Dueling Pistols

[EdInk]

I've always wanted a set of dueling pistols. Anyone make a decent affordable pair of useable reproductions? Where do you get ammo?

[horseman308]

Depends on what you call affordable. You could probably buy a pair of Traditions or Lyman pistol kits from DGW or some other place for around $600 and call them dueling pistols. If you're real handy, then you could build a custom case for them, along with the flask, mold, and other accouterments.

If you're thinking a matched pair like a French or English gentleman might own back in the day, then you're talking pretty high prices. Those will have highly figured wood, lots of carving and inlays, and other stuff. The whole point was to show off their wealth. Having said that, I've always wanted a set myself, so you're not alone.

You get ammo the same places you get it for any traditional muzzleloader.

[Jim Watson]

Pedersoli makes some duelers.
They have kind of a generic gun for $400, one based on a Charles Moore original for $700, and a copy of a saw-handled Mortimer for $950.
Prices are per gun, not a pair, at Cherry's.
http://www.cherrys.com/ped_pist.htm

These are muzzleloaders, you don't buy ammunition, you put down your black powder charge and a patched ball with the ramrod.
Note that most true duelers are flintlocks, the custom of set duels was kind of fading out by the time percussion locks were standard.

Note that a nice pistol with good sights and rifled barrel was probably a target pistol rather than a dueler. Too much accuracy was considered unsporting. Barrel length was not supposed to exceed 9 inches and set triggers were not allowed under one published code. Not that there were not guns with "invisible rifling" and hair triggers without the exposed adjustment screw of a target pistol's set trigger.

Also anything over .50 was considered too deadly, you ought to have a chance of a survivable wound in a duel.

[shafter]

A useable pair? That makes me kind of nervous.

[mulefour]

Pair of Pedersoli 45 Caliber Percussion Dueling Pistols in Case with Accessories on GunsAmerica.com.
Buy price is $995.00.
They are the Charles Moore Percusion pistols that sell for $600+ each with out the case and accessiories.
Also has 2 of there of there 44 cal derringers in the set.
I'm trying to buy a Pedersoli Le Page now so can't aford to buy these.
Bob

[surbat6]

A useable pair? That makes me kind of nervous.

Sir! That is an insult. I demand satisfaction!

[horseman308]

I always thought it would be kinda fun to do a "duel" by having each person stand side-by-side, fire at side-by-side targets. Either they start with their backs to the targets, pistols in the classic muzzle-up position, and then turn and fire on command; or they leave their pistols on the table with their backs turned, then turn, pick them up, and fire on command. First shot on target wins.

[Jim Watson]

In the last years when a Free Englishman might own a pistol, there was the British Dueling Federation. I don't think they shot man-on-man but there was an effort to provide the ambiance of a duel. Complete with a humanoid target that triggered a flashgun, shot a blank, or fired a paintball if you did not get a hit within a short time.

[surbat6]

I always thought it would be kinda fun to do a "duel" by having each person stand side-by-side, fire at side-by-side targets. Either they start with their backs to the targets, pistols in the classic muzzle-up position, and then turn and fire on command; or they leave their pistols on the table with their backs turned, then turn, pick them up, and fire on command. First shot on target wins.

We used to run duels exactly like that, but with modern handguns. We always used plastic jugs full of water or clay pigeons because it was easier to identify who hit first with a reactive target. You wouldn't believe the amount of stress involved when two people are each trying to be first to break a target. If it was too close to call, both of them lost.

[Joey V.]

This is a $300 pistol that turned out to be the best shooter I have hands down! the sportsmen’s guide website has them for less than that if you’re a club member. Buy 2 for around $550 bucks. They are real nice inlayed and engraved too. Best front loader I ever owned. It is not a flintlock though but whooooooo cares.

Now don’t be an idiot and actually duel with them though

[Claddagh]

Dixie Gun Works used to offer a few models of dueller repros singly or in cased pairs. IIRC, some of the high-end sets came with the requisite accessories, too.

One's definition of "affordable", is IMHO entirely subjective. Depends a lot on how much an item is desired and what one is willing to forego in order to obtain it. IME, where a sufficiently compelling desire exists a rationale can usually be invented to make whatever it costs "affordable".

Selling that rationale to one's spouse, etc. is the really tough part.

[Noz]

In 1962 I ran across a pair of flintlock dueling pistols in a fitted case with mold and flask in an dusty old antique store in Geneva Switzerland. They wanted $300 for the pair. I was making $222 a month as a 2nd Lt. so that was way out of my range.
Two years later as a 1st Lt and making the princely sum of $285 a month, I returned to the same store with cash in hand. The store had moved and when I found it's new location, the windows were clean, the walls were covered with velvet and my guns were now $3500.

You snooze------

[youngunz4life]

I was just searching the same thing as the OP's post, and the forum popped up on google. Everywhere I am looking I am seeing pairs for about 90bucks. I pretty much knew they must be fakes, but went to the checkout anyways just to make sure they weren't real firearms. I would demand real ones that shoot also, as someone mentioned above. I just want to shoot them a couple of times each and then safekeep them. How long are these firearms considered reliable after being primed? I am just curious, and obviously if they could be stored ready-to-go after being primed they would stay dry and have the same atmosphere whether it be winter, summer, etc. does anybody know the answer to this, and am I better off buying authentic reproductions or the real thing thats been safekeeped? I also am having trouble deciding what country to get: belgian, english, american and so-on?