September 09, 2022, 02:36 PM
mojojojoRobert Johnson Model 1836 Pistol
I recently purchased a Model 1833 Dragoon saber manufactured in 1839. What better compliment to go with it then a Model 1836 pistol manufactured in 1838?!!From College Hill Arsenal:
The US Model 1836 Pistol was a unique handgun in the history of US martial arms. It was the last of the single-shot martial flintlock pistols to be authorized and contracted for by the US government, and it was the first contract small arm that appears to have been designed by the contractor, and not based upon a US armory produced sample firearm. A total of 41,000 of the pistols were contracted for between 1836 and 1844. Robert Johnson of Middleton, CT designed the pistol and produced a total of 18,000 of the guns (about 44%). Asa Waters (and later A.H. Waters) of Millbury, MA produced the balance of 23,000 of the pistols.
The contract was entered into at a very tumultuous time in US military history. The Second Seminole War had erupted in December of 1835 and both the newly authorized 2nd US Dragoons and the many mounted state militia troops that were sent to swamps of Florida to deal with the situation were in need of pistols. The stores of pistols in US arsenals were rather small at this point of time. Most of the pistols in storage were the obsolete and rather bulky US Model 1816 pattern, which was not considered to up to the current standards for military use. The lack of pistols was further exacerbated by the very limited production of contract handguns over the previous decade.
The Model 1836 .54 caliber, smoothbore, flintlock pistol was widely considered to be the best designed and manufactured flintlock pistol. The pistol has an 8 1/2 inch round barrel with a brass front sight blade, swivel ramrod with button head and iron mountings. The Model 1836 Flintlock Pistol was also the standard issue handgun of the Mexican War.
This pistol appears to have seen a lot of action. The gun is an 1838-dated example by Robert Johnson. I can make out only 1 inspection cartouche on the stock flat (but maybe some of you can make out a second one?). The sub-inspector's mark is the script JH of Joseph Hannis. The pistol remains in its original flintlock configuration. This is quite uncommon with these pistols, as the majority of these guns ended up being altered to percussion between the mid-1850s and the beginning of the Civil War.
Although hard to read, this pistol is marked on the lock in four lines forward of the hammer:
US
R. JOHNSON
MIDDn CONN
1838
The breech is marked in three lines: U.S. / JCS / P. The JCS is (I believe) the mark of armory sub-inspector John C. Stebbins. The stock flat opposite the lock has a faded or worn script cartouche JH. Hannis' tiny block letter H mark is also present on the bottom of the brass flash pan and on the left breech flat of the barrel.
Several things attracted me to this pistol. First was the date as it is in line with the date of my Dragoon saber (1838 & 1839). Next was the condition. Although I found other examples in more pristine shape, I prefer the pistol that has the "been there, done that" look. And lastly, the JCS inspectors initials on the barrel. Why? Because my initials are also JCS. Silly I know and perhaps a bit vain but it caught my attention and that of my wife as well. Given that I was able to negotiate what I feel was a very fair price for the pistol I pulled the trigger and purchased it (pun intended).
So, all that said, here is the latest addition to my still meager (but growing) eclectic collection.
