Can anyone tell me what this is?

[Sebastian Bianchi]

It's an old gun...but no idea on anything else. It has the engraving but no other marks. It's missing a part on top. Any help would be great, thanks!

[Sebastian Bianchi]

Of course, it works better when you upload a photo...

[Dr. Strangelove]

Help

If you need help uploading Photos please feel free to PM me.

[rogerbh]

I guess one of those old Flobert pistols.

[DennyB]

Scratch the name "J.W. Booth" and "1865" in the handle and eBay it.

[robcox1]

I have a double barrel pistol that is virtually identical and I have seen many examples of them with either double or single barrels. The only other difference I have noted is that sometimes the barrels are round and sometimes octagonal. It was made in Belgium and marketed in the U.S. during the Civil War period. The ELG in a circle is usually the only marking to be found on them. It was privately purchased by soldiers as a back-up weapon, but I don't know of any government purchases of this type of pistol. It fits in a Civil War collection, but isn't particularly sought after or valuable since it wasn't a primary weapon and there would be no way of knowing if any particularly weapon was actually used.

The old museum at Gettysburg National Park had one on display that it said was picked up at the site where Stonewall Jackson was killed, although it is not clear which officer was actually carrying it. Unfortunately, the new museum does not have it on display anymore.

[robcox1]

Here is a photo of the old display at Gettysburg:

[Sebastian Bianchi]

Thanks! And very funny dr strangelove...

So I'll keep it, I guess they're worth a couple of hundred at most right?

[pitts duncan]

my opinion

possibly a british pocket percussion pistol 44cal large oval trigger guard and engraved lock. circa 1840 worth 150 dollars in 1994 possible they made a model 1 number two model bears strong resemblance to yours

[pitts duncan]

nope i was wrong got it exactly

it is a belgian pocket percussion pistol cal 44 . originally made with a flip down trigger but apparently converted to a guard and trigger. try to look and see if guard looks original to pistol or was added. they may also have made a later version with a guard. that little notch in lock for hammer is exact . see traisters book antique guns page 25 . this is a great antique gun book. first class. someone told me years ago buy the books first, then the guns. he was right.

[pitts duncan]

more info

i downloaded your pix to photo program and looked at trigger under zoom. note how close to the trigger guard it is up front. that makes sense if it was converted from a pull down trigger to a guarded trigger. i think closer exam will reveal a converted pistol. note the straight shape of the trigger, not seen on normal triggers but common to pull down triggers.

[Sebastian Bianchi]

i downloaded your pix to photo program and looked at trigger under zoom. note how close to the trigger guard it is up front. that makes sense if it was converted from a pull down trigger to a guarded trigger. i think closer exam will reveal a converted pistol. note the straight shape of the trigger, not seen on normal triggers but common to pull down triggers.

Thanks for the help, I actually got this gun as a gift, so just wondering what it was. I think it's fair to say the guard was added, but I dont' know for sure. Also, there is one mark on it "LL", on the side. Would better pictures help?

[Johnny Peppers]

If the pistol originally had a fold up trigger there should be a recess for the trigger to fold up in to. Changing it from a flip down trigger to a stationary trigger would have required altering the cocking mechanism, and straight triggers were common during the time the pistol was manufactured. I have a feeling the pistol is just as it was manufactured, as the trigger guard is professionally shaped, and not something someone added on a whim.