Styled after the Southern Appalachian bear pistols of early American fame, this percussion pistol features a 15" long .45 caliber barrel. The bore is bright, but we note some light pitting mostly near the muzzle. Built on a piece of figured maple, the gun is trimmed in brass furniture, all of which is polished bright. This long barreled pistol weighs 3.2 pounds.
The heart of the pistol is its extra long .45 caliber 7/8" straight octagon barrel. The barrel measures 15" in overall length and has a smooth chocolate brown finish. Internally the bore is bright, but we note some light pits. We could not feel not feel the pits when we ran a tight fitting cleaning patch down the bore. The barrel is rifled with eight equal size lands and grooves with an appropriate twist for patched round ball. The top flat of the barrel has a filled sight dovetail at its midpoint. The low profile flat top rear sight is dovetailed 3-1/2" ahead of the breech. A rounded iron blade front sight is dovetailed 1" behind the muzzle.
The maple stock is finished to a medium brown with reddish undertone that nicely contrasts the polish brass furniture. The grip is shaped with flats on both sides that provides for a secure hold when aiming this long barreled pistol. The bass triggerguard is secured with a combination of a screw and pin. The wooden ramrod passes through a brass ramrod pipe with octagon flats and matching entry pipe. The ramrod is fitted with a brass tip threaded to accept 10-32 cleaning and loading accessories. A brass muzzle cap protects the end grain of the forearm. Two lock bolts pass through a large brass sideplate to retain the lock on the opposite side.
The L&R John Bailes percussion lock has the appearance of a late 17th Century flintlock that would have been converted to percussion in the early 18th century. The lock is browned to match the barrel and has a strong mainspring for fast lock time. The drum is well supported by the lock plate, and is fitted with a stainless steel nipple for No. 11 percussion caps. We note a hex bolt has been used for the clean-out screw to give the drum an antique appearance. The single trigger provides a smooth release of the lock.
If you are in the market for a Southern bear style pistol and want something a little out of the ordinary, then consider this gun today. It will be a joy to shoot at the range! Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
