5 Amazing Facts about PISTOLS & DUELS + New Book "The Pursuit of Honour"

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#pistol #shooting #history

[@scholagladiatoria]

Fantastic new book about pistol duels and history: www.olympiaauctions.com/about-us/publications/the-pursuit-of-honour-the-history-of-the-pistol-duel-in-england-france/

[@shatnermohanty6678]

Please make a video on plausiblity of dual wielding Rapiers ( both of the same length)

[@nowthenzen]

The Duellists (1977) "Final Duel 1816 The two men meet in a ruined château, entering the woods from opposite sides. However, Feraud is tricked into discharging both his pistols and d'Hubert catches him at point blank range. Instead of shooting him, d'Hubert says that the rules of single combat dictate that he now owns Feraud's life." You can actually find a 7 minute clip of the final pistol duel here on KZbin

[@isaaco5679]

Have you ever seen Bluejay's video on strange duels? Quite entertaining.

[@user-tv4lz5ie5u]

I'm late to thud comments section, but I do demand a collab between Schola Gladiatoria and Forgotten Weapons.

[@user-eg5fr3xl6m]

I have just measured ten paces - as it turns out, the length of my living room - and given the matter some thought. I have decided to avoid duelling with pistols. I am prepared to fight with swords, if I am to be allowed the same distance.

[@seanmadson8524]

A duel where you throw swords at each other from across your living room? I suppose I could handle that

[@anthonyrector8183]

That's a big living room. I walked 2/3 of my apartments longest point to point area with 10 paces.

[@tomjackson4374]

Dirty jokes at ten paces, the first to laugh loses.

[@MrCjbchrisb]

Abraham Lincoln was involved in one duel, which seems out of character. He was challenged, and so he could not refuse without being seen as dishonorable, a coward, or both. He could choose the rules however, so he chose swords, at a set distance (opposite sides of a log or some such). The challenger was much shorter, and wouldn't have been close enough to touch Lincoln, while Lincoln would still have been able to skewer his opponent. The guy showed up, declared that honor had been satisfied, and went home.😊

[@unclebob540i3]

Since dueling pistols are usually smoothbore, the odds of not getting hit are in your favor. As long as you stand still, that is.

[@Shozb0t]

“Only girls duel with swords these days. We duel with cannon!” -Duke of Wellington (Blackadder III)

[@wkcia]

Frederick the Great called cannon “the final argument of kings”

[@jm9371]

Loved that series. That was the Georgian years?

[@shatnermohanty6678]

A more Elegant weapon for a More Civilized Age

[@dzonbrodi514]

@@jm9371 Yeah it was! I remember Blackadder imperturbably reading his cannon's instructions lol

[@Jarumo76]

“Congratulations on choosing the Armstrong Whitworth four-pounder cannonette. Please read the instructions carefully and it should give years of trouble free maiming.”

[@theeddorian]

One of the curious and confusing things about "pacing" off a distance, is that there are two definitions of "pace." When learning some surveying, the class I was in was informed by the lecturer that a "pace" was the distance spanned between where your heel rested, and where the same heel next struck the ground. If your stride was around a yard, then your pace was about two yards. To this day, reading historical accounts of duels and other activities involving pacing, I still must wonder whether the "pace" is used as the full double stride, or just a single step.

[@thekaxmax]

The military standard pace is heel touch to the same heel touch. That's standard. Otherwise they'd mention yards, cos a yard is half a pace.

[@Jacob-W-5570]

I thought it was common knowledge that a pace was two steps?

