Scottish Black Watch Pistol

Fil

NES Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
1,096
Likes
159
Location
Sterling, MA
Feedback: 86 / 0 / 0
I have a .58 cal Scottish black watch pistol. Anyone ever see one of these?
I'm trying to figure out if its authentic or reproduction.
I found some reproduction ones and contacted Dixie Gun Works who used to import the repros a long time ago.
They told me all their reproductions were marked made in Italy or India. That's also the info I found online about reproductions.
There are two markings on mine
1. on the barrel base its marked LONDON
2. under the barrel on the frame its marked 36

IMAG0170_1.jpg
 
You'd never find out whether it was truly in the Black Watch unless you tracked it to its original owner. Pistols were not issued items in 18th century infantry regiments, as far as I'm aware.

I've seen many, many Scottish-pattern pistols. Not one of them ever looked quite like that piece. Take that for what it's worth, which is probably not much. But these were private-purchase items by officers with money. Yours looks very plain to me.

eta: I stand corrected. There were indeed pistols issued to Highlander OR sometimes. I'm trying to sort out your sear, though, which is typical of a Highland piece... but which the originals, made cheaply in England, tended not to have.

My gut tells me your piece is not terribly old, but better pics would help.
 
Last edited:
I think it's a reproduction just by the way the metal is fitted. It would have been hand made and the side plate would fit perfect to the rest of the gun.
 
It appears to be a reproduction. Might have been a kit. Make sure it isn't loaded. End of ramrod should go deep enough to be a little past the touch hole.
 
I did verify it was unloaded before doing anything else.
This was the closest one like it I could find online. The rest were over the top decorated.
http://archives.collectorsfirearms.com/?category=903&subcategory=988&product=AH3326
I have a large lot that I'm going through and it seems to be a mix of fake/reproduction and original/authentic items.

The one on that page also has poor fitting side plate,so that throws my idea out the window.Well who the hell knows yours might be real.
 
The one on that page also has poor fitting side plate,so that throws my idea out the window.Well who the hell knows yours might be real.

I know right. Besides the scroll work its almost identical. The only thing I could think of is maybe the one I have never got "finished" for someone. That would explain the lack of decoration. All the reproduction ones Ive seen look a little different.
 
The one on that page also has poor fitting side plate,so that throws my idea out the window.Well who the hell knows yours might be real.

As I said, cheaply made. I'm sorry I made my first post now; I was trying to help, but it seems I was using typical British Army pistol logic not applicable to highland regiments and militia. Notice the off-center ramrod tube on the historical example the OP just posted. And the poorly-shaped, asymmetrical forestock.

Still looks like the Birmingham gun has an English sear, though. Im seeing lots of Scottish repros with the Scottish sear.
 
Ive seen that but this one is marked London and from what Ive read they weren't know for making reproduction stuff there.


Many repros are marked like the originals. Most reproduction revolutionary war muskets and pistols are marked "London". But made in Italy, or elsewhere.
 
You might want to emai photos to the research department at the Blackwatch Museum.

http://www.theblackwatch.co.uk/history-and-research/

Museum Http://www.theblackwatch.co.uk/history-and-research/

Thanks for that info. I sent him an email and they got back pretty quick. Here is the reply:

Hello
What you have is a rather nice example of an English copy of a highland pistol. The fact that the butt is made of bronze dates it to the 1780s. These type of pistols were used by the Black Watch in the French India Wars of the 1750s right up to the 1790s when they were finally abandoned.
The Highland Pistol, or Doune Pistol, to give it its correct name, was manufactured in the small Perthshire town of Doune from the 1670s onwards. Their reliability, beauty and functionality ensured they quickly gained a reputation as among the best flintlocks manufactured anywhere in the world. Very soon gunsmiths in Birmingham and London were producing cruder copies of the original, of which yours is one.
 
So it is a copy, but a really old copy. That is so cool! Have you shot it and if not do you plan on shooting it?
I guess that's what it appears to be.
As for shooting it, I would like to but would like to confirm what it is first and be sure it wont hurt it. Who knows the last time it was fired. I may just start with a light powder load and a wad only. From what Ive read its rated for about 25 grns of BP
 
advice from the black watch research person was to take it apart and look for marks.
I did find what they believe is a makers mark but they have not seen it before.
Its on the tang of teh barrel. Anyone here know it?
IMAG0683_1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom