Help Identifying an 1836 Pistol Alteration

[Jim Leinicke 7368V]

Hello, Experts! There doesn't seem to be a lot of reference material on martial pistol alterations, so I am hoping someone can tell about this one. We have here an 1836 Johnson pistol altered to percussion by means of a sporting style hammer and a 5-faceted bolster which appears to be welded (or brazed) directly to the barrel. I have not removed the breech plug, but it does not appear to be screwed into the barrel. I also can't find any sort of seam showing bronze braze. It simply appears to be solidly attached. Any ideas?

Jim Leinicke
7368V

[Curt]

Hallo!

I don't know or have much about altered pistols, and IMHO the "literature" is a bit skimpy.

Typically though, Confederates used their armories to put out professional looking alterations to percussion. Plus, they also contracted out to private smiths to do work. And last, there is always the private or civillian type work done for a customer outside of the CS military. This can also apply to the North through national armories, state armories, or individual governments under military contract or for civillian customs.

By and large, the Confederates simply borax welded the new bolster to the breech of the barrel and filling the missing frizzen cut-out on the lockplate with brass. However some of the gunsmith work, such as by Sutherland and Addams did more basic side drum alterations.

What makes it hard, is that they were not marked except (IIRC) for the ones done by the Virginia Manufactory.

Curt

[Jim Leinicke 7368V]

Hi, Curt- Looks like you and I have about the same level of expertise! This is an unusually professional conversion, to be sure. The most interesting thing to me is that the nipple seat took a .255"x28 thread nipple, something still available. Every other pistol conversion I have handled has had an oddball, obsolete thread.

If anyone suspects they know what this is. I can send other more detailed images.

Jim L

[Curt]

Hallo!

I know there were a ton of them, and all manner of variations in percussion hammers for rifles, shotguns, and pistols...

But, while I am not saying it might be or actually is their work... that hammer sure reminds me of the hammers on Hawken guns, especially the earlier Jake and Sam era,

:)

Curt