160 Year Old Unfired Eugene Lefaucheux Revolver

[Smith&WessonTearGas]

Howdy,

Back again. This time with one of my favorite and absolutely superb Pinfire revolvers by Eugene Lefaucheux. Dated 1860-1870.

What makes this pistol unique it appear to have never been fired. The gold plating and fit and finish on this folding trigger revolver are wonderful especially with the deep relief engraving makes it captivating eye candy for any firearm lover of gunmakers art.

Enjoy

Bests
Smith&WessonTearGas

 

[Ozark Marine]

That is a beauty. Where did you find it?

 

[gunnails]

What a treasure.

Looking forward to the range report.

 

[Rock185]

Elegant,to say the least.

 

[Bob L]

That is really an amazing looking revolver. It reminds me of one of those art deco non-working coffee table pieces you see in the high end furniture stores. The trigger looks like it would be a reach, is it? Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Smith&WessonTearGas]

Pinfire Revolvers

Hi Guys,

I have had the unfired Eugene Lefaucheux for several years. I purchased it at auction from a guy back east.

I also had the following that I recently sold it is an Apache Style Pepperbox with a screw in barrel extension silver plated and deep relief engraving with ebony grips and cartridge removal push pin located in the butt. Then housed in a period wooden box.

Take a peek at the following and let me know what you think?

Regards
Smith&WessonTearGas

 

[Watchdog]

Amazing guns, both of them. Masterpieces of the gunmaker's art from long ago.

 

[jimmyj]

In the small primitive farming community that I grew up in, practically every returning soldier that served in Europe brought back one of those style revolvers. We (area kids) wondered why these revolvers and not Lugers or P-38s ?

 

[Smith&WessonTearGas]

Hello Jimmyj,

You know that brings back a story I heard of one from a Viet Nam Vet. When they were in Que City people were stealing camera's most were looking for SLR's like Pentax or Nikons. One guy was mad because all he could find was a Hasselblad. When another guy noticed what he had he was informed that the camera he had was far superior to regular SLR cameras of the period.

Professional quality as compared to function quality always wins same goes for firearms. Comparing a Korth or Manurhin revolver I would probably go with the Korth. I have a Manurhin and it is an exceptionally well made revolver $2700.+ new. Compared to Korth at $8000.+ new its sometimes hard to imagine what your really have and what you really like.

So goes my reasoning for the odd and valuable in regard to firearms.

Bests
Smith&WessonTearGas

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Now that just may qualify for the ultimate "should I shoot it?" gun! Thanks for sharing those two.

 

[Cyrano]

Wonderful guns. You don't often see anything like them. I guess the sighting equipment for the Apache renders it non competitive in target shooting.

 

[DWalt]

Pinfire guns and cartridges are fascinating examples of firearms ingenuity. Pinfires were the first small arms to use metallic cartridges, pre-dating the S&W .22 rimfire cartridges by at least 20 years. During their history, they were made in a wide variety of calibers for numerous guns. There were even pinfire shotguns and shotshells. They were always much more popular in continental Europe than in the United States. However, pinfire revolvers were in wide use among the Confederates during the Civil War, not so much by the North. I think Dixie Gun Works and some other sources still supply copper cases of various sizes for those who wish to make their own pinfire cartridges, which is fairly simple to do.

Over on the International Ammunition Association (IAA) website there is some guy from Northeast Ohio who is the real expert on pinfire cartridges and he usually has an article about them in every bi-monthly IAA Journal.

"Apache" revolvers are usually more than just revolvers with or without barrels, as they also often incorporate things like blades and knuckles. The name results from the popularity of such weapons among Parisian street gangs called (for some reason) Apaches. Sort of like Bloods and Crips today.

 

[OLDSTER]

Great guns and photos

 

[loknload]

Outstanding!

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Very Nice, but leave it to the French to make a gun that is too pretty to shoot.