[@bigblue6917]

I did read about a duel where one of the duellists was an expert shot whereas his opponent had never handled a pistol before. When is came to the day of the duel the non duellist chose the shortest distance possible to the surprise of the expert. The expert suggested a much longer distance, obviously to his advantage, but this was turned down. The non expert knew he would not have any chance at a distance and as it turned out this was a good call because he killed his opponent. Interestingly the last duel fought with pistols in Scotland was between also someone who had never used a pistol before and someone who had served as an officer in the British Army. As it happens again the one with experience was killed. Interestingly if he had won the duel he would have been hanged as the evidence would show that not only did he push his opponent into the fight but that he had been practicing before the duel, something not allowed. Gun shops not only sold duelling pistols but would hire them out for the duel.

[@traildoggy]

I assume you had to pay the rental fee up front? 😁

[@thomasesau2376]

Alexander Hamilton brother in law was a "professional duelist" and supplied the pistols for the engagement. When the set was auctioned off in the 1990s, the gunsmith servicing the set discovered a hidden switch, to change the trigger pull from the standand 5 lb pull, to a hair trigger. Whether Hamilton knew of this is unknown, but he did shoot high, thus deloping the duel. Burr aimed true.

[@bigblue6917]

@@traildoggy One of tasks of the second was to return the pistols, just in case.

[@bigblue6917]

@@thomasesau2376 One thing was to make sure your own second loaded your gun. In more than one case the other second loaded both guns but made sure his man got the pistol with the ball.

[@stillenacht8518]

​@@bigblue6917One second loads, the other checks. A pistol with a ball takes a ramrod differently than one without.

[@JimmyTownmouse]

Forging matched barrels together, now that is an interesting fact.

[@frosty3693]

If you think about it, it does make the labor less and gets a more uniform pair. But keeping the bore concentric in the barrel would be the hard part. But then having the muzzels facing each other might make that easier. I talked to an American musket maker, in NC, USA that he could carefully match the good uniform bore of the gun with a proper size ball and it was quite accurate. Rifle makers had different ways of making barrels, some bored the barrel then cut the rifling, some had a raised rifling mandrel and forged the barrel around it and then drew out the mandrel and others variations of the two. Hammer forged barrels today come to mind.

[@konstantin.v]

​@@frosty3693, wouldn't it be more efficient to stop before drilling the barrel *all the way through,* and then not to have to plug the chamber end somehow? 🙂

[@frosty3693]

@@konstantin.v It would seem so but perhaps the plug with it's tang to attach the barrel to the stock is easier that way.

[@alltat]

Getting the bore angle perfect would be easier when you have a longer barrel to work with (any deviation becomes exaggerated and more easily noticed), so it makes a lot of sense.

[@free_at_last8141]

I love the thought of the reaction of a burglar breaking into this man's house, seeing this wall of swords, and hearing rapid approaching footsteps. "Tally-ho lads!"

[@brucetucker4847]

It's the UK, it's illegal to defend yourself with a weapon.

[@joeyvanhaperen7715]

I got a fun fact for you. Pistool dueling was a bit like sword dueling till first blood. It was actuely custum to try and not hit your target, but just shoot close to them. If the guy chickend out then the guy that stood there ground was the victor. A lot of these duels ended in a draw. Don't get me wrong you could still get hit. There were also certain rules inplace like for example dueling pistols had to be smoothbore riffeling wasn't allowed. That was to decrease accuratety sow people couldn't just straight up aim center mass and kill. For the same reason you weren't allowed to have sights of any type on your pistol.

[@Temujin1206]

A tangent related to fact 2 is that a lot of what we call "duelling pistols" today are actually nothing of the sort. Jonathan Ferguson has published an article on this and has a video about it on the Royal Armouries youtube channel but basically it's common among collectors to call any cased pair of pistols from the period (18th and early 19th centuries) duelling pistols, however that comes from the modern misconception that they were intended to be one pistol for each duellist (Matt is far from the only person to believe that). In reality each duellist would bring their own pistols and cased pairs of pistols were simply one of the most popular configurations in which gentlemen would buy pistols, for whatever reason a gentleman might want a pair of pistols. Absolutely there are plenty of cased pairs of duelling pistols, however there are also numerous pistols clearly not intended for duelling but instead for personal defence or sporting pistols which get mislabelled as "duelling pistols" because they are a cased pair.

