What percussion pistols?

Virginia Dave

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Waynesboro, Virginia
This may have been answered elsewhere and if it is forgive me. That being said what single shot percussion pistols were used by both sides at the beginning of the war? I would like to have a replica to add to my office wall along with the 1861 Navy that hangs there now. Still working on my display featuring both sides. I am not well enough acquainted to recognized them from old photos.
 
The good news is original single shots like the M1842 pistol can be found at a reasonable price. I've seen them sell for around, and sometimes less than $500. Though are starting to get more valuable, you just have to hunt for them.

As for repro's, there are two options. Option one, is get a repro of a British horse pistol, or percussion French pistol made in India, not the most recommended for shooting, but for a office display it would work fine although they are not the most accurate repro's there being details that are off. These can be had for around the $350 range, and they are models that saw little CW service, being a rarity in the CW.

Option two is to pick up either a flintlock, or percussion conversion of a US M1805 Harpers Ferry pistol from Dixie/Pedersoli. This is literally about the only repro on the market of a US single shot pistol, and its one that didn't see the most use in the CW because not many were made fifty years prior, and there being only a few copies made at the Virginia Manufactory, with some known examples seeing CW use. This one runs around the $500 mark, so I'd say for that price you might as well find an original M1842 or percussion conversion of a M1836 as they will either run the same price, or just a hundred or so bucks more.

Good luck on your hunt.
 
US M1805 Harpers Ferry

Dixie Gun Works sales a replica of the Model 1855 pistol with this shoulder stock. I thought about buying it but didn't need a stock and didn't want to pay for one. Besides, I didn't want to waste lead with a .69 caliber.
Link: Model 1855
But I can't say these were used in large numbers. It is a cool pistol.

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Dixie Gun Works sales a replica of the Model 1855 pistol with this shoulder stock. I thought about buying it but didn't need a stock and didn't want to pay for one. Besides, I didn't want to waste lead with a .69 caliber.
Link: Model 1855
But I can't say these were used in large numbers. It is a cool pistol.

View attachment 337632
They make it in .69 as original is .58
 
Dixie Gun Works sales a replica of the Model 1855 pistol with this shoulder stock. I thought about buying it but didn't need a stock and didn't want to pay for one. Besides, I didn't want to waste lead with a .69 caliber.
Link: Model 1855
But I can't say these were used in large numbers. It is a cool pistol.

View attachment 337632

I completely forgot about that thing Dixie sells. Those repros were made by "Palmetto Arms" in Italy which went the way of the dinosaurs about ten years ago and Dixie still has them, but once their gone, their gone for good. The problem with them is not the caliber, but its faithfulness to the original, or lack thereof. Also I've always seen them listed in .58 caliber.

They don't look anything like the originals other than barrel length and style, and the stock. They use a Mississippi Rifle/Zouave style lock and bolster on the barrel, the pistol grip in the stock is curved at an oddball angle unlike the original, the barrel band is from a Zouave looking nothing like a M1855 barrel band and the rammer is a different style. That may not seem like much, but when the two are put next to each other they look like two different guns.

Still, according to an old Guns of the Old West Magazine article from 2010 back then Dixie only had less than 250 left, and seeing how the manufacturer is long dead, and it still being listed as in stock for $600 ten years later, I would grab one now, because I doubt any company will ever make a repro of it again with a sales record like that. Of course Palmetto didn't have a great reputation for quality, but that was their reputation.

I've thought of grabbing one for myself, historical incorrectness and all, but that's a lot of money for me. Also it ain't a pistol carbine without the stock!:D
 
The good news is original single shots like the M1842 pistol can be found at a reasonable price. I've seen them sell for around, and sometimes less than $500. Though are starting to get more valuable, you just have to hunt for them.
Without a lot of effort, there are a few M1842’s out there on online auction sites in the $400-800 range. I can recall when they were a lot cheaper, but then again so were a lot of things back when I had no money!

As @Rusk County Avengers said, there aren’t any good replicas out there, so an original is probably the way to go. Even though you’re looking for a wall hanger, I can imagine that it would be kind of fun to shoot.
 
Virginia Dave,
I'd suggest looking for a converted/altered flintlock to percussion. They're overlooked by collectors, and a bunch of them, especially the Model 1836 Waters and Johnsons were done in VA, NC and SC after they transferred control of the Federal Armories into Southern hands.
 
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