English Flintlock pistol, 18th century

 English Flintlock Pistol, 18th century

Flintlock pistols were used as self-defense weapons and as a military arm. Their effective range was short, and they were frequently used as an adjunct to a sword or cutlass. Pistols were usually smoothbore although some rifled pistols were produced.

The flintlock was a refinement of the earlier snaphance ignition system, with the steel and pan cover mades as one piece. On pressing the trigger, the cock scrapes the flint down the length of the steel, simultaneously uncovering the pan and exposing the priming to a shower of sparks. Simple and effective, this system replaced the matchlock and wheellock in Europe

Flintlocks eventually made way to the percussion lock which was more reliable and less weather reliant.

This attractive and historically accurate replica measures approx 37cm weighs approx .6kg