Original Item. Only One Available. This is something that we have not had before! During the American Colonial Period and following Revolutionary War, arms had been imported from various areas in Europe, including the German States, which had strong ties to the British Empire of the time. In addition to being the King of Great Britain and Ireland, George II and his successor George the III also held the title of Kurfürst von Hannover (Elector of Hannover), one of the German states, which were still part of the Holy Roman Empire at the time. German arms and German mercenaries would be used by British forces during the war, and this lovely flintlock pistol could have been used by one of them, or just as possibly on the Revolutionary side.

What we have here is a distinctive German "left-handed" flintlock pistol from what was then the Electorate of Saxony (Kurfürstentum Sachsen). These were all made left-handed, and there was no "right-handed" version of these pistols. We have compared the pistol with other known examples, and the style and shape of the fittings is a perfect match. It is in the correct "10 bore" caliber (about 0.775"), and is all brass fitted, with the distinctive lock side plate retained by three screws. There are no markings on the pistol, as with other examples we have seen, and the lock matches as well, with a reinforcement "bridle" going from the pan to the frizzen and a "swan neck" cock. These were originally made with a brass bolster and lanyard on the end of the "long eared" butt cap, but they look to have been removed on this matured example.

The barrel and lock have a lovely matured patina, showing overall oxidation and past peppering, which we have left intact to preserve the history of the piece. The barrel has a brass front sight, and a groove on the barrel tang functions as the rear sight. The brass fittings display a lovely aged patina. We did check the lock, and it still works but is out of adjustment, as it hangs at half cock when fired from full cock, most likely requiring adjustment to the tumbler or sear.

The stock is lovely, showing carved raised areas that surround the lock, side plate, tang, and ramrod, as we often see on this era of flintlock. It has a lovely color, probably made from walnut or something similar, and has a lovely brown color. There are some cracks and missing chunks, as is expected from a military pistol that saw long service. It also looks like the end of the pistol grip is a separate piece of wood, but we do not know if this is from original construction or repair. If it is a repair, it was expertly done and also done very long ago, as the condition of the surface matches the rest of the stock completely.

A lovely example of a Saxon "Left-Handed" military pistol with a strong U.S. Revolutionary War connection. Ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1760
Caliber:10 Bore - Approx. 0.775:
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Overall Length: 17 ½ inches
Barrel Length: 10 ¾ inches
Action: Flintlock Side 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.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. 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. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.