[@patron8597]

That makes so much sense, I never considered this before. Yeah, I mean even today guns are sometimes sold in a case with cleaning tools and such. And back then it would make sense to have them in pairs (a "brace", I think?) since it's better to carry two or more loaded guns, instead of having to reload them. Better to get them from one manufacturer, instead of having to deal with multiple varying modes of operation and levels of reliability.

[@TadeuszCantwell]

Appeantly in Ireland during the 1700s dualing with pistols was so common many pubs had a brace ready for use when a couple of patrons got into an argument.

[@thomasesau2376]

I read somewhere that the pistols DID NOT HAVE rifling, nor wadding to increase the windage. The pistols were held vertically and only lowered on target to keep the ball seated. Also, "to delope" (intentionally shooting wide) was considered insulting to the honor of the opponent. Of course the classic example was the Hamilton Burr duel where Hamilton deloped.

[@martinhg98]

It whas seende as cawardly to use smothebore pistols

[@thomasesau2376]

@@martinhg98 Dueling was different than a gunfight. The object was to uphold one's honor at the risk of perhaps dying. In a gunfight; all rules are off. Uncle Fester's in the Addams Family, (who actually stormed the beach on D Day) was, "shoot em in the back."

[@thomasesau2376]

Also windage with a .50 cal at 30 feet is not that big a deal. With rifling, a 300 foot shot is normal.

[@ozarkscarguy540]

As a blacksmith i think its really neat that dueling barrels were forged together as one piece. Thats how i was taught to forge cross peen hammers.

[@skepticalbadger]

Not just duelling pistols. This was just how barrels were made.

[@d.lindsey5583]

In the time of the Netherlands revolt from the Spanish Hapsburgs,the infantry square was developed to be a successful defense from a cavalry charge.Well every good defense produces a new offensive. The square's was the cavalry caracole, in which the horsemen would ride up close to the infantry square formation and the first rank of cavalry would fire their pistols, wheel away and ride off, making room for the next rank to do likewise.

[@Llongbow52]

Thanks Mate! Also....any firearm which is more "muzzle heavy" will be more steady and stable to aim, like the modern "Bull Barrel"

[@ftdefiance1]

I was issued a bull barrel Smith 64 6 were issued the "pencil barrel " version. The lighter version is a little quicker

[@lukerettie]

I remember reading somewhere about something called 'blind rifling' in duelling pistols ehere most of the bore was rifled except the last few inches to the muzzle which were smooth. Supposedly so for a duel you have an edge in accuracy but from a casual inspection it looks like you have a 'legal' duelling pistol. I believe that was in a Ramage novel by Dudely Pope so not sure if its a thing or not

[@Hammerli280]

There were several approaches to concealed rifling. That was one, very shallow rifling was another. If you go to a major MLAIC competition, they can check for this...put a patched ramrod down the barrel and pull it out with a cord. If it turns, the barrel is rifled.

[@lukerettie]

@@Hammerli280 so it was a potential thing? Nice. Thank you :)

[@joejoelesh1197]

Like you I learned that a case set of pistols wasn't for each person to have one. I also learned that a cased set often have their barrels forged as one piece. Once you said that though, I figured how it was done (muzzle to muzzle). Thank you for such great content over the years. Please, continue to be Matt Easton.

[@davidschlageter5962]

Barry Lyndon comes to mind 🙂

[@WalterWild-uu1td]

Barry Lyndon's duel with his stepson might be considered an aberration. As I recall, the stepson accidentally discharged his pistol into the ground and realizing he was facing an experienced duelist, chickened out and threw up. Barry took his shot but deliberately missed. That would have normally ended the duel. However, when asked if honor had been satisfied, the little twit said no...and they had a second go. That's when Barry got hit in the knee and eventually lost his leg. The film was based upon the book by Thackeray, published in 1844...so I suppose one could say it was based on contemporary knowledge. Still, one of the flaws in the novel is that it showed a clear bias of English culture against Irish people, even Irish of supposedly high rank.

