Hall Breech-Loading Pistol
Object Details
- Hall, John H.
- Description
- Physical Description:
- This .50 caliber breech-loading percussion smoothbore pistol was made by John Hall. It was converted from flintlock to percussion. It has a brass barrel and breech, a checkered grip, and a pin fastened full walnut stock.
- There are no visible stamps.
- History:
- John H. Hall shares a joint patent with William Thornton for the breech loading flintlock rifle on May 21, 1811. Because of this patent, this pistol had to have been produced after the invention. Hall was employed by many different armories including Harpers Ferry from 1816 through 1840. There is a possibility that this pistol was made at Harpers Ferry around 1820.
- While this particular pistol has a brass barrel, typically Hall barrels are bronze or iron. This type is extremely rare. There are only four known bronze barrels in existence today.
- References:
- Flayderman, Norm. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. 9th edition
- Gardner, Robert E. Col. Small Arms Makers: A Directory of Fabricators of Firearms, Edged Weapons, Crossbows and Polearms, Crown Publishers Inc, New York: 1963, p. 82.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- The Adriana and Edwin W. Bitter Family Collection
- ca 1810
- ID Number
- 1987.0014.15
- accession number
- 1987.0014
- catalog number
- 1987.0014.15
- collector/donor number
- P122L
- Object Name
- pistol
- pistol, percussion, breech-loading
- Other Terms
- pistol; Firearms; Percussion Fire; .50 In; Smooth Bore; Breechloader; 03
- Physical Description
- metal (part material)
- wood (part material)
- Measurements
- overall: 14 3/8 in; 36.5125 cm
- overall: 14 3/8 in x 6 in x 1 5/8 in; 36.5125 cm x 15.24 cm x 4.1275 cm
- place made
- United States
- See more items in
- Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
- Military
- The Bitter Collection of Firearms
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_438578
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a2-6614-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
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