Johnson Horse Pistol

Johnson Horse Pistol - Inventory Number: HAN 331

This is a crisp example of the .54 caliber U.S. Model 1836 percussion conversion pistol in near excellent condition. The lock plate markings are sharp: US. / R. JOHNSON / MIDDN CONN / 1840. The breech is marked in three lines with the barrel inspection proof: U.S. / JH / P. The side flat has two crisp and fully legible oval cartouches: one with the JH mark of armory sub-inspector Joseph Hannis and the other, the W.A.T. final inspection mark of William A. Thornton, chief inspector of contract arms as of March 1842 (and assistant inspector before that.) 

The wood to metal fit is very tight. The metal is smooth, with no pitting or corrosion. The lock plate, hammer show as a bluish gray from case hardening. The barrel, barrel band, butt strap and butt cap, trigger guard and swivel ramrod loading assembly have a matching patina. The breechplug tang slightly darker from the conversion than the hammer and lock. The wood has a nice color and surface, and good edges with just a few light handling marks on the side flat. The mechanics are good.

The  Model 1836 was the last of the US martial flintlock pistols and regarded as the best. Roughly 40,000 were produced on contract by Waters and by Robert Johnson, who received a contract for 3,000 of these pistols in June 1836 and another 15,000 in March 1840. The large contract numbers reflect a renewed interest in mounted forces by the government, which had just revived the U.S. dragoons a few years earlier. These pistols were used by many state units and were the standard side arm of the U.S. dragoons in westward expansion at the time and in the Seminole and Mexican Wars. Even before production ended in 1844, percussion pistols were coming into use and many of these were altered to that system. Some saw continued use, especially in the hands of some southern militia units, in the Civil War. This is a very good example of a key piece in a martial arms or cavalry collection. 

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Inventory Number: HAN 331