[@davidschlageter5962]

His stepson missed, then Barry discharged into the ground, then the stepson shot a second pistol at Barry. But that was the second pistol duel, the first was the faux duel where the officer pretended to be hit as Barry’s pistol was loaded with a plug. 🙂 for me it was probably onto the greatest movies of all time ⭐️

[@CaptainVincentRiley]

I actually watched it yesterday before I saw this video. Perfect timing.

[@groglas]

Jonathan Ferguson over at the Royal Armouries have some great videos on duelling pistols that I would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in the subject!

[@I_recommend_suicide]

Indoor range attached to gun shop is absolutely still a thing in parts of the world. Some of the ones near me very much operate as social meeting places, putting on ladies nights, local boy scouts nights, charity events and the like. Letting the customer rent and try firearms is exactly as mutually beneficial and fun as it sounds, in my experience. Customer gets to make a more informed decision, and sometimes just gets to shoot something he can't afford or doesn't have the paperwork for because it's fun. Shop gets sale of firearms they might not otherwise, and also gets to profit from niche ammo that is otherwise difficult to move or economically infeasible to stock. Would recommend/10, it's a good time

[@coldandaloof7166]

As a landowner I shoot on my own property but many gun shops here in Ohio have ranges on the property as well still. Poor guy is just stuck in Britain where freedom is a crime.

[@Dwumper]

It's interesting to hear the switch to guns for dueling in england and the contrast with france. In hungary, the place where I know more about dueling, both were in fashion and whether duelists used pistols or swords was decided case by case as part of the whole ceremony of duels. People had very strong opinions about this as well back then.

[@bopaintsminis]

I am a huge fan of dueling as a means of resolving persona disputes In my low opinion the parties should allow any weapons upon which the two parties agree. Swords, pistols, bullwhips, dead snakes, claymores (both large swords and landmines), belt-fed machine guns, bare-knuckle boxing, 1960 Chrysler Imperials, bowie knives. The person challenged gets to pick. People are less lilely to lip off if you challenge an MMA fighter.

[@markstouse4635]

I once owned a pair of dueling-esque pistols made around 1820 in Edinburgh that feature very uniformly tapered bores. This enabled the shooter to use substantially hotter loads and get better obturation of the ball, creating a much better gas seal and higher velocities without significantly higher pressures. To achieve this, the bore was hand-lapped into a progressive internal taper before being threaded together with a breach plug. Anyone familiar with Gerlach’s work with anti-tank cannon during the 1930s and 40s will recognize the approach. Prohibitively expensive, hence its failure to catch on despite delivering amazing performance. I have a modern repro Hawken rifle that has been similarly fitted with a taper-bored .58 caliber barrel.

[@lordexmouth1217]

Interesting that you mention about leading the switch to percussion, because in 1838 the Governor of South Carolina published a treatise on dueling, in which he said a preference should be given to flintlocks, percussion only being used if neither party objected.

[@VYBEKAT]

I have a friend who builds flintlock pistols and long guns. They are beautiful and have a natural grace unlike any modern firearm I've held. Truly works of art. Thanks for the interesting episode!

[@RonOhio]

Makes me think of Hornblower's duel, pistols across the wardroom table, as I recall.

[@1248dl]

I've been a pistol shooter and gunsmith for a while now. The reason that the front sight of a pistol is set to have the barrel pointing down or that one points slightly downward isn't for the reason you give. It has to do with barrel time, the time a relatively slow moving bullet is in the barrel as the gun recoils. Pointing the muzzle downwards allows the bullet to leave the barrel at the correct time to hit the intended spot.

[@badpossum440]

like he said recoil.

