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Collectible Antique Handguns
(pre-1899)

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If you see a firearm that you want, let us know and we will hold it for you. Firearms manufactured after 1898 can only be shipped to someone with a Federal Firearms License (FFL). If you have a Curio & Relic FFL, we can ship items considered by the BATF directly to you, as long as there are no state or local restrictions (California??). If you do not have a C&R FFL, then we can only ship guns made after 1898 to a FFL dealer in your area. The dealer will have you fill out a 4473 form ("yellow sheet") to conduct the required federal "Brady" instant background check, and any other paperwork required in your area before allowing you to take possession. FFL holders often charge a small fee for handling these transfers, as well as any state or federal fees for the background check. If you don't know of any FFL holders in your area, we may be able to help you find one willing to handle transfers.
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Collectible Antique Handguns (pre-1899)

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**NEW ADDITION** 18437 RARE EARLY “SECOND MODEL SQUARE-BACK” COLT MODEL 1851 .36 CALIBER “NAVY” REVOLVER- (1st year!) - Serial number 988 matching throughout. This is the scarce early version with the “squareiback trigger guard” and having the wedge screw located above the wedge. Research published in the August 2006 Gun Report superseded earlier thinking that the First Model, with the wedge screw below the wedge, covered the range 1-1250 and narrowed it to the range 1-800. This revolver, number 988, has all the second model features, mainly the continued use of the square-back, but the wedge screw now located above the wedge, which continued up to about 4200 where the oval trigger guard was introduced. The Model 1851 “Navy” was an immensely popular and successful design for colt, and more than 215,000 were made for civilian and military sales between 1850 and 1873. This one was made in 1850, but there is no known history about it, as the early guns were all made for the civilian market. Overall condition is good to very good, with little wear to the metal, leaving sharp edges, but the blue finish is all gone, turned to a mix of thin brown patina missed with a silvery tone. Sharp markings, including –ADDRESS SAML COLT NEW YORK CITY—barrel address and COLTS PATENT on the left side of the frame. Cylinder scene is weak, but mostly visible, with a few spots of light pitting on the cylinder. Brass gripstrap/trigger guard and backstrap have about 20% of the original silver plating remaining, with the balance worn through to brass. Apparently an old owner lacked a hammer and used this gun instead, leaving numerous unsightly dings on the bottom of the grips and adjacent part of the gripstrap. The grips themselves are well worn, but intact although the lower edges are rounded off a bit. Good mechanics. The trigger appears in better condition than the rest of the gun, and may be a replacement, but we are not sure about that. Overall this is a good representative example of a very scarce early Colt, with a three digit serial number, made in the first year of production. Although the condition is not as nice as some of the more common variations on the market, it is priced quite reasonably for this very scarce variation. $3995.00 (View Picture)

**NEW ADDITION** 18438 REPLICA FRENCH MODEL 1777 .69 CALIBER FLINTLOCK PISTOL- PATTERN FOR U.S. MODEL 1799 NORTH & CHENEY - In 1777 the French made a daring break from tradition pistol design to adopt one with a brass frame to hold the lockworks and the barrel, with a wooden grip. This were simpler and cheaper to make than the traditional wood stocked pistols, and by 1787 some 75,000 were made (St. Etienne- 28,908; Charleville- 30,684 and Maubeuge- 15,000). Undoubtedly some reached the U.S. during the American Revolution, and these served as the pattern for the first U.S. pistol officially adopted, the Model 1799. About 2,000 of the 1799 pistols were made by North & Cheney of Berlin, Connecticut. Except for the markings, the only noticeable difference is that the U.S. barrels were 8.5 inches instead of 7.5 inches in the French. Unless you are very lucky, and very wealthy, forget about ever getting a real North & Cheney as they bring about $25,000 to $65,000. Even the original French pistols bring four figure prices. Of course, there are also a bunch of fakes out there selling at high prices too, so be careful! Here is a chance to get a good quality replica for a very modest price to display as an example of what our first official pistol looked like. I believe these were made about 35 years ago, and the only marking we found was the number 31150 on the bottom of the frame. This should be a shootable replica, but we sell all guns as collector items only, and they must be approved by a competent gunsmith prior to firing. The touch hole is drilled, and the barrel looks good. It appears that the frizzen has been hardened, but there are no scratches from a flint striking it, so we have no idea how well it might spark. The wood stock looks like some sort of birch with a walnut finish, and the fitting around the rear of the frame/lock is not the best, but probably about the same as the originals. This has a belt hook on the left side, which eliminated the need for a holster, although they could be carried in holsters if desired. Condition appears to be about new unfired, with just slight age mellowing of the polished brass surfaces. A handsome replica of a very famous firearms design for a very modest cost. $349.00 (View Picture)

