THE WATNALL PISTOL

 The Troopers of South Notts Yeomanry had been armed with the flintlock 1794 pattern Light Dragoon Pistol. A pistol with a nine inch barrel of .65 inch bore. An observed example of which is a privately purchased pistol, not uncommon for Yeomanry units,and therefore does not bear the Crown over G.R. to the lock, and is engraved "NOTTS YEOMANRY" to the side nail plate. Presumably the Ordnance also supplied flintlock Light Dragoon Pistols to the Regiment at a later stage. 


With changes to the arms carried by regular cavalry regiments, the issuing of pistols to the regular cavalry ceased in 1838 in favour of the more powerful carbine with the new percussion ignition system. This also prevented the ordnance from having to replace all of the flintlock pistols with the new percussion ignition system. At this point, the ordnance started to convert its stores of flintlock firearms over to the new percussion ignition system. 

On 13th May 1844, the Government informed the Commanding Officer of the South Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Regiment that it was their intention to arm Yeomanry regiments with carbines fitted with percussion locks. This was to be carried out at once, and the Regiment was to return all their obsolete flintlock pistols to the Tower of London Armouries. Troopers were to be armed with the new 1844 Pattern Yeomanry percussion carbine, however ten pistols with percussion locks were to be supplied. These pistols were to be issued, five to each of the troop sergeant-majors, and five to the troop trumpeteers. This allowed the sergeant-majors to still have a free hand for guiding the troops and passing orders, and the trumpeters still free to sound their trumpets without having to manage a carbine.

After returning the stock of flintlock Light Dragoon Pistols, the Regiment received the 1844 Pattern percussion Yeomanry Carbine, and ten pistols. Here is one of the ten pistols. It is the later New Land Pattern Pistol, very similar to the 1794 pattern Light Dragoon Pistol,still with nine barrel of .65 inch bore, but with the loading rammer held in a captive styrup, this of much advantage to a mounted trooper, as it could not be dropped. Originally made as a flintlock pistol during the reign of William 4th with crown over W.R. to the lock plate, and then soon after converted by the Ordnance to percussion in the early 1840's. Issue marks engraved to the brass trigger guard of, -- 

 S.N. over B.  S.M. - South Notts B (Troop, Watnall) Sergeant Major. 

It is not known if these issue marks were applied at the Tower of London, in line with their specific instructions, or if they were added locally when the pistols were received by the Regiment. It can be assumed that there were also in existence four other pistols the same, but with A,C,D, and E, inplace of this pistol's "B". Probably the five pistols for issue to the trumpeters had the same troop letter arrangement followed by a two letter abbreviation for trumpeter. These ten pistols would have stayed with the Regiment until a later stage when replaced by a cartridge firing revolver. 

This exact pistol came from a very well established collection of British Military Firearms and is featured in the book, British Ordnance Single Shot Pistols by Davies, Chisnall and Brook, 2019. illustrated on photo reference page 6-12, and described on section page 6-2. 











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