CONFEDERATE CONVERSION 1836 PISTOL

CONFEDERATE CONVERSION 1836 Pistol. SOLD

This pistol was made in 1837 under contract with the federal government.  Produced as flintlock this pistol is 54 caliber and has a swivel ramrod.  It has iron mounts. 

At the start of the Civil War this flintlock pistol was stored in the south.  In the rush to arm the volunteers springing to the call, many flintlock weapons were called into service.  Shops were set up to convert flintlocks to percussion.  This particular alteration used a iron bolster that was attached to the side of the barrel.  They were braised to the barrel and attached with a screw through the bolster into the barrel.  The screw was then files off leaving a round screw visible as this example.  Also a new hammer was fabricated and installed.  Note there is no crosshatching on the hammer spur.   This updated the ignition of the pistol but it was still a single shot Smoothbore.  

This particular pistol is marked US R Johnson Middn Conn 1837 on the lockplate in front of the hammer. The marks on the lockplate have some wear - probably when the lock was polished during conversion. The barrel is marked US over TW over P.  There is faint cartouche in the wood opposite the lock.  The metal is an even grey color with scattered areas of light pitting.  The stock shows wear but has no major cracks.  The pistol is complete with all original parts and is a nice example of a confederate conversion.  

SOLD