**NEW ADDITION** 18100 REVOLUTIONARY WAR- FRENCH MODEL 1763 .69 CALIBER FLINTLOCK CHARLEVILLE CAVALRY PISTOL - Although marked on the tang M1763, this is actually the revised pattern adopted in 1766 with the 9 inch barrel instead of the early ungainly 12 inch barrel. The French adopted a new series of small arms in 1777, rendering the Model 1763s obsolete, enabling them to provide large quantities of arms of all types to the struggling American patriots. [One should remember that the French were chronically at war with England, so helping the rebellious colonies was not something done out of admiration for our struggle for freedom, but rather to promote French interests on a global scale. Regardless of the motivation, these desperately needed arms were pretty much the last time the French have given us any real help. Subsequently they have been the recipients of American help numerous times, usually with little thanks and often with arrogance.] The lockplate is marked in script “Gosuin a Charleville” indicating manufacture by Jean Gosuin (also Gosain) who worked at Charleville and Liege circa 1746-1808 according to Heer der Neue Stoeckel page 448. While this gun is not “U.S. surcharged” to prove use here during the Revolution, it is certainly the identical model. It appears to be all correct, original and matching, except the jaw screw may be a period replacement. It is NOT a reconversion. The iron parts have been buffed up leaving a very polished appearance mixed with staining and some rust spots and pinpoint roughness. My preference would have been to leave it alone, or if returning it to the original polished steel appearance, then perhaps a careful cleaning with a bit more aggressive abrasive (600 or 400 grit emery cloth?) which would give a more even silver color without the mirror polish. However, that is pretty much a matter of personal preference as there are collectors who like “original rust”, and some who like shiny like new, and others in between. In any case, despite the mirror shine, it was not an aggressive, metal removing cleaning. The stock was cleaned at the same time and given a nice mellow oil finish. The wood between the tang and the lock had been split off and glued back in place, a good job, but easily visible if you look for it. Ramrod appears to be the original iron rod. The trigger is somewhat short and awkward, but French military arms seem to have ugly triggers, and maybe this is correct, or perhaps ¼” of the tip has been broken off. In any case, this is a scarce early French military pistol, that has survived intact for nearly 250 years. ANTIQUE, no FFL needed. Arms from the American Revolution era are scarce and pricey, but this one is affordable at $1995.00 (View Picture)

**NEW ADDITION** 17864 FRENCH/BELGIAN FLINTLOCK MILITARY PISTOL CIRCA 1800-1830 - This has the Belgian ELG in oval proof mark on the .69 caliber smoothbore barrel, eight inches long, along with a small crown over LF on the left flat. There is a poorly struck crown over E on the lockplate, similar to that used by several French arsenals. The basic design is typical of all European military pistols of the period, but has a swivel ring on the butt for a lanyard, and there are no provisions for a ramrod. These features suggest it may have been intended for use as an initial attack weapon with no intention to reload immediately, but follow up with hand to hand combat with a sword or cutlass- such as cavalry, naval use, or even coast guard/customs type groups. Although the precise identification is a bit murky, this is a handsome gun, in excellent condition. The brass butt cap, trigger guard and band have a mellow golden patina. The unsanded stock has a mellow old oiled patina, but there is a missing chip on the left side along the barrel channel. Left flat has an illegible oval cartouche of some sort. The barrel and lock are not rusted or pitted, but do have dried oil and crud and staining mixed with a dull steel gray. This would probably clean up with some steel wool and WD-40. Mechanically good, and in original flint, not a reconversion. Excellent bore. A handsome example of the classic military single shot flintlock pistol, albeit lacking specific identification. $895.00 (View Picture)

