Videos tagged with Vassalon Brothers

Jonathan Ferguson of the Royal Armouries examines a pair of highly unusual percussion pistols with steeply angled, near-vertical grips, often referred to as 'saw handle' grips. These designs, exemplified by the Vassalon brothers' work circa 1855, were driven by the need to accommodate a V-shaped mainspring within the grip, a design paralleled in modern revolvers. The pistols feature precise target sights and 13-groove rifling, suggesting a focus on accuracy, though their small size and short barrels limit their practical range for self-defense. The video also touches on the historical context of pistol design evolution and the potential refinishing of these rare examples.