Period Period Period c1740 to c1830

Detachable incl all lock parts

Detachable from the breech

Cock mounting Cock mounting On the side of the lockplate Cock mounting Between the lockplates

Flashpan Part of the lockplate, on the side Flashpan Part of the lockplate, on the side Flashpan Part of the breech, on the top

Frizzen mounting Frizzen mounting On the side of the lockplate Frizzen mounting

Tumbler Tumbler Tumbler Part of the bottom of the cock

Scear Scear Scear

Up to c1780 After c1780 Up to c1780 After c1780 Up to c1780 After c1780Examples (below) S1 ~ S9 S10 ~ S12 Examples (below) Q8 ~ Q11 Examples (below) B1 ~ B2 B3 ~ B5

Barrels Number 1 or 2 1 or 2 Barrels Number 1 1 Barrels Number 1 or 2 1, 2, 3, 4, or 7

Fixed Usually Always Fixed Occasionally Occasionally Fixed Occasionally Occasionally

Turn-off Occasionally Never Turn-off Usually Usually Turn-off Usually Usually

Size Holster Common Never Size Holster Uncommon Never Size Holster Never Never

Carriage Common Common Carriage Common Never Carriage Common Uncommon

Overcoat Common Common Overcoat Common Common Overcoat Common Uncommon

Pocket Less common Less common Pocket Less common Common Pocket Common Usually

An extension of the breech

A simplified overview from the adoption of the vertically-operating sear c1670 until the flintlock ceased to be made c1830. The illustrations are not to scale.

Pistol Sizes: Holster - above 15 inches (27cm) Carriage - 9 to 15 inches (22 - 27cm) Greatcoat - 6 to 9 inches (15 - 22cm) Pocket - under 6 inches (15cm)

Double-barrelled sidelock pistols usually have two

locks, one on each side.

Double barrels are mounted either horizontally or

vertically, very rarely turnover with one lock -

'Wender' pistols.

Some Sidelock pistols with turn-off barrels have the

fore-end of the stock and the front of the lock cut off

abruptly, often with a metal plate covering the front

of the stock, the so-called 'truncated' pistol (S1, S2,

S7 and S8 ).

Spurred butcaps and ornate sideplates, both

popular until c1775 (S1 ~S8) ceased to be used

thereafter. (S9 ~ S11)

On the side of the lockplate

On the side of the lockplate

A separate component

A separate component

An extension of the breech

None until c1780

D e c o r a t i o n B a r r e l s

Lockplate - right Lockplate - right

Lockplate - left

Lockplate - right

THE EVOLUTION OF The English Civilian Flintlock Pistol 1650 - 1830

S i d e l o c k P i s t o l s B o x l o c k P i s t o l s

(This chart is an extract from the book "The Evolution of the English Civilian Flintlock Pistol" to be published in late 2012. www.flintlockpistols.net)

c1670 to c1830 c1670 to c1830

" Q u e e n - A n n e " P i s t o l s

English flintlock pistols were made during three stylistic periods. Changes from one

fashion to another were not abrupt; pistols of earlier styles were made after others

of later styles, and some display a mixture of styles

Baroque To c1735: Using mythical beasts, dragons, serpents, grotesque

faces, basically symmetrical oramentation

Rococo c1725 to c1785: Floridly ornate, with stands-of-arms, scallop shells,

and acanthus foliage

Neoclassical c1775 on: Severely plain, with a little discrete engraving

Turn-off barrels unscrew from their breeches to load the pistol.

Up to c1780: Usually tapered, often cannon-shaped with baluster rings

After c1780: Usually parallel-sided plain tubes, usually round, but

occasionally octagonal

Fixed barrels do not unscrew from their breeches.

Up to c1780: Usually 2- or 3-stages

After c1780: Invariably single-stage, often octagonal particularly for

duelling pistols

Lockplate - leftNone

Above the breech

An extension of the trigger

A separate component

An extension of the trigger

Lockplate - left

Q1 ~ Q7

The locks are usually of square cross-section - round

bodies are less common.

In multi-barrelled pistols barrel selection is usually

by a rotating tap or a sliding cut-off, but some double-

barrelled pistols have two locks.

Double barrels are mounted either horizontally or

vertically, three in a triangle (very rarely a vertical

row), four in a square or spread horizontal row (the

so-called 'ducksfoot' pistol) or very rarely a diamond,

and seven in a circle of six with one in the middle

(the 'pepperbox' revolver)

Up to c1780. A bearing mounted on the floor of the

lock supports the tumbler. The breeches, octagonal -

later round - in cross-section have a flat side on the

right on which are mounted the cock, frizzen, and

frizzen-spring. (Q1 ~ Q7)

After c1780. There is a top cover to the lock and a

detachable left lockplate, the latter having an internal

bearing to support the tumbler. These locks are

invariably square in cross-section. (Q8, Q10, and

Q11) c1775 to c1830 a few pocket pistols were made

in the pre-c1775 configuration, but of neo-classical

styling, notably by Mortimer (Q9)

1670

S1 S2 Q1 Q2

Boxlock 1680

S3 pistols

were 1690

Q3 not

made 1700

S4 Q4 during

this 1710

S5 period.

1720

Q5

S6

Q6

S7 B1

Q7

S8

B2

S9

B3

S10

S11 Q10 B4

B5

S12

" Q u e e n - A n n e " P i s t o l s B o x l o c k P i s t o l s

Q11

Q8

Q9

1750

1760

1770

←

N

E

O

C

L

A

S

S

I

C

A

L →

1710

1720

1730

1740

S i d e l o c k P i s t o l s

1780

←

B

A

R

O

Q

U

E

→

1670

1680

1690

1700

1830

1790

1800

1810

1820

1830

1730

1740

1750

1760

1770

1780

1790

1800

1810

1820

←

R

O

C

O

C

O

→