A Very Rare 1856 Pattern Rifled Service Pistol
A very rare 0.57 1856 Pattern percussion rifled Service pistol, issued to the North Somerset Yeomanry. 10″ barrel, rifled with five grooves, with blade foresight and block and two hinged leaves backsight, plain tang, and with Tower military view and proof marks. Rounded, double border line engraved hammer with chequered spur and engraving, flat, double border line engraved lock marked “1858 Tower”, with a crowned broad arrow and crowned “17” stamped vertically, and “VR” crowned stamped on the tail. Figured walnut full stock stamped with “WD” and broad arrow on the right side of the butt behind the lock, crowned “B12” (three times), crowned “B5” and “P10” on the right side of the butt, and the initials “S.P.” and “JH”, and the contractor’s name “Moxham” and “N.S.Y 5 Troop 23” (for the North Somerset Yeomanry) on the sideplate, and pierced for the attachable figured walnut shoulder stock which is stamped with “WD”, broad arrow, crowned “B12”, crowned “B5”, crowned “B”, “Moxham” and “N.S.Y 5 Troop 23”, and has a small hole on the underside, which has been filled, where, presumably, the original lanyard swivel has been removed. Regulation brass mounts, the shoulder stock with iron attachment mount with sprung catch stamped “3” and brass butt plate, iron lanyard ring, and swivel ramrod (stamped with a crowned “B53”). Pistol 15¾” overall, with shoulder stock attached, 26″ overall. Very good working order and condition.
Note: Less than 1,400 of the 1856 Pattern pistols were manufactured with special attachable shoulder stocks for use by the Yeomanry. They were all manufactured by the Government’s Birmingham contractors, including Thomas Moxham.
See “The British Soldier’s Firearm, 1850-1864 From Smooth-bore to Small-bore” by Dr. C.H. Roads, pages 114-115 and plate 228 and “British Military Pistols 1603-1888” by Robert E. Brooker, Jr., pages 69 and 77 and figure 72 for references to these pistol carbines.”
£4,750.00
1 in stock
