Elliot Light Dragoon Pistol
British Board of Ordnance · Pistol · Discontinued · 1759
Also known as: Pattern 1759 Light Dragoon Pistol, Eliott Light Dragoon Pistol, 1759 Light Dragoon Pistol
Overview
The Elliot Light Dragoon Pistol is a British Pattern 1759 flintlock cavalry pistol developed for the newly raised light dragoon regiments. Colonel George Augustus Eliott, dissatisfied with the bulky Land Pattern pistol, shortened the barrel to nine inches and trimmed the grip, standardising the bore on the .65 caliber carbine ammunition already carried by his troopers. Lighter and more manageable than its predecessor, it earned the name 'light dragoon pistol' and served British mounted troops from the 1760s through the Napoleonic Wars.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 900 g (31.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 381 mm (15.00") |
| Barrel Length | 229 mm (9.02") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Flintlock |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 180 m/s (591 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 356 J (263 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 15 m (16 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Brass Furniture |
Calibers
- .65 Caliber Ball · primary — also known as 0.65 in, carbine bore, 16.5 mm ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loaded
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock
- Features: Brass Furniture, Wooden Ramrod, Belt Hook, Curved Grip
Service history
Operators
- British Army Light Dragoons · adopted 1759 · as Pattern 1759
- British Legion (Tarleton's)
- Queen's Rangers
Conflicts
- American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
- Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815)
Production
Production years: 1759-1820
Produced under Board of Ordnance contract by numerous London and Birmingham gunmakers over roughly six decades of service.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: George Augustus Eliott
Discontinued: 1820
Notes
Bore is variously reported between .62 and .66 caliber, matching the carbine ammunition of the period; barrels commonly measured 9 inches. Made by contract gunmakers such as Henry Nock, D. Egg, and Vernon under Board of Ordnance patterns.
Background
The pattern is named for General George Augustus Eliott, later Baron Heathfield and defender of Gibraltar, who raised the first British light dragoon regiment in 1759 and equipped it with his own lightened pistol design.