**NEW ADDITION** 18119 GREAT EARLY (CIRCA 1740-1770) SWIVEL BREECH FLINTLOCK PISTOL - The octagon to round barrels are 13 inches long and about .58 caliber, and the gun is about 22 inches long overall. It is probably Germanic in origin based on the overall style, lack of any proof marks, and the angular shape of the jaw and frizzens. I was unable to find any comparable examples on line, but consultation with a well known specialist in early flintlock arms confirmed my thoughts on origin and age. The bulbous butt with grotesque mask and the absence of bridles on the pans for the frizzens support the estimated age range. The swivel breech design allowed a second shot without the necessity to carry a second complete gun. Of course, the trade off was that the gun would be heavier due to added weight of the second barrel and other parts, and the much higher cost for such a complex design compared to a simple single shot weapon. This was an early attempt to provide increased personal firepower, which later led to pepperboxes, multi-barrel firearms of various types, and eventually to revolvers and semi auto pistols and most recently to “high capacity magazines.” The swivel breech design involved a cluster of two barrels which pivot around a central axis to align the ignition port with the hammer. Swivel breeches are sometimes seen in American Kentucky rifles, usually in percussion, but sometimes as flintlock. The Germanic ancestry of the Kentucky rifles is clearly visible in this gun’s ramrod pipes, the graceful gooseneck hammer, the curled trigger, relief carving by the tang and lock panels, etc. The hammer is powered by a back action lock, while the touch hole and frizzen assemblies are attached to the rotating barrels (or the nipples in the barrel for percussion versions). To rotate the next barrel into firing position, pull the spur in front of the trigger guard to disengage the catch, and when the new barrel is in position, release it to lock the barrels in position to fire. This one is well made and in untouched overall VG-fine condition, and a real rarity. The lockplates, hammers and trigger guard have brass overlays for added decoration, probably when originally made, but perhaps a later (but still period) enhancement. No markings at all are visible. Perhaps some are hidden under the brass plate on the lock, but probably none were ever applied. The frizzen plates are a bit loose, apparently due to the cross screw that holds them in place being worn, but no other defects noted. The walnut stock has a mellow old patina, with some honest old handling and usage dings and scars, and a chip missing on the left side in the sideplate area as shown in the photo. Mechanically everything seems to work okay, although we are very gentle in handling one this old with all handmade parts. There is no known history on this gun. It is consigned from a collection in Idaho, but prior to that could have been a war trophy brought home after WW2, or a mail order item purchased from a dealer decades ago, or perhaps even something carried by a Hessian mercenary officer during the Revolution, or brought to this country by a German emigrant in the late 18th century, but we really do not know. We do know that this is a very handsome gun, and one of the most unusual types of handguns you will ever see. $3,495.00 (View Picture)

**REDUCED** 13318 Remington M1875 Single Action Army in .44-40 Caliber with original nickel finish - Serial number 62. The Model 1875 was Remington’s competitor against the Colt Single Action Army, and is variously called the Remington Single Action Army, Improved Army or Frontier Army. Besides .44-40 caliber, these were also offered in .44 Remington and in .45 [Colt] caliber. The caliber is marked on the grip. Between 25,000 and 30,000 were made 1875-1889, and they were given true serial numbers up to about 14,000. After that, they were given batch or assembly numbers, and that is probably the reason this one has “serial number” 62, but who knows. While most were blue, this has the optional factory nickel finish. Nickel finish was a really big deal at that time, introduced about 1868 and thought to be the cure for the corrosion problems associated with black powder and corrosive, mercuric primers. However, it was not a substitute for proper cleaning and led to the ruin of many a good gun by owners who were lazy or stupid. Flayderman notes that 639 of the Nickel plated revolvers were purchased by the Interior Department for use by the Indian Police on the reservations, but no one knows the details of that order, or the special markings (if any) which might identify them. Some were also used by the Mexican Army, but they are marked with R. de M on the cylinder and a sunburst on the barrel, which this one does not have. This model is fairly scarce (about 1/5th the production of Colt SAAs during the same period) and nickeled examples in decent condition are even scarcer. About 80% original factory nickel on the frame and barrel, and about 60% on the cylinder. Nickel is worn and flaked in areas, but pretty good compared to most well used “working” guns, not the dainty pieces that sat in Grandma’s undies drawer. Good mechanics and good bore. Original walnut grips with relatively few minor dings or bruises. Clear "44. W." marking on left to indicate caliber .44 WFC (.44-40). Good barrel markings "E.REMINGTON & SONS, ILION, N.Y. U.S.A." The round lanyard loop is present. One side of the front sight blade seems to have a couple of file strokes on it, but nothing real obvious. This comes with a nice, but not original, partitioned walnut case, and also an old note, that the previous owner got when he acquired it to record what history is known about it. It mentions Old Mexico and card games, but is really not that exciting when you read it closely. Still, it is interesting, and everyone previously associated with it has died, so we should be grateful for what we do have. The note reads QUOTE: Rem. 1875 .44-40 Revolver Purchased in Old Mexico in the 1920[s] by two wealthy young men from Coleridge, Nebr. Fred Linkhart was one of those men. They purchased several guns on the trip and then played a game of cards to see who [would] keep the guns. Mr. Linkhart lost, and the other man gave him the Remington, a shotgun and a rifle as consolation. in about 1963, said Fraed Linkhart asked Rick Leapley to clean and test fire the for him, after which he gave the gun to Rick. Rick sold the gun to John Laros of Sioux City, Iowa. [signed] Rick Leapley. END QUOTE $3750.00 REDUCED TO $2,750.00 (View Picture 1) (View Picture 2)

