Dragoons were essentially cavalry of medium or heavy weight, as distinct from light cavalry. The army had both Dragoon and Cavalry regiments in the 18/19th centuries.
This is a pretty standard Heavy Dragoon pistol of 1795 pattern with rounded lock and iron ramrod. All parts are original – all the ironwork bits are marked with the assembly mark X\III – even the screws. Proof marks are missing from the barrel, although there is a ghost mark in teh right place. The marks that would have been impressed on the wood are missing, although there are pits where they might have been.
This is a pretty straight pistol, all original with a poorly repaired muzzle end to the stock, and the bents on the tumbler and the end of the sear all worn so that it can be fired on half cock but won’t hold on full cock. There are numerous small dents in the woodwork from a hard life, and the frizzen has been refaced, also suggesting a hard life. The barrel has been struck off at some point and lost all but a trace of its marks, but isn’t rusted on the outside and will clean up perfectly. Here are a couple of views before starting work;-
