A Scotsman born in 1717, George Eliott rose through the ranks to become Aide-de-Camp to King George II by 1756. In 1759, he raised and commanded the 1st Light Horse and thus began the concept of Light Dragoons in the British Army.

At the time, commanders of irregular forces could outfit the men as they chose, and Elliot went about designing improved weapons and gear for his Troop of Horse. His legacy is the Elliot Light Dragoon Pistol, the Elliot Light Dragoon Carbine, and the Elliot Light Dragoon Saddle.

Introduced in the 1760s, the Light Dragoon pistol graced of holsters of troopers of the 16th and 17th Light Dragoons along with American mounted units loyal to the crown. The latter included the King's American Dragoons, Tarleton's famous British Legion, along with the Hussars and Light Dragoons of the Queen's Rangers. Both the British Legion and the Queen's Rangers skirmished with the France's Lauzun Legion of Hussars during the Yorktown Campaign.  After the American Revolution, this pistol continued to be used by Light Dragoons into the Napoleonic Wars. It was slowly phased out as the introduction of the New Land Pattern took hold but saw continued service in America during the War of 1812.

This is a light, handy pistol with a good feel to it when aiming. The barrel is 9" long and appears to be the most common .62 caliber offering, though they were produced in multiple diameter variations.  The wood is in an excellent condition, with a rich red to brown color.  There is a crack stemming from the upper screw of the side plate, with a smaller crack bisecting the lower screw channel. Deep, clear proof marks are found on the barrel near the breech, including two lovely crowns. The lock plate itself is a bit worn on the surface, with much of the prominent crown stamping missing, but a nice royal proof mark can be found on the plate behind the hammer.  All brass furniture is in excellent condition with no oxidation and minimal scratching from use or storage.  The barrel features a nice bore, still smoot with minimal localized areas of minor surface oxidation.  The barrel surface is bright, with very light pitting in some areas, mostly around the vent – which is typical of an age flintlock firearm that has seen use. The mechanics function perfectly.  Trigger engages the mechanism with a light pull and the hammer locks securely in all positions.  The hammer jaws hold the flint securely, while the frizzen is not overly worn and would still produce a healthy spark.  The wooden ramrod is held securely in the channel by a brass guide.

Overall, a very nice early pistol that may seen use during some of America’s earliest conflicts – including our War of Independence and our second war with the British.  This handsome weapon would compliment any weaponry collection. [cm] [ph:cm/L]