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Old 22nd September 2021, 07:26 PM   #4
Richard G
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Adrian and Corrado are correct. The barrel bears the proof marks of the London Gunmakers Company and two inspector's marks, which is correct for EIC pistols. Not sure what the fifth one is.
Harding says large numbers of these were bought from the EIC by the Board of Ordnance and in the 1960's the Tower were selling them off; with the ironwork having been painted, or lacquered, black as a protective measure.
In 1811 or thereabouts the Board of Ordnance started producing their own version of this pistol. Geoff Davies etc, think the original EIC pistols may have been kept in reserve to issue to allies, or other non regular British army troops that might have been drafted in to serve the Crown.
Regards
Richard
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