Help ID this pistol

[HuntingRelics]

My dad was given this pistol, but I cannot help him identify the type. Can anyone help identify the model and era?

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

Seems to be missing some components. Like a firing mechanism.

Without the help of any size or bore measurements given I would guess it to be one of the parlor pistols popular just before the end of the 19th century.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Looks like the remains of a Boot Pistol. Obviously missing the grips, and the hammer mechanism, possibly the trigger guard, and possibly the main springs.

Should look to see if there are any markings, maybe after cleaning.

 

[pistol-pete]

Looks to me like a mock up of a boot pistol. Looks like a pipe welded to a crude blacksmith handle??

 

[50bmg]

looks to me like
if you pull the trigger a flag that says bang should come out

 

[CRUSADER]

looks to me like
if you pull the trigger a flag that says bang should come out

That made me cry a little....lol

 

[ARC]

That made me cry a little....lol

Just like some of your finds do to me btw.

:P

 

[jewelerguy]

looks sorta like a golf club to me

 

[ticndig]

homemade rubber band gun.

 

[GoDeep]

Does it have chamber and bore? I don't see how'd you break it down to load a bullet into the chamber.

Do you have a picture of it looking down the bore and with it broken down so we can see the chamber?

 

[BAW]

To me it looks like the frame and barrel of a muzzleloading percussion underhammer pistol. Do an image search on "underhammmer" and you will see what I mean. It seems to have a front sight, the trigger is pinned to the frame in the proper manner, and i believe the extra piece of metal inside the frame is the remains of the mainspring. The notch on the inside of the frame is where the end of the spring (now missing) would have rested. There seems to be a small notch on the underside of the breech end of the barrel. Is there any evidence of a hole there? If so, this is where the percussion nipple would have been screwed in. Most underhammer pistols were made in New England in the 1830-1860 era, but the relative simplicity of their mechanisms encouraged tinkerers to make them at home in all parts of the country.

 

[HuntingRelics]

Thanks BAW! I searched underhammer, and agree that this might be the case. I will inspect the pistol again when I visit dad. Thanks