18017 REMINGTON NEW MODEL ARMY .44 CALIBER PERCUSSION REVOLVER - Serial number 116767 made in December, 1864. The Remington Civil War revolvers don’t have quite the same glamorous name recognition of their Colt counterparts, but in most respects they are superior weapons. They were well liked by the Ordnance Department and the troops who used them. They were rugged, reliable, and accurate, and remained in use with the Cavalry in the Indian Wars until replaced by cartridge revolvers like the Colt Single Action Army. During the Civil War, the Army needed all the revolvers they could get and ordered large quantities from both Colt and Remington (and several lesser makers) and used the threat of giving more orders to someone else to keep prices low. After Colt’s factory burned down in September, 1864, they stepped up orders from Remington. This one may have seen use during the Civil War or Indian War, or may have been sold off as surplus and been used by civilians in the west. A total of about 122,000 were made circa 1863-1875 with 106,000 going for military contracts with the balance for the civilian market. In any case, it has been used, and slightly abused. Long ago the hand and bolt stop springs broke, and Bubba and his cousins proceeded to play with it and snap the hammer with the cylinder not properly indexed, leaving a ring of scars around the rear of the cylinder. However, the nipples are in pretty good condition. The two broken springs have been replaced (along with an internal screw for the bolt stop spring) to return functioning to normal. This has the original walnut grips with traces of the inspector cartouches, but one grips screw escutcheon is an old replacement. Otherwise everything is correct and original. Unbuggered screw heads. Bore has spider webs in it, but should clean to fine to excellent. The steel surfaces retain a few traces of original blue in protected areas, but mostly is just a light brown patina over smooth metal. It would probably look a lot better with the very layer of dirt and light surface rust gently removed with some oil and steel wool. This is a good representative example of one of the two main sidearms of the Union Army during the Civil War and early Indian Wars. While not “new looking” it is a good honest old gun, not beat up rusty junque. $995.00 (View Picture)

A COLLECTION OF FLARE GUNS FOR COLLECTORS: Note that while these were made after 1898, special provisions in federal law exempt them from the normal post-1898 handgun FFL procedures, and they can be ordered just like an antique firearm, without need for a FFL so we are listing them here:

17907 BRITISH NUMBER 1 MARK 5 SIGNAL PISTOL (Variant) - Serial number 037679 based on a WW2 design by the Molins Machine Company. It is another variation on the basic Webley No. 1 Mark III design, but made of steel stampings riveted together instead of fancy machined brass. The barrel is steel tubing, and the No. 1 Mark 5 shown in Robert Gaynor’s “Flare Guns & Signal Pistols” is flared at the muzzle, like the brass guns. I suspect this might be a No. 1 Mark 5* or Mark 6, or something like that which simply elminated the flared muzzle and added a single lug on the side for securing it in a firing port for aircraft use. The model designation should be on the right side of the frame, but it is covered with black paint so we did not remove it to see what might be there. Good mechanics but the black paint finish is chipped and scraped, so it looks ugly with about 60-75% remaining. Good mechanics. A real collector just knows that they MUST get all the variations, so here one it for you! Flare guns are exempt from the normal gun control procedures, but we insist that you order on our order form with signature certifying that you are not prohibited from purchase of a firearm and that there are no restrictions on purchase. $165.00 (View Picture)

17902 BRITISH WW2 NUMBER 1 MARK 4 SIGNAL PISTOL- 25mm - Serial number 29401, designed and made by the Berridge Company. This was a simplified version of the Number 1 Mark III* Signal Pistols which were made of brass. The use of a zinc alloy was both cheaper and saved critical supplies of brass for other uses. Although initially deemed strong enough for all uses, it was discovered that the zinc alloy was insufficiently strong for use in low temperatures, so these were then restricted to use by land forces in temperate areas. Broad arrow on the frame indicated British property, and serial number is on the barrel. Overall this is in excellent condition with the wood grips nearly free of blemishes. The zinc alloy has aged to a mellow pewter gray. The blued steel parts (trigger, hammer and latch) have most of their blue plus some light rust specks that should mostly clean off okay. An excellent example of a wartime expedient model that did not work out too well. These are fairly scarce compared to the ubiquitous bras models. Flare guns are exempt from the normal gun control procedures, but we insist that you order on our order form with signature certifying that you are not prohibited from purchase of a firearm and that there are no restrictions on purchase. $225.00 (View Picture)

