A pair of French officer's flintlock pistols by Gounouilhou of Bergerac, made around 1820, .60 caliber with 7 3/4-inch barrels. The form is Empire style with butts turned at nearly a right angle. The swamped barrels are pounce ground, hold most of their original blue, and each is inlaid with roughly 160 gold stars; each bore carries micro rifling of about 40 grooves. The stocks are highly figured with silver and gold mounts, the grips inlaid in silver and pearl, reversed between the pair, gold-plated undersides with bird vignettes at the butt and ahead of the trigger guard, solid silver ramrod pipes, and engraved, polished locks and trigger guards.

Pistols at this level of decoration are bought for the collection, and the mirrored inlays show they were made and kept as a true pair. A Montana buyer faces no state purchase permit, registration or waiting period on top of the federal dealer paperwork, and the receiving FFL may charge a transfer fee, so ask before ordering.

Key features

• Pair of French officer's flintlocks, circa 1820
• .60 caliber, 7 3/4-inch swamped barrels
• Gold star inlaid barrels, micro-rifled bores
• Silver and pearl inlaid grips, silver ramrod pipes
• By Gounouilhou of Bergerac, used

The pair is shipped to a licensed Montana FFL dealer, where you complete the transfer in person before taking them home.