Interesting pistol

[Southern Articifer]

Here is my pistol made from a receiver from a M.1819 Hall flint lock rifle. This one has been converted to percussion in the south during the civil war in a most simple way. A cone has been set directly into the priming pan intersecting the original flash channel. The entire frizzen section has been cut off and a simple striker has been clamped in and brazed. Variations of this type of alteration are noted in H. Madaus' book "Confederate Rifles and Muskets" in chapter 23 on Halls, and there are some pictures of these Hall receiver pistols shown in R.T. Huntington's book "Hall's Breechloaders". The South used a large number of Halls, both rifles and carbines, so access to damage or abandon guns would afford opportunities to make up handy pieces like this. Last summer I did some testing to see if this would indeed be a valid weapon. Without lengthy detail, yes it would. I found 20 grains of 3 f and a .035 ball (the chamber of the Hall will accommodate a .053 ball though the bore is .052) would penetrate a block of walnut 7/8th of an inch at arms length from the test block. There are no sights but with some practice, it will place a ball consistently in the black at 10 ft. Mixed in with army colts and Leech & Rigdon's, a pistol like this may have afforded a mounted raider a spare shot.
P. S. I loaned this to my friend last September. He took it to the A.C.W.S.A. shoot in Bristol, Wis and shot in their smooth bore pistol match. He did hit the target but didn't place and noted it was an experience.

 

[rob63]

That is fascinating!

 

[Mr. King]

I read an account once, and for the life of me I cannot remember where, about a US soldier in the Mexican War who was issued a Hall Rifle. When he went to town looking for fun, he would take the breech out of his rifle and carry it like a pistol. This seems to validate that.

 

[Old Hickory]

I read an account once, and for the life of me I cannot remember where, about a US soldier in the Mexican War who was issued a Hall Rifle. When he went to town looking for fun, he would take the breech out of his rifle and carry it like a pistol. This seems to validate that.

I read the same thing, or similar. Apparently it wasn't an uncommon practice.

 

[1stMN]

So cool to see how much firearms have evolved. Or even from the beginning of the war to the end!

 

[Mr. King]

I bet it packed a wallup!

 

[kevikens]

I read an account once, and for the life of me I cannot remember where, about a US soldier in the Mexican War who was issued a Hall Rifle. When he went to town looking for fun, he would take the breech out of his rifle and carry it like a pistol. This seems to validate that.

I, too, remember reading about this practice from the Mexican War with Hall rifles, and it was fairly common practice among troops issued this arm. If I recall properly the story was in an old issue of American Heritage Magazine, back when the magazine had a hard cover.

 

[Southern Articifer]

Samuel Chamberlain was a private in E. Co. during the war with Mexico (Dragoon Co.). E. Co. was issued M1843 North/Hall carbines and M1842 pistols. It was common knowledge for the Dragoons to take the receivers out of their Halls to carry as a side arm while not on duty. Chamberlain wrote and published an account of his time in the Dragoons during the war with Mexico with illustrations. One with the bar fight / standoff using his Hall receiver. I believe there are only 2 of the books that still exist. One is in the Library of Congress. Much of the leadership, technology and tactics learned in the war with Mexico would be applied in the Civil War. I would conclude that veterans of these dragoon companies told tales and passed along the use of Hall receivers as a weapon on its own. Shooting a receiver with a full service charge would hurt - 75 grains and a .526 ball. The one I've fired has a handle making much more humane to use plus a much lighter powder charge. Here is the actual account of the bar stand off by S. Chamberlain:

 

[TinCan]

I agree with jking. Looks like you better hold on when you touch that thing off!