron fittings, including a lovely trigger guard with a second finger spur for a more secure grip. It has a nice butt plate with a lanyard fitting, probably for a cavalry officer. The grip is nicely checkered, and the grain is quite lovely, though there are some repaired cracks on either side of the barrel tang, as shown.

The pistol retains its original brass tipped ramrod, with intact threads on the opposite end. The lock still functions, but does not hold at half cock, so the tumbler is definitely somewhat worn.

In nice original condition, definitely a very attractive pistol. Ready to research and display!

Specifications: 

Year of Manufacture: 1845
Caliber:  17.7mm / .69" pistol
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 8 inches
Overall Length: 14 1/2 inches
Action: Rear Action Percussion
Feed System: Single Shot

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these.

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 posses, 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.

These antique guns are not sold in live condition. They are sold as collector’s items or as wall hangers. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

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.