Harpers Ferry Model 1805
Flintlock Pistol
The Model 1805 became the first American pistol to be manufactured by a US military arsenal.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited:
2/26/2018
The Harpers Ferry Model 1805 was a flintlock pistol produced out of Harpers Ferry Armory in West Virginia. The firm was set up by the United States government in 1799 and would eventually provide hundreds of thousands of firearms to serve in the upcoming American Civil War. The location of this facility proved ideal for the factory could make use of the natural currents of the nearby Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. The Model 1805 was a product of this renowned facility and itself was produced in over 4,000 examples between 1806 and 1808. Selection of the Model 1805 for US Army service made her the first such pistol to be produced at an American armory.
Design was conventional for the time, sporting a long 10 inch steel barrel with a curved pistol handle. The trigger was set in an exquisitely rounded trigger guard and operated the flintlock action consisting of the cock-lever, frizzen and flashpan. The hardware was set off to the right side of the wooden body. A ram rod was set just under the barrel. The cartridge caliber was .54.
United States
