A BRIEF Intro to the " All Steel Highland Scots Pistol"

**puffer** · 18th October 08, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by haxtonhouse

Were there any highland pistols made with wood?

YES & NO

Explanation :

1. NO, if you restrict your definition of the "highland pistol" to the "style we have been discussig.

2. YES, if you expand your definition to include the following:
a.Highland Snaphances - The snaphance was the "lock style" that preceeded the "flintlock" (made & used until ca 1730)
1. Like the Highland flintlock", the Highland Snaplance lock, was "unique"
2. Incorperated the "ball" trigger & no trigger guard.
3. Wood used - Primary wood seems to be "Brazil-wood" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilwood ) According to Claude Blair & Robert Woosman-Savage, the "Highland Scots were the only ones that used this wood for pistol stocks. Other woods used, included rose wood, ebony etc.
Here is a picture of a Highland Snaphance ( ca late 1600s)

b. Highland Flintlocks - some ( sorry I have no pictures)

I hope this helps

Puffer

**BoldHighlander** · 22nd October 08, 12:26 AM

Great thread Puffer
I've always been a big fan of the HSP!

A question for you & Woodsheal (as fellow reenactors), have either of you ever run across repro 1600's HSP?

I'm working on a Thirty Years War impression (Mackay Regt, of course ) & the only pistols I've run across for that period are wood framed (I'll use them, but....)

Thanks.

**Kerr the Walker** · 22nd October 08, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Dirk Skene

All Steel :crap: I'll bet that bad boy kicked like a mule with a full charge.

In all actuality, they probably kicked less than their wooden handled brethren. The all steel pistol would have more mass for the recoil to move, where as the wooden variety would not have that mass to absorb the energy and thus your arm would have to pick up the slack.

Great thread! Some very interesting stuff. I am impressed daily at how well read the members of this group are and the free flow of information.

**Donnie** · 22nd October 08, 11:08 AM

Awsome post!

**Woodsheal** · 22nd October 08, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

Great thread Puffer
I've always been a big fan of the HSP!

A question for you & Woodsheal (as fellow reenactors), have either of you ever run across repro 1600's HSP?

Some clever builder could produce one using this lock. Donnie Shearer, the "Mad Piper" for example (but he ain't taking orders currently). In any case, I'd figure around $800 to a grand for such a totally custom pistol....

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 22nd October 08, 03:21 PM

Probably the best reproduction pistols of this era that I have ever seen or shot were made by Dale Shinn (email: dgshinn@earthlink.net) who lives up in the Sacramento, CA area.

Dale, by the way, is an English Civil War reenactor (and has been since I met him when I was at G&A back in the mid-70s) and is Captain of the Duke Of Montrose's Artillery Company. Cool stuff.

If you Google Dale Shinn you will be able to see examples of his work.

**Woodsheal** · 22nd October 08, 04:54 PM

Oh, yeah! I forgot about Mr Shinn. Fantastic work! He even makes wheel-locks, probably the most complex period firearm mechanism. I remember his Swedish "leather gun" artillery piece at the big ECW event there in Staunton back in the Fall of '98 (It WAS '98, wasn't it? I fought with a combined unit that weekend that included MacKay's)....

**BoldHighlander** · 22nd October 08, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by Woodsheal

Some clever builder could produce one using this lock. Donnie Shearer, the "Mad Piper" for example (but he ain't taking orders currently). In any case, I'd figure around $800 to a grand for such a totally custom pistol....

Originally Posted by MacMillan of Rathdown

Probably the best reproduction pistols of this era that I have ever seen or shot were made by Dale Shinn (email: dgshinn@earthlink.net) who lives up in the Sacramento, CA area.

If you Google Dale Shinn you will be able to see examples of his work.

Thank you gentlemen

I am familiar with Donnie Shearer's work, as matter of fact we've discussed him making me a two-handed great sword with a ring guard (based on a couple Scottish examples from the Thirty Years War)

**BoldHighlander** · 22nd October 08, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by Woodsheal

(It WAS '98, wasn't it? I fought with a combined unit that weekend that included MacKay's)....

Is that Lee Offen's group?
There isn't much in the way of Thirty Years War /ECW reenactment out this way, unless your in California.
I'm working on a solo interpretation for my clan booth.

**puffer** · 22nd October 08, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

Great thread Puffer
I've always been a big fan of the HSP!

A question for you & Woodsheal (as fellow reenactors), have either of you ever run across repro 1600's HSP?

I'm working on a Thirty Years War impression (Mackay Regt, of course ) & the only pistols I've run across for that period are wood framed (I'll use them, but....)

Thanks.

I have not. but I WOULD LOVE TO !! I have seen a couple of GOOD ones of the 1700s style. ( BTW a plain one made from a TRS kit would run you near $1,000 But when you you add the ENGRAVING $$$$$$$ I have a great gun maker who will make me one, but the cost of the engraving is beyond me @ this time.

Puffer