Allen County Museum
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Flintlock. The flintlock mechanism utilized in guns and pistols during America’s Colonial period depended on a piece of flint (loaded in the hammer of the gun) striking a steel “frizzen” in order to ignite a small amount of gun powder, thereby forcing the charge from the barrel. In the mid 1800s the flintlock mechanism was replaced by the percussion-cap lock.
Matched flintlock dueling pistols were given to George Washington by Thomas Turner in 1778. Although he was opposed to duels and never fought one, Washington accepted the pistols for their beauty and fine craftsmanship. They were created by Wilson and Hawkins of London in 1748. The originals are in the U.S. Army Museum at West Point. These replicas were made in a limited number for the U.S. Bicentennial by the Belgian firm of Centaure.
