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Rare U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1807/1817 Flintlock Pistol

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:6,000.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
Rare U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1807/1817 Flintlock Pistol
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Estimate: $15000 - 30000
This is an example of one of only 600 Type II Springfield Model 1817 martial pistols, and one of a few that had the 1815 dated lock. In the book HISTORICAL PISTOLS, Smith and Bitters state that their were less than 10 1807s with an 1815 lock. Springfield Armory only manufactured a total of about 1,000 of these pistols in Type I and the Type II with part of them made circa 1807-1808 and the balance 1817-1818. Production was stopped in 1808 when the massive 69 caliber was found no longer suitable and the small 54 caliber was was being adopted for production at Harpers Ferry. Many of the parts were kept in storage at the armory. In 1817 the pistol project was started up again under the initiative of Colonel Robert E. Lee who was the Superintendent at Springfield Armory. These locks were left over from parts of the Model 1803 (Harpers Ferry Type) half stock rifles that Springfield Armory began production on in 1814 and halted in 1816. These locks were about identical to both the second production, post 1814, Model 1803 Rifle and the Second Type 1817-1818 production Springfield pistol. They were already marked, dated and subsequently used on Model 1817 pistols. This pistol has the Type II features of an evenly rounded rear of the lock without the projection, straight toe on the frizzen with an evenly rounded top, long bulbous, rounded finial on the frizzen spring and reinforced double neck hammer. The lock is marked "SPRING/FIELD/1815" behind the hammer and eagle over "US" ahead of the hammer. The barrel is dated "1818" with a recessed "P" and "eagle head / V" proofs marked on the left side breech end of the barrel. The trigger guard plate is marked with an "RS" (Robert Sloan). Brass blade front sight, iron mountings, wooden ramrod with swollen head and mounted with a full walnut stock with two sharp oval cartouches on the left flat and the letter "B" on the lower left side. The Model 1817 pistol is the first of only three handguns ever manufactured by Springfield Armory which also include the Model 1855 pistol carbine and the U.S. Model 1911 45 automatic.
BBL: 10 1/2 inch round
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 69
Finish: bright
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN
Condition: Very fine. The barrel and barrel tang retain a bright appearance. The remaining surfaces have a smooth silver gray patina. The stock is also very fine with crisp original cartouches, a few minor scattered dings and scratches. The flats remain sharp. The "P" proof on the barrel was a weak stamp, otherwise the markings are very fine. The action is excellent.