Handgun
Flintlocks

A flintlock is a general term for any firearm that uses a flint -striking ignition mechanism. The term may also apply to a particular form of the mechanism itself, which was introduced in the early 17th century, and rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies.

Flintlock pistols were used as self-defense weapons and as military arm. Their effective range was short, and they were frequently used as an adjunct to a sword or cutlass. These pistols were usually smoothbore although some rifled pistols were produced.

Flintlock pistols came in a variety of sizes and styles which often overlap and are not well defined; many of the names used were applied by collectors and dealers long after the pistols were obsolete. The smallest were less than 15cm (5.9 inches) long and the largest were over 51cm (20 inches). From around the beginning of the 1700s the larger pistols got shorter so that by the late 1700s the largest were closer to 41cm (16 inches) long. The smallest would fit into a typical pocket or a hand-warming muff and could easily be carried.

The largest sizes would be carried in holsters across a horse's back just ahead of the saddle. In-between sizes included the coat pocket pistol, or coat pistol, which would fit into a large pocket, coach pistols, meant to be carried on or under the seat of a coach in a bag or box, and belt pistols, sometimes equipped with a hook designed to slip over a belt or waistband. Larger pistols were called horse pistols.

A notable mechanical development of the flintlock pistol was the English duelling pistol; it was highly reliable, water resistant, and accurate. External decoration was typically minimal but the internal works were often finished to a higher degree of craftsmanship than the exterior. Duelling pistols were the size of the horse pistols of the late 1700s, around 41cm (16 inches) long and were usually sold in pairs along with accessories in a wooden case with compartments for each piece.
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