[@bonnie115]

That's what I understood Matt to say... what did you think he meant?

[@margarethouse404]

No . that's not what Matt said . I Oversimplified : 1248dl talks about Point of Impact with pistol carefully fired , using a textbook perfect sight alignment of sights . Matt was ( only moderately well explaining ) about the effects of balance ( of the gun ) in rapid , yet fairly precise target acquisition .

[@shahnxaoc7749]

I don't know much about pistol dueling, so this whole video was very informative.

[@TheBigVoke_3]

Matt, could you do a video on the sharp swords that the major HEMA equipment companies have? I have a Regenyei Feder, was thinking of getting a sharp from them as well. Just don’t know if it’s worth going with something higher quality like an Albion. Could you do a full review on Feder company Sharps??

[@CharlesStearman]

Regarding military use of pistols, I have read somewhere that in the American Civil War cavalry generally used revolvers as their primary weapon when fighting other cavalry, rather than swords.

[@scholagladiatoria]

I am working on a video about this exact topic. The short answer is, sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depended on who and when.

[@brittakriep2938]

​@@scholagladiatoria: A longer time ago, i saw in KZbin a video of mid 1930s ,The last saber charge', which showed the last US maneuvre ( in german Manöver) charge with swords.

[@brittakriep2938]

Oh forgotten, last german pistol duel was in 1937.

[@dustincarner6675]

Later in the war yes, Southern culture put a pretty big emphasis on sword use early on especially by the likes of Nathan Bedford Forrest. However by 1863, a lot of both Union and Confederate cavalry were using revolvers or shotguns instead. End of the day yes and no.

[@Jacob-W-5570]

@@scholagladiatoria so you're saying it requires ?

[@Hammerli280]

Allow me to recommend John Atkinson's "The British Duelling Pistol". It's a magnificent study of the subject.

[@FranssensM]

I always pictured the Germans/Austrians/Swiss being the fencing masters. Their duelling scars give the game away. The film life & times of Colonel Blimp has a great beginning. A duel in the gymnasium of the Uhlans.

[@libertycowboy2495]

I live in Texas and we have indoor ranges here where people can not just shoot, but try out different pistols (by renting them), and itsva fun social setting. Most have great air systems, moving the air around so you dont smell like cordite.

[@Schwarzvogel1]

I hope you're being facetious, friend, because "smelling like cordite*" isn't the reason why indoor ranges need to have good ventilation systems. The real reason has to do with reducing the risk of lead exposure to both shooters and range personnel due to airborne lead particulate. This particulate comes from both bullets themselves and the primers. In the case of bullets, unjacketed lead projectiles may be partially eroded when they are pushed down the barrel, and that eroded lead may be partially propelled out of the muzzle as a fine spray of lead particles mixed in with unburnt propellant, etc. As for the primers, most primers are made with lead styphnate nowadays, as it's cheap, non-corrosive (unlike potassium perchlorate, another shock-sensitive primary explosive), and relatively stable in storage. Unfortunately, when you set off one of those primers, that lead styphnate will be partially vaporized, and some of it will be ejected out of the muzzle along with the projectile. It's not enough to give you lead poisoning symptoms from just a few cartridges being fired, but if you are shooting thousands of cartridges in a confined space, that won't be very healthy. That said, outdoor ranges >>> indoor ranges, especially considering that there's always that asshole at an indoor range who decides to start shooting his .308 or .300 WinMag rifle with a muzzle brake right next to your booth. If you can shoot at an outdoor range, you should opt for that over an indoor one, as it's better for your health overall--less noise and lead exposure. *Cordite is a specific type of British smokeless propellant that is obsolete nowadays. No commercial or military small arms cartridges produced in the US nowadays use cordite as a propellant. The only ammo you'd find in the US loaded with cordite would likely be WWII-surplus British ammo. "Cordite" isn't a synonym for smokeless powder in general any more than "Toyota" is a synonym for automobile.

