I purchased this at an auction, its about 10" long. It has "3 dot" marks in four places on the gun and proof mark. It came in a glass case with civil war mini balls and a georgia state militia confederate button....is this pistol civil war era perhaps?
help identify please
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The general pattern would certainly have been around during the Civil War, but the proof mark is very weird; it resembles the French St. Etienne mark of a crown over crossed palms, but I can't find any examples with the "SEE" lettering. Both the French and the Belgians would have made as many of this type of pistol as they could churn out at the time, and the pattern hung around until these were replaced by cartridge guns towards the end of the 1800s.
It is the French St. Etienne proof (Wirnsberger, P. 132), but that source says it dates only from 1869, which I would think a bit late for that kind of pistol, unless it was made for the colonial trade. Anyway, no doubt as to its country of origin. It has little collector interest or value, at least in the U.S. Retail might be $100+ as a novelty.
Civil War? Unless Wirnsberger is wrong, no. It is, however the kind of pistol that was sometimes carried by soldiers for close up defense. I suspect the person who put the exhibit together didn't bother to check further.
Jim
Civil War? Unless Wirnsberger is wrong, no. It is, however the kind of pistol that was sometimes carried by soldiers for close up defense. I suspect the person who put the exhibit together didn't bother to check further.
Jim
florida Mike
Inactive
My buddy has a Belgen double barrel one that his dad dug up.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
It is definately a boot pistol. I have 2 of them that I inherited from my grampa. This is one that he donated to a museum. It has a folding knife on it. One of the two I have in the safe does not have the knife on it. Here is a pic of the one grampa donated to the museum.
Note the one in the pic is a .32 cal. The two I have are both .36 cal.
Note the one in the pic is a .32 cal. The two I have are both .36 cal.