McCormick Type Ship's Pistol
date: label: date made
content: ca 1800
name: label: maker
content: Ketland & Co.
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description:
label: Description
content: This .67 caliber smoothbore flintlock U.S. Model 1799 McCormick-type Ship’s pistol has an unknown maker. The lock was made in Great Britain. It has a pin fastened stock, a gooseneck hammer, a holster pistol type side plate and belt hook.
label: Description
content: This pistol has “KETLAND” in script under the flash pan and “UNITED/STATES” stamped at the rear of the lockplate. It also has a raised “P” and “WNY” stamps. On the top of the barrel “US” and “MARSH” are stamped. On the left of the stock are the stamps “M.A.” and “V”.
label: Description
content: History:
label: Description
content: This pistol is a McCormick type. Robert McCormick was an Irishman who came to America and leased the Globe Mills in 1798 to produce firearms. He was contracted by the U.S. government for Muskets that same year. In 1799, he had another contract, but did not finish it because he was thrown in debtor’s prison in 1801. That contract was finished by an employee named James Haslett – who would move on to run the Virginia Manufactory. It is possible this particular pistol was made by McCormick because it is the same type that McCormick was producing.
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. 122.
label: Description
content: Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 100.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
label: associated place
content: United States: New York
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: 1987.0014.07
label: catalog number
content: 1987.0014.07
label: accession number
content: 1987.0014
label: collector/donor number
content: P104L
objectType: label: Object Name
content: pistol
label: Object Name
content: pistol, flintlock
label: Other Terms
content: pistol; Firearms; Navy; Flintlock; .68 In; Smooth Bore; Muzzle Load; Sa
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (part material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 16 1/4 in; 41.275 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 16 1/4 in x 7 in x 2 3/8 in; 41.275 cm x 17.78 cm x 6.0325 cm