Rack Numbered Barnett Contract British Carbine Bore Land Pattern Flintlock Pistol

War of 1812 / Napoleonic Wars

.67 caliber. 12" pinned barrel. NSN. Bright finish, brass furniture, walnut stock. Single shot flintlock muzzleloading smoothbore pistol made without sights. 5.5" flat short sear spring, post-1777 pattern lock with an and externally unbridled integral rounded and fenced iron pan and a flat reinforced cock. Lock is marked BARNETT under the pan and has a weak engraved date that appears to be 1761, although the first and last digits are almost illegible. Top of barrel with British Board of Ordnance proof marks, including a {CROWN}/GR/{BROAD ARROW} and {CROSSED SCEPTERS}. The bottom of the triggerguard is crudely engraved with the rack number B/23. A large VI is stamped into the counterpane of the pistol. Matching file slash mating marks are present on the bottom edge of the lock, in the ramrod channel of the stock and on the lower right edge of the barrel, below the touchhole. The overall form of the gun is a sort of strange combination of the Pattern 1703 style stock and 12" barrel with a later post-1750s flat "S" side plate and a post-1777 pattern lock. More than likely the pistol was assembled for service during the Napoleonic Wars period, when the need for small arms was extreme and the following of official patterns was somewhat less important than simply churning out functional firearms, particularly for use by Canadian militias during the War of 1812 period and for the use of other British colonial and partner forces. The lock date, in combination with the short sear spring, is somewhat incongruous, but may be an indication of reusing some older parts and bringing some features up to the new standards. Includes a modern wood ramrod that is secured by a single brass pipe.