1800s Flintlock Pistol.

Flintlock is a firearm that uses a flint-striking ignition and first appeared in Western Europe in the 16th Century and was commonly used during the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries until replaced by the percussion cap and then the cartridge-based systems in early to mid 1800s.

Flintlocks are a muzzle-loading firearm that use a mechanism which includes a flint, a hammer, a frizzen, and a pan filled with gunpowder. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer strikes the flint which strikes a steel plate, creating a spark that ignites the gunpowder in the flash pan. This ignition travels through a small hole to the main charge in the barrel, propelling the bullet forward. They fire a single shot and are for short range use. Even under the best of conditions, flintlock weapons misfire about one out of seven times.

This changed with the development of the British dueling pistol as they were highly reliable, accurate, and water resistant. Dueling pistols had little external decoration but excellent internal craftsmanship. They were the size of the horse pistols of the late 1700s, around 16 inches or 41 cm long, and were usually sold in pairs, along with accessories in a wooden case with compartments for each piece. Flintlock pistols were commonly used by soldiers, sailors, and civilians for self-defense or as a sidearm.