17900 GERMAN 26.5mm FLARE PISTOL- CIRCA 1928 HEBEL OR HEER PISTOLE TYPE - Serial number 28800. This has much of the Hebel design introduced in 1894, but is made of aluminum indicating production closer to WW2. It still has the crown over U proof marks, so it is pre-Nazi era, which probably makes it on of the Model 1928 Heer Pistole variations. Unlike some which have revolver style grip frames, this has a boxier semi-auto style shape. The lever in front of the trigger guard places the hammer on halfcock while the barrel is being opened. Markings are as shown in the photos, with no date or waffenamts. This is in excellent condition with about 95% of the black paint type finish remaining. Lanyard loop is an incorrect replacement. Flare guns are exempt from the normal gun control procedures, but we insist that you order on our order form with signature certifying that you are not prohibited from purchase of a firearm and that there are no restrictions on purchase. $150.00 (View Picture)

17899 GERMAN WW1 MODEL 1894 HEBEL 26.5mm FLARE PISTOL - Serial number 2336. The Hebel design was introduced in 1894, and was the standard WW1 German flare pistol It is made of steel with walnut grips and weighs about 3.2 pounds with a 9 inch barrel. This is complete and original. Maker is unclear to us, but maybe you can figure it out from the markings. The lever in front of the trigger guard unlocks and opens the barrel for loading. The large hammer is manually cocked, and there is no safety. Maybe 10-20% original blue remains but rest is a smooth brown patina. Overall about good condition. Good mechanics. A nice addition to any WW1 or German military collection. Flare guns are exempt from the normal gun control procedures, but we insist that you order on our order form with signature certifying that you are not prohibited from purchase of a firearm and that there are no restrictions on purchase. $295.00 (View Picture)

13992 S&W "BABY RUSSIAN" .38 CALIBER REVOLVER - Serial number 92489, probably made about 1888-1889. This is a single action five shot revolver chambered for the .38 S&W cartridge, but only for those old cartridges loaded with black powder, not modern smokeless loads. About 108,000 of these were made between 1877 and 1891. They are sometimes called the “Baby Russian” model, although that technically applies only to a slightly different variation in this series. S&W Collectors call this “.38 caliber single action- second model” or sometimes the “.38 single action Model 2, second issue.” S&W introduced the “top break” design in 1870 with the large model which included the Schofield and Russian models. In 1876 they introduced the .38 caliber size and shortly after that the .32 top breaks. These were much stronger than the earlier “tip up” models, and were extremely successful. Most of the early guns were made with the spur triggers (i.e.- no trigger guard) but about 1890 the spur trigger models were replaced by those with conventional trigger guards. This particular revolver is typical of those carried by businessmen and law breakers, kept in home nightstands, or carried in pockets or purses. Good mechanics and good bore. Original nickel plate remains on about 85% of the frame and barrel, but only about 50% of the cylinder, due to the corrosive effects of black powder and early primers. Right grip is missing a circular piece at the top, but this could be built up with epoxy and black dye. A pretty nice example of a popular gun of the 1880s. Antique, no FFL needed. $295.00 (View Picture)

12346 CIRCA 1840-1860 SPANISH OR PORTUGUESE PERCUSSION PISTOL - A handsome piece with the traditional Spanish style miquelet lock work on the outside of the plate, but made as percussion. Hammer is a unique shape, and the decorative engraving and chisel work has turned it into a dog with its fierce had turned to one side to bite the nipple. One lock screw and the ramrod are missing. Some very old specks of paint or whitewash on the upper surfaces. Looks like there is some silver(?) inlay work on the barrel, but I am reluctant to try to clean that without destroying the mellow brown patina on the iron parts. Perhaps intended for the Mexican market as it has a primitive but cute smiling sun on the sideplate. $495.00 (View Picture)

10576 ALUMINUM DUMMY PISTOL- M1842 PERCUSSION - Full size cast aluminum replica. These were popular in the 1950s onward for decoration, filling holsters for parades or as movie props, etc. This is a .54 caliber single shot Model 1842 percussion "horse pistol" carried in holsters on the saddle of mounted troops. It has a nice (but badly chipped and scratched) paint job to imitate walnut and brass respectively. Would look much nicer if stripped and repainted. $95.00 (View Picture)


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