Model 1836 Flintlock Pistol
date: label: date made
content: 1842
name: label: maker
content: Johnson, Robert
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description:
label: Description
content: This .54 caliber smoothbore, single-shot flintlock Model 1836 pistol was made by Robert Johnson of Middletown, Connecticut. It has a round barrel and a barrel band strap that extends to the sideplate. It has a swivel type steel ramrod with button head, iron mountings, and a brass flash pan. The lockplate, hammer and frizzen, blued trigger and frizzen spring are all case hardened.
label: Description
content: “US./R. JOHNSON/MIDDN CONN/1842” is stamped on the lockplate. The barrel is stamped with the inspector’s mark “US/PH/P”. The walnut stock has inspector stamp “PH” on the left side.
label: Description
content: History:
label: Description
content: This type of pistol was a modification of the Model 1826 pistol and was the last US martial pistol with a flintlock ignition system produced for contract with the US government. It was standard issue for the Mexican War and many were converted to percussion for use during the American Civil War.
label: Description
content: Johnson’s factory in Middletown, Connecticut was insured for $30,000. It held 27 employees and six water wheels. On June 27, 1836, Johnson was contracted for 3,000 pistols at nine dollars each. He received a second contract for 15,000 more in 1840. This particular pistol was previously on loan to the White House Library.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Flayderman, Norm. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. 9th edition.
label: Description
content: Gardner, Robert E. Col. Small Arms Makers: A Directory of Fabricators of Firearms, Edged Weapons, Crossbows and Polearms, Crown Publishers Inc, New York: 1963, p. 102.
label: Description
content: Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 236.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Connecticut, Middletown
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: Military
label: See more items in
content: The Bitter Collection of Firearms
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: The Adriana and Edwin W. Bitter Family Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1985.0783.13
label: accession number
content: 1985.0783
label: catalog number
content: 1985.0783.13
label: collector/donor number
content: P140L
objectType: label: Object Name
content: pistol
label: Object Name
content: pistol, flintlock
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: iron (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: steel (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (part material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 13 7/8 in x 6 1/4 in x 2 1/4 in; 35.2425 cm x 15.875 cm x 5.715 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 6 1/4 in x 14 in x 2 1/4 in; 15.875 cm x 35.56 cm x 5.715 cm