Doune Pistol

Approx. Period: 1720 AD
Length: 0.30m Width: 0.05m

In the 17th and 18th Century the town of Doune became a centre for the manufacture of high quality firearms. The unique characteristics of a "Doune" pistol included the use of a cast iron stock rather than the more usual wooden or brass stock. This allowed considerable scope for ornamentation with engraving and inlay.

The Doune pistol is recognisable by the curved ends of its metal stock. The firing mechanism, or lock, is of the flintlock or snaphaunce style. The flint attached to the hammer strikes the steel frizzen plate causing sparks. A small quantity of powder placed in the pan ignites and passes through a touch-hole in the barrel to ignite the main charge in the breech behind the bullet.