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THREE-BARREL FLINT BOXLOCK TAP ACTION PISTOL BY TWIGG WITH BULLET MOULD
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$2,750.00
Quantity Available: 1
Item Code: 2026-338
Shipping: Determined by Method & Location of buyer
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Call 717-334-0347,
Fax 717-334-5016, or E-mail
An impressive and cleverly engineered flintlock pocket pistol by Twigg of London dating about 1790. The pistol immediately tripled the owner’s chances of survival by offering three barrels, each .40 caliber and 2-7/8” long, fired selectively by a tap-action lock that used a rotating horizontal drum for priming fitted with small pans and touchholes, each connecting to one of the three barrels, and the drum rotated by a ring shaped lever on the left frame. Loading was accomplished by inserting a key-wrench into the muzzle of each barrel- the head matching the deep star-shaped grooves in muzzle face- and unscrewing it to permit placement of powder in the bottom chamber of each and resting the round bullet on the chamber’s concave upper rim, with the bullet kept in place and given a tight fit by screwing the barrel back down and into place. A sliding safety on the top rear of the frame could lock the frizzen closed using a hole drilled near the bottom of the frizzen, which used a top-mounted frizzen spring.
The mechanics are good and the condition is very good overall with the exception of a replaced piece of wood on the upper right grip next to the frame, likely chipped by recoil, showing the edge of the grip strap along its bottom and a narrow gap at the frame. Otherwise the grips are good, dark brown with good edges and surface showing just expected small dings and pressure dents. The metal is smooth. The barrels show gray mixed with remnants of old blue turned brown. The frame is muted silver gray, with some darker gray spots, but likewise smooth metal with sharp engraving on either side flat, with incised edge lines and a center panel showing a panoply of flags, with five long flower petals at center and tips of weapons shown at either lower end, with “TWIGG” in an oval at center on the left and “LONDON” in matching oval on the right. The flat top of the round convex bolster of the priming drum has nicely incised arrowhead shaped checks around the edge and a central spiral sunburst. The slot of screw of the ring lever on the left is rough.
The underside of the frame shows clear [CROWN]/V and [CROWN]/P view and proof marks. As is correct the barrels each have a mating number at their base- 3, 4, and 5 – corresponding to numbers on the edges of the powder chambers on the frame. Being handcrafted, these were, of course, not interchangeable, so care and time had to be taken in loading the pistol, even if was designed to be quick firing when needed.
The pistol would not have a great deal of range, but the tight fit of the ball to the barrel would give some accuracy and a good deal of punch. This is an interesting pattern of pistol made by a well-known British gunmaker and comes with an appropriate, period bullet mould for a single round ball, one handle straight and the other curved, the iron showing age-appropriate roughness and corrosion, but displaying nicely with the pistol and making clear some of the preparation necessary to going out for a night on the town in that period. [sr][ph:L]
DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire!
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