A large 19th century flintlock pistol

[Jim McDougall]

This is an outstanding pistol!
From what I have found, these have been termed 'Belgian Sea Service' pistols and were made in Liege for export, with England being a heavy purchaser of them. The example I found has a 14" barrel, 25" overall, and .69 cal.
It has the same narrowing stock at end with no ramrod, and at all points seems identical.
The ELG stamp is of course Liege, and apparently was required to be placed n the barrel. used 1811-1892.

The crowned 'V' is the viewers mark , Gunmakers of London, and was placed on the lock for all guns either made there or any imports brought in.

These seem larger than the East India Co. flintlocks which were produced 1820-1840, being one of the last military flintlocks for England.

It is noted that these Belgian sea service pistols were known to have seen service in the War of 1812.

[Pukka Bundook]

V nice solid looking pistol.

According to my British books of proofs, this Liege proof marks is still in use for black powder muzzle -loaders.
The book says "used since 1968" But!.. of course that does not mean it wasn't in use Prior to 1968!... just that it Continued in use later than..
If it has English view marks, it should also have an English proof mark.

Would it be possible to show the marks please, M Eley?

British cavalry regiments used British Ordnance marked weapons, and British cavalry pistols by this time period had swivel rammers.

Thanks for showing!

R.

[Richard G]

I find it interesting it has no ramrod because there would be no time to reload in a melee, and yet there is a lanyard to stop you losing it in said melee.
I think I would have been inclined to dump the pistol once fired and grab something more useful.
Best wishes

[Fernando K]

Hi there

I ask if it is a V crowned, or a W crowned, because I have seen Belgian weapons with the W crowned, in the same place, the lock plate

Affectionately

[M ELEY]

Thank you gentlemen for all replying.

Jim, thank you for providing the caliber of the barrel, .69! A big barrel that could put down any mutiny! There is a pistol exactly like mine in the Greenwich Maritime Museum as used by the Brits...

Richard G, I would agree if in a land battle. But considering that all firearms were one-shot and melee combat on the deck made reloading almost impossible (these boarding actions were often completed or repelled in mere minutes!), I don't think it would be a poor choice. I also hate to bring up lagrage, as I know many point out this ruins the gun, but there are instances where this did take place. A smooth barrel such as this could fire whatever was crammed down the barrel (think 'partridge shot'), making a mess of a group of charging sailors. It is a very heavy piece and would have made a good club afterward, which sounds archaic, but think about the belaying pins and blunt cutlasses often used in such dust-ups.

Pukka, you bring up a good point! Really, with the exception of the EIC over the star mark, illegible small stamp and V(?) over crown, there isn't any other marking, so perhaps this wasn't an exported example?

Which brings us to Fernando K's question as to whether it is a V or W? The stamp isn't very clear. I guess it could be a W, meaning strictly a Belgian mark.

My question is if it is only Belgian marked, could it still be a sea service 'private purchase' weapon? Weapons carried by non-naval frigates and such didn't have ordinance marks, did they? I know that is the case for edged weapons/axes, but not sure about fire arms??? I'll have another look at that marking with a magnifying glass...