Guns International #: 102549066
Seller's Inventory #: 234035

Category - Antique Pistols - 1500-1850 - Antique Pistols - Flintlock

Category
Antique Pistols - 1500-1850
Antique Pistols - Flintlock

Antique DAWES “Tap Action” DOUBLE BARREL Superposed .44 FLINTLOCK Pistol English OVER/UNDER Made LATE 1700S to EARLY 1800s

Description:
Antique DAWES “Tap Action” DOUBLE BARREL Superposed .44 FLINTLOCK Pistol 

English OVER/UNDER Made LATE 1700S to EARLY 1800s

Here we present an antique Dawes Tap Action Over/Under Flintlock Self Defense Pistol, made circa the late 1700s to early 1800s in London, England. From the time that firearms were introduced, gunsmiths had experimented with various ways to turn those single shot weapons into multi-shot weapons. Prior to the use of “repeating” arms, one of the most successful systems was to use multiple barrels, each with their own load and charge. In Great Britain many pocket pistols were produced with two or four barrels, and sometimes even more.

The downside to most of these early designs was that occasionally all the barrels would discharge at the same time. This low reliability resulted in many problems, none being less than the inability to get off a second shot quickly. The Tap Action solved that problem. This flintlock design usually incorporated two barrels, one over the other. A manually rotated flash chamber in the frame allowed the shooter to fire each barrel individually or fire them at the same time. With the “tap” in the up position, only the flash hole to the upper barrel was exposed to the spark generated by the powder in the pan. With the “tap” in the down position, the flash channel connected to the chamber of the bottom barrel. The lower tap was dished to contain powder, so that after the upper barrel was fired, all you had to do was flip the side lever to reorient the tap, re-cock the pistol, and fire the lower barrel.
This little self-defense pistol would have been most at home in the pocket of anyone in the busy cities of London during the late 1700s to the very early 1800s. This pistol is small, light and simple. The “Pocket Pistol” name says it all. They were the "Saturday Night Specials" of the 18th-19th century. Before the Deringer, they were "Gentleman's" or "Muff Pistols", typically, a smaller pistol that was easily concealed. They were favored among the gentry and women because of these traits. Men would carry them concealed in a waistcoat pocket and women would hide them in a hand muff.

The overall condition is good. Good bores. The action functions, but the hammer spring is weak, thus will not drop. Legible markings. Solid grip.


Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrels are 3 inches.

Caliber: .42 Flintlock

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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Guaranteed AUTHENTIC & Includes CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.

ancestryguns

$1500

#234035
 

SOLD

Antique: Yes