{"product_id":"an-interesting-1801-pattern-long-sea-service-flintlock-pistol","title":"An interesting 1801 Pattern Long Sea Service Flintlock Pistol","description":"\u003ch3\u003eEarly 19th Century English Long Sea Service Flintlock Pistol With French Grafitti To The Barrell And Stock\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArguably one of my favourite types of military pistol.  This is the model of Sea Service Pistol that would have been aboard any Royal Navy vessel during the Napoleonic War.  Later many of these were cut down to form the 9\" barrel version, 1801\/16 model.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe steelwork has a bright finish, although there are areas of pitting which are particularly evident around the barrel breach and the lock beneath the pan (possibly from the corrosive powder residue, although salt water has never been a friend of steel!)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brasswork is clean and apart from the sideplate and ramrod tip, have an unpolished patina.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe walnut stock looks and feels solid despite there being a crack on either side of the forestock at the muzzle and another running through the butt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt also carries the bruises that you might expect to see on a Service Pistol of this age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mainspring is good and the action is crisp in half position and holds in full position, but not crisp and the cock has a long draw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe frizen is a little stiff and doesn't snap closed or open.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Crown over GR, Crowned Broad Arrow and Tower stamps are all clearly visible on the lock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a Crowned 2 stamped on the barrel tang and a Crown on the fitted belt hook.  Also present is the clear Barrel Tower Proof Marks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are 2 Inspection Stamps in the ramrod channel and there are 2 worn marks on the butt by the trigger guard that might once have been stamps, but are now illegible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow to the unusual graffiti:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePin dot inscribed on the barrel is \"fabrique sous Le regne de Georges 2 1700\" and on another line is \"Co Georges - Weight - Angleterre\".  This erroniously translates to \"Manufactured under the reign of George II. 1700\" and the second line to \"Company Georges - Weight- England\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'm sure you will agree that this is a very unusual inscription.  I have looked into the possibility of there being an HMS George and there are two HMS George of 1794, a small sailing barge sold off in 1798 and HMS George of 1796 which was a 6 gun sloop captured by Spanish Privateers in the West Indies in 1798.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf (and it is a big if) this is the correct line of thinking then most likely suspect is the HMS Royal George of 1809, a 20 gun sloop that was built on the Canadian Lakes and fought in the War of 1812 and later named HMS Niagara in 1814.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reason that I believe that this is most likely ties in with another inscription engraved into the right side of the stock (in front of the lock) which reads \"M.Jules Lavoie Bagotville. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis name is historically prominent in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region which is where Bagotville is located.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis inscription must have been done long after the War of 1812 however, as Bagotville was not founded until 1839 as a settlement on the Mars river in Quebec.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis one has really sent me down the \"rabbit hole\" trying to find out relevant information.  Am I correct? who knows, but it has been a fascinating journey............a very interesting piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBarrel length 30.5cm, Overall length 49.5cm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis antique pistol is considered obsolete and non functioning, and is sold as a collectable ornamental item. This product is available for purchase in the UK without a license\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Flintlock \u0026 Black Powder","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54446679228744,"sku":"502","price":1495.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0808\/6962\/2088\/files\/502.1.jpg?v=1793289262","url":"https:\/\/flintlockblackpowder.co.uk\/products\/an-interesting-1801-pattern-long-sea-service-flintlock-pistol","provider":"Flintlock \u0026 Black Powder","version":"1.0","type":"link"}