[@LandCrow]

Was that ten paces from each other or ten paces from a central starting spot? (Tom and Jerry facing back to back and counting their paces away from each other comes to mind lol)

[@hhgv]

Fascinating, informative and beautifully illustrated.

[@thezieg]

Excellent. Thanks for the review.

[@Myomer104]

Fun fact: Percussion caps were pioneered to assist in hunting. The flash and delay of a flint could allow game to notice and flee before the shot could land.

[@lutzderlurch7877]

I doubt many animals could react fast enough to exploit a delay of a fraction of a second

[@jwmcniel]

I doubt you’ve done much hunting or watched many bow hunting videos. Deer can hear the twang of your bow string and duck under the arrow.

[@tomhenry897]

You be surprised

[@lutzderlurch7877]

@@jwmcniel The arrow moves a rather pedestrian speed, compared to firearms' bullets, though. I am not convinced the miniscule delay of a decently made and used flintlock leaves enough time for the animal to react and move a significant distance.

[@JRMshadow260a]

#6 was new info for me... I always learn something.. Even if it's only 1 thing it is worth watching in my opinion... 👍👍

[@samuelfawdry6411]

thank you very informative

[@tiamat9360]

Yess, ive been waiting for this video, thank you

[@markh5889]

Thanks Matt. Great review and presentation of the information. I didn't really know any of that.

[@-RONNIE]

Thanks for the video

[@emilybremers3084]

What an amazing and good book! I bought 4 copies. Great and unique gift and a must read for armour, pistol and history lovers.

[@d.lindsey5583]

In another book, a pair of dueling pistols were almost identical except one had a bore that shot wide o the right, of left. I don't remember. It was many years ago.. Now I have a Remington cap and ball revolver that shoots 16 inches left and a foot high. I'm able, however to hit a twelve inch gong every time at 20 yards using "Kentucky windage. "

[@ParentsFloyd]

Come to.many places in the USA where you can have a few adult beverages and shoot at the indoor or outdoor range!

[@18differentbones]

Thanks Matt!

[@thinusconradie4297]

All six were new to me. Thanks for sharing.

[@formisfunction1861]

Fascinating! Love it!

[@SMABEM]

Pretty much all the points were new to me. So fascinating that pairs of barrels were forged together. Aim low? Yeah, I do that when playing FPSs so it makes perfect sense to me.

[@Kinetic.44]

A pair for each man makes a lot more sense, only a fool would trust something given by his enemy.

[@GazalAlShaqab]

Great video, Matt, thanks A LOT! Please, do book reviews as often as You can! :)

[@KamiSeiTo]

I learned 6 new things today! 😊

[@user-il9gz4ou9p]

What an amazing book! Thank you for the review. Definately THE book to read if you would like to know more about duelling pistols

[@JinKee]

If you want to hear a story of a wild duel look up the Sandbar Fight of September 19, 1827 which propelled James Bowie of Bowie knife fame to folk hero status. He wasn’t even supposed to be fighting that day.

[@vespelian]

This is fascinating and all new to me and poses a few questions. I'm doing some research involving a pistol duel and has given me a bit more information to go on.

[@brittakriep2938]

Duels? In some countries, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, lesser Belgium, Poland, Lativa and Lithuania, a ritualized duel called , Accademic Fencing ' is still done.

[@kennethrouse7942]

Thank you for a most fascinating and informative video. 5 facts, plus 1 = 6 facts that I'd say many of us never knew. 👍😎

[@artawhirler]

Excellent video, Matt! Like you, I had always just assumed that the reason they came in pairs was so that both participants would be identically armed. Oh well - learn something new every day! 😊

[@Polarian1]

Great video. I'm very much fascinated by French wax-ball duelling pistols.

[@spanishjohn420]

The Duellists 1977 great movie

[@geogemini8528]

I distinctly remember Pepe le Pu challenging someone to a pistol duel, so the French not using them can't be right.

