Virgina Manufactory Pistol, 2nd Model
date: label: date made
content: 1815
name: label: maker
content: Virginia Manufactory
notes: label: Description
content: Physical Description:
label: Description
content: This .54 caliber smoothbore flintlock pistol 2nd Model was made by the Virginia State Armory in Richmond Virginia. It is wedge fastened, has an iron rib under the barrel, a walnut half stock, and a swivel type ramrod with button head. It has a brass ramrod pipe, buttplate and trigger guard.
label: Description
content: The lock plate is stamped “RICHMOND” under the flashpan and “1815” at the rear. “77” is stamped on the left side of the barrel. The inside of the lock plate is stamped “V”.
label: Description
content: History:
label: Description
content: The Virginia Manufactory is also known as the Richmond Armory and the Virginia State Armory. It was established by the Act of 1797 to manufacture arms for the state militia. It was built along the James River and was initially in production from 1802 through 1820. The man who was in charge of the armory was James Haslett. He was formerly employed by McCormick. He was recommended for the job by Colonel John Shee, a surgeon from Philadelphia who served in the Third Pennsylvania Battalion. He wrote to the Governor of Virginia that the state would “be enabled to engage Haslett…for the Richmond Armory.” The Armory reopened in 1860 for production during the Civil War.
label: Description
content: The Virginia Manufactory was one of the only companies to issue only one pistol. This practice was called the single pistol theory. It was based on the economy and the belief that a sword was more important to a cavalryman than a pistol.
label: Description
content: This pistol has two differences from other pistols with this date. It has a thicker and straighter grip and the lock marking lacks the typical “VIRGINIA” stamp.
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. 200.
label: Description
content: Smith, Samuel E. and Edwin W. Bitter. Historic Pistols: The American Martial Flintlock 1760-1845, Scalamandre Publications, New York: 1986, p. 246.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Virginia, Richmond
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: The Bitter Collection of Firearms
label: See more items in
content: Military
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: 1987.0014.30
label: catalog number
content: 1987.0014.30
label: accession number
content: 1987.0014
label: collector/donor number
content: P179L
objectType: label: Object Name
content: pistol
label: Object Name
content: pistol, flintlock
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: iron (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (part material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (part material)
label: Measurements
content: average spatial: 6 1/2 in x 16 in x 2 1/4 in; 16.51 cm x 40.64 cm x 5.715 cm
label: Measurements
content: barrel: 1.422 cm x 25.718 cm; 9/16 in x 10 1/8 in
label: Measurements
content: overall: 16 in x 6 1/4 in x 2 1/8 in; 40.64 cm x 15.875 cm x 5.3975 cm