POCKET PISTOL, LONDON 1795 1098/L

Reproduction of the pocket pistol designed by Kumbley and Brum in London in 1795. Made of metal and imitation ivory plastic handles, with simulated loading and firing mechanism.

Flintlock pistols had a flint stone, which when the hammer was pulled produced the spark that ignited the gunpowder. All of these pistols required manual reloading of their ammunition after each shot. The ammunition, which was introduced through the muzzle, consisted of gunpowder, projectile and a paper wad, which served as a plug to keep the two previous ones compressed inside the barrel.

Flintlock pistols were made in a variety of sizes and styles. The smallest were less than 6 inches (15 cm) long, fit in a pocket, and could easily be carried by women.

These pistols were used as self-defense weapons until the mid-19th century. Their effective range was short and they were often used as an adjunct to a sword or knife. Flintlock pistols were prone to many problems compared to modern weapons, due to moisture or accidental firing.

In combat, these weapons were generally used for a single shot, since the method of reloading was very slow and there was usually no time to reload it. Therefore, after firing, combatants were forced to draw their sabres or swords or use the pistol as a truncheon, since circumstances did not allow them to reload it in time.

Measurements: 19.5 cm
Weight: 420 g