[@markbennett5812]

Not using them and not being as common are two different things

[@jm9371]

Pepe could not fairly duel at close range though... being a skunk and all.

[@geogemini8528]

@jm9371 I don't know, Tom was pretty good at fencing, and he was a cat. I'm sure a skunk would use a similar style.

[@l33tsamurai]

I have heard that it was not uncommon for the pistols to be "stealth rifled" where the barrel was only rifled up until the last inch or so, so that the opponent would think it was a regular smooth bore...

[@jm9371]

I learned something. Thanks.

[@davidschlageter5962]

A pistol and ammo is typically dead weight for a soldier, more rifle ammo or food is a better use of the weight all things equal. 🙂

[@NDOhioan]

That being said, sidearms were definitely *not* dead weight in pre-firearm days, despite what overcorrections on the internet would suggest. Close-quarters fights still happened, even if they were sub-optimal; and we have ample record of soldiers deciding to switch to their sidearms when those situations came about. The fact that pistols are so much more situational than rifles has been a big reason that I hate the "spears are rifles and swords are pistols" analogy. Spears *were* primary weapons on battlefields, but swords (and axes, clubs, etc.) also saw *significantly* more use than pistols have in the firearm world. (Apologies if this comes off directed towards you specifically, I promise that isn't my intention. I've just occasionally seen some people argue about pre-firearm weaponry through a *modern* military lens, which isn't useful because a modern rifle is so fundamentally different from a spear or a bow. I figured I should nip that in the bud before some other commenter tries to make that argument.)

[@edspace.]

I wasn't sure if I should put this since I've seen experts conjecture on this however; I heard that another reason for aiming high is psychological since people have a base reluctance to kill other people they tend to shoot high in order for their shot to miss and make the other person run away rather than fight. Another thing I read was that Mussolini banned duels due to them contravening the fascist doctrine of "Everything Exists Withing The State, Nothing Exists Without The State." a misunderstood doctrine in many ways (trade unions were banned under the same doctrine) but in this case meaning that all dispute resolution should be done through the state.

[@robertunderdunkterwilliger2290]

Handgun sports is a very European thing. But as soon as they had the telegraph cable they did simultaneous matches in NY and Paris. Gastinne Renette had a famous range for this sort of pistol.

[@Aikibiker1]

It is still common in the USA to find gun shops that have an indoor range where customers can shoot. Most will have rental guns available that are representative of what are popular sellers that people can try before buying an unfired one in the shop. There is even a gun shop/range near me in Daytona Beach, FL that has a restaurant attached. It is best to go to the range first because if you go to the restaurant and someone in your party orders alcohol, no on eat the table is allowed on the range from that point forward.

[@user-rn5ks8sf5x]

That was an interesting blade on the small sword you showed. Perhaps a video on its design would be possible?

[@Paladin357]

The barrels being forged together was new and interesting to me, as well as the cased set being for only a single duelist. I has also assumed that it was one for each. Regarding the front-weighted pistols and point of aim, there were a number of people in the later 19th century here in the US that recommended aiming at the groin with the Colt single actions, because you would then hit the gut or chest as the muzzle flipped.

[@WalterWild-uu1td]

I remember reading a book many years ago that dealt with the rules of dueling which were considered close to universal in Britain. The author was a military man from the early 19th Century and he pointed out that as a general rule only one out of seven duels actually resulted in anyone even being wounded, much less killed. But he did provide an anecdote of a specific duel at which he was one of the official witnesses and sort of judge. In that case a notorious duelist challenged a completely hopeless man to a duel over a trivial matter. The duel took place and it was agreed that both participants would fire simultaneously. The hopeless man's pistol discharged and he completely missed his target. The pistol dueling bravo's pistol...misfired. The bravo immediately demanded that he be given another shot. At which point the judge and author decreed that if he took another shot and killed his opponent, the author would see him hanged for murder. His point was whether a shot was fired or not was irrelevant... the issue was that both men stood to "take fire." The point of the duel was not to kill your opponent but to prove your courage and honor. In the particular case, the hopeless participant had no way of knowing the other man's pistol would misfire, but stood his ground and behaved honorably and with courage. And that was the end of the matter. I wish I had bought that book...was in a little bookstore in a suburb of Chicago.

