Pistol with accessories

Breech load cap lock pistol, short firearm. The word ‘pistol’ is most probably based on an expression in Czech (pistola) referring to a small-calibre firearm used during the Hussite Wars that could be held (used) with a single hand. In their quite simple form, not to say – in their very primitive form – pistols were already known in the 15th century. Their development is closely linked to changes that occurred in terms of long firearms, meaning, the use of wheellocks, flintlocks, cap locks and others. Pistols were used in combat by cavalry very eagerly; they were placed in holsters on both sides of the horse’s neck. The pistol found in the collection of the Museum – the Castle in Łańcut – is a breech load firearm, which in terms of its mode of use, is used until today. Until that time, on the battle field, the soldier had to get up to load his gun (quite a long process), and, being himself defenceless, show their entire silhouette to the enemy; this facilitated targetting. If both sides used muzzle-loaded weapons, the difference in the firing rate was dependent on the individual training of the soldier. Breech loaded weapons started to show their advantages in the 2nd half of the 19th century in the Crimean War, the American Civil War, but mostly during the Austro-Prussian War, where during the battle of Sadova it proved its complete superiority over weapons used hitherto. Our museum object stems from the 1st half of the 20th century, and was manufactured by A. V. Lebed in Prague. It has a mahogany pistol box and maintenance equipment. A great advantage of the object in Łańcut are the surviving accessories that aided cleaning of the weapon (a badly maintained weapon could turn out to be faulty or offer a bad aim, possibly even resulting in the muzzle or chamber being burst, killing the user). We also have equipment allowing firing, as for instance, pincers for ball casting. Historically, the owner of the weapon would need to carry out all its maintenance and preparation activities themselves in order to be certain of the weapon’s proper action.