Some of the most beautiful work of this craftsman, and many others, are in this book “Liège Gunmakers through their Work. 1800 - 1950”.
For more detail see: LIEGE GUNMAKERS
Pirlot Frères
Here is a
very interesting small percussion pistol boxlock n°11461 with two barrels and
"cartridge tubes"/inserts well marked 1 and 2, of 9 mm, and parallel for
cartridges with pin caliber 12 mm !
A
percussion pistol bearing the number 9740 already appears (without comment) on
the website under the same name among the identified craftsmen. A little further
down also a copy with a cannon no. 4791.
Pirlot
Brothers
(BE 1830-1879).
The
pistol we are dealing with has a sliding part on the barrels that holds the pins
in the right place so that the hammers hit the pins when the gun is loaded with
this type of cartridge. Unless it is a security, thus preventing the firing of
the pinfire cartridge. A 12 mm pinfire cartridge would have to be inserted to
have a clear core.
It will
be noticed that this part hinders a correct aiming, (unless the back sight is
very worn...) but anyway, it is not a shooting gun... but a very short-range
defense. Moreover, if the gun was used with cartridge tubes/inserts at 9 mm, the
range/accuracy was almost zero... but at 2 or 3 meters, it can still hurt (very)
...
I only
see two markings:
ELG on
oval star: acceptance by the Liège proofhouse;
G
crowned: countermark of a controller.
A very
interesting weapon because it can fire percussion and also pinfire cartridges.
It should
be noted that the practice of percussion "inserts" was quite common in the
United States when the first pinfire revolvers were introduced, reports a member
of the team.
Similarly, revolvers were for a long time sold with two cylinders, one for
percussion and the other for cartridges, as these were not available everywhere.
He points out that this
Pirlot
pistol was quite popular in Argentina.
GP with the help of MC.
