BRITISH ROYAL FORESTER'S LIGHT DRAGOON'S PISTOL
An extremely rare and fine example of the Pattern 1760 Light Dragoon pistol, 10" tapered barrel, 16 1/2" overall, .66 caliber smoothbore, developed for the 21st Light Dragoon Regiment or "Royal Foresters" by the Small Gun Room of the Royal Armoury at the Tower of London. The lockplate is marked "TOWER" behind the cock, and is marked at the center with the initials "G R" beneath a crown, with a small crown and "broad arrow" symbol to the right. The walnut stock bears a faint simplified relief shell carving, with the date "1786" faintly visible. Beneath this is a brass escutcheon plate, which bears the initial "A". A crown over 8 stamped on the right side of the grip and a storekeeper's mark were intentionally scratched out during its period of use. The barrel bears two British ordnance stamps at the top of the breech end, with a small crown on the barrel tang. The lock is very strong, and the hammer cocks and fires smartly. The trigger guard, buttcap (with full-length side branches), ramrod retainer and sideplate are all brass, and the metal furniture is polished "museum bright" overall, with very light oxidation to the barrel. The top jaw of the cock and its retaining screw are likely later replacements, as are one sideplate screw and the ramrod. A small crack appears on the underside of the trigger guard, with a repaired crack in the stock just forward of the lockplate, else very good. This is one of four surviving examples presently known, of the approximately 500 produced from 1760-1761.