[D. E. Fox]

I apologize if this is posted twice. New to forum. The gun is a double barreled over and under muzzle loading pistol. It is marked on the right flat 2 gr. n.g.p. M/??. Under that is 6 gr. Bl. Stamped on the flats is a crown over a crown over a U. On the left flat is stamped 18. It looks like a 40 cal. It is 10" overall length with 4" barrels. A ramrod is held between the barrels. Any help is appreciated.

[Lin Robinson]

It appears to be a German boxlock muzzle loading pistol. Made probably mid to late 19th c. The markings on the barrel deal with the proof loads for the gun. Here is information from another post elsewhere on the forum which may help.

"The 0.2 gr NGP M/71 marking refers to the load used in proofing your gun, .2 grains of an early nitro rifle powder used in the first smokeless loads for the 1871 Mauser. This load was not in use long and dates your gun from the 1880s to around 1900. You may find that the patent number refers to this powder and not the gun itself."

The above information was on a breech loading single shot pistol which fired 6mm rimfire cartridges. The use of nitro powder in any muzzle loader is dangerous and I suspect the markings on your gun amount to an equivalent load in black powder but I cannot be sure.

These types of pistol are quite common, were made by many firms around Europe and are of limited interest to collectors. You have, however, a very interesting conversation piece.

[D. E. Fox]

Thanks for the info, Lin. I appreciate it greatly. I bought this pistol from a friends widow and had no information about it other what was on the weapon.