Afghan Pistol

Shakethetrees · 19th July 2015, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Shake the Trees, beware, this field is addicting!

Yes, I have been hunting for any c.1850-ish era insignia and medals named to the Poonah Irregular Horse, but, sadly, have only found WWI era badges.

Swords? I do not know the pattern they used during his period, or if they may have been marked to this particular unit! If so, I'm in trouble...

Anyone know of something in this category that can help me out, please PM!

Even images that show this pistol on uniformed troopers. I would like to do an article for a magazine.

I know of some print images that are owned by the Woolwich Museum and possibly the National Army Museum in London. (They were used in a book entitled "Indian Army" or something like this!) by Mollo, but I don't have permission to use them.

There are even a few paintings held by a Regimental Museums depicting the regiment at Kushab, if my memory is correct.

If I get off my A** and tighten the legal end of this up! I think this could be a great article.

AHorsa · 8th February 2023, 09:30 PM

I also got one of those pistols from the estate of my dad. He bought it together with the sword from my other thread and some other stuff from Afghanistan in 1971.
Is it possible that the lock(-plate) is british? I think I see a lion and sort of a proof stamp.

Best regards
Andreas

David R · 9th February 2023, 11:57 AM

Over the years I have had a few of these guns, in various states and of various patterns. The first two I bought from Colonel Corrie of Steeple Bumpstead, via the old printed Exchange and Mart. One was very much on the lines of a horse pistol with a hand forged lock and what had been a nice Persian style barrel. The other was a gaspipe special with a repurposed shotgun lock. Both percussion, and both still loaded! Apparently they were Kurdish Saturday Night Specials, and were gathered up by the Sha's police after they were dumped after an incident.
The other two were much nicer and reworked from more conventional origins in India. I wish I still had them, but as the old Chinese saying has it, "the wise man knows that in the course of a long life, there will be more than one occasion when he has to abandon everything!"
I still have a couple of Damascus rifle barrels I bought from the old colonel, bought for projects that never materialised. Those were the days!

8th February 2023, 09:30 PM	#2
AHorsa Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rhineland Posts: 375	I also got one of those pistols from the estate of my dad. He bought it together with the sword from my other thread and some other stuff from Afghanistan in 1971. Is it possible that the lock(-plate) is british? I think I see a lion and sort of a proof stamp. Best regards Andreas Attached Images

9th February 2023, 11:57 AM	#3
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,120	Over the years I have had a few of these guns, in various states and of various patterns. The first two I bought from Colonel Corrie of Steeple Bumpstead, via the old printed Exchange and Mart. One was very much on the lines of a horse pistol with a hand forged lock and what had been a nice Persian style barrel. The other was a gaspipe special with a repurposed shotgun lock. Both percussion, and both still loaded! Apparently they were Kurdish Saturday Night Specials, and were gathered up by the Sha's police after they were dumped after an incident. The other two were much nicer and reworked from more conventional origins in India. I wish I still had them, but as the old Chinese saying has it, "the wise man knows that in the course of a long life, there will be more than one occasion when he has to abandon everything!" I still have a couple of Damascus rifle barrels I bought from the old colonel, bought for projects that never materialised. Those were the days!