Early 19th Century English Royal Navy Short Sea Service Flintlock Pistol Known As The 1801/16 Pattern
The Royal Navy hung on to the 12" barrelled Service pistol longer than the Army, but following the Napoleonic War there was time to reassess the situation and it was decided that a shorter barrel would be less cumbersome and the potential loss of accuracy would be minimal at the close range combat situations that Naval personnel would find themselves involved in, such as boarding or repelling boarders.
Thus the "Short Sea Service Pistol" was born. Some were manufactured as a new type of flintlock pistol with the 9" barrel, but Board of Ordnance ordered the reduction of the old 12" barrel Long Sea Service and the majority of 9" Sea Service pistols are these cut down longer pieces. All are otherwise known as the 1801/16 Pattern Sea Service pistol.
The metalwork on this piece has a very dark patina and I have resisted the urge to clean it up as I believe that it has taken a long time to get this colouration, dirty though it seems. I will leave that decision to its new owner.
The lock is stamped at the tail with "Tower" and beneath the pan is the Crowned GR and Crowned Broad Arrow stamp.
The mainspring is smooth but not particularly strong and the action is crisp in both half and full positions.
The forward pull after the trigger has been pulled is a "little off" and the tumbler is a little loose.
The frizen behaves exactly as it should.
It still retains its belt hook and original steel ramrod.
The barrel carries the correct Ordnance Proof Marks and beneath the grime seems to be in pretty good condition.
The regulation brasswork has the same aged colouration and also looks to be in good condition.
The walnut stock has a lovely tactile feel with smoothed edges around the carved sections, but apart from a few dinks and minor damage around the pins it is in good condition with no splits or cracks.
I have been unable to find any Store or Inspection Stamps though.
This might not be a Quarterdeck example of this popular Service pistol, but my thoughts are that it has been a bit of a "sleeper" languishing below decks for some time.
Barrel length 23cm, Overall length 41.5cm.
This 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
