Unknown Old handgun

mattsoccer02

Inactive
I recently came across a handgun and am curious as to if anyone has any knowledge about its origins/age. Appears to be a .25 with 8inch barrel. Minus the etched carvings and the crude stamp in the compartment in the base of the handle, no other identifying marks could be located. Any info would be great. Thanks.
Matt
 

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Can you get a picture of the breech area and the bore at the muzzle? I have see simular pitols that were French Pin-fire. At picture of the breech might show the pin channel. Can you rotate the barrel. What a beautiful piece !! ...:eek:



Be Safe !!!
 
No info avaliable, just a congrats on a cool pistol. Hopefully you can shoot it. Let us know if you do.
 
I found one that was very similar in a book I have. All it said was it was a target pistol by an unknown German gunsmith.
 
I'd bet money that that is what is known as a Flobert Parlor Pistol for the genteel activity of shooting inside one's home.

They were inexpensive guns used to shoot .22 or 5mm or 6mm cartridges powered by primers only.

Many many thousands were made in Europe at the end of the 19th and into the early 20th centuries.

Most seem to be Belgian, French, or German.

Value is virtually always low.
 
Thanks for all the info and after i had something to research off of :) Flobert Action ... aka parlor pistols came up with a multitude of results of similar caliber, action and symbols. Thank you all who replied :D
Matt
 
"Value is always low" but try to prove that at a gunshow around here. You would not be buying it for some low price from the sellers I have seen. Anything "antique" no matter how wretched or sad, gets the big dollar price tag. Occasionally you can deal but then the price is still not cheap, you got to decide if you want to spend alot for something you cannot readily use. But it sure looks great.
 
I agree that value on those Flobert pistols is generally low, but some are beautifully carved and engraved, even gold or silver inlaid, and those will bring into four figures on the basis of the art work, not the value of the basic gun. Of course, those are also very well made guns, by top artisans of the day.

It looks like that pistol might have been originally made for a rimfire, then altered to center fire by dovetailing a new firing pin into the hammer.

For those not familiar with the system, the original Flobert guns had no breechblock or lock at all; the hammer was made to also act as both the firing pin and the breech block. They depended on the combination of a heavy hammer, powerful spring, and low power cartridge to hold the breech shut against pressure. With a higher power cartridge, the hammer can be forced back and the cartridge case ejected to the rear at high speed, a dangerous condition. This has happened where the gun was originally intended for .22 BB Caps, but someone fired a modern .22 LR in it.

Jim
 
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