[@robertstallard7836]

Excellent post - very interesting. Thank you.

[@DTinkerer]

Do you by any chance remember the name of that book?

[@WalterWild-uu1td]

@@DTinkerer Been over 40 years...I wish I did remember.

[@WalterWild-uu1td]

@@DTinkerer Not certain. Conducted a search of contemporary literature. I could not find the booklet listed that I read. Closest I could come was by John Lyde Wilson. a former governor of South Carolina published in 1838. It was a 22 page booklet. An appendix added later by a friend of the author which covered the 1777 Irish dueling code which was added to Wilson's booklet in a reprint dated 1858 after the death of the original author. Of note were specific Rules. Rule 16.-The challenged has the right to choose his own weapon, unless the challenger gives his honor he is no swordsman; after which, however, he cannot decline any second species of weapon proposed by the challenged. Rule 20.-In all cases a miss-fire is equivalent to a shot, and a snap or a non-cock is to be considered as a miss-fire. And Rule 22.-Any wound sufficient to agitate the nerves and necessarily make the hands shake, must end the business for that day. I love that one. Lot of rules...gotta love rules otherwise it's not a duel, but a brawl between roughnecks.

[@WalterWild-uu1td]

The 1777 addition was drawn up by a committee of Irish gentlemen and was called the "Code Duello" and was so popular it was actually included in the US Navy's Midshipman's Handbook until duels by naval officers were banned in 1862.

[@Condottier]

So I was just looking at cartoons and news reports of the Clemenceau vs Deroulede pistol duel (7th Jan 1893), and it got me thinking if pistol duels also rose in popularity partly because they could happen in winter without stripping from the heavy winter clothing? Or if there was indeed a seasonal prevalence of pistols over swords. (The Clemenceau vs Deroulede was prob the most advertised duel out of the Panama Canal scandal, it had inconclusive results since it was a foggy morning and both shots failed leading to at least a later epee duel among two of the seconds).

[@cameronalexander359]

Modern debating was developed to counter the bloodshed of duelling. Gentlemen were taught to combat the person's words, not the person himself.

[@siquq]

How fun!

[@jacqueslandry2319]

Yes..I live in NYC

[@unclebob540i3]

Fantastic! I did not know about 2 pistols per party. I always thought it was one pistol, one shot per duelist.

[@LouieHodgson-sg4nu]

I need youre help. What is a good sharp replica of the 1897 pattern british infantry sword? The ones on the knight shop were all decorative. Also was the spadroon ever used in ww1?

[@scholagladiatoria]

I would recommend just buying an original. They are one of the most common and affordable patterns.

[@coldandaloof7166]

Nothing like a brace of pistols in a cased set. Up until the 20th century pistols were usually carried in pairs. But a brace of Glocks or PSA daggers just don't have the same appeal. I sometimes carry two pistols but they are rarely te same type in the same location.

[@brealistic3542]

I know one thing about dueling that's interesting. People would fire at each other side on as to make them less of a target to hit squarely in the chest

[@user-eg5fr3xl6m]

Except Charles James Fox, who, as he pointed out, was "as thick one way as t''other". He was a man of grandiose proportions.

[@johnstuartkeller5244]

My hypothesis as to the popularity of swords and pistols among military weapons is that the were sidearm and, thus, personal. On the field, you'd want a polearm, a rifle, etc, but the sword or the pistol is what stayed with you, indoors or out, and that personal use, for a duel or in an emergency, creates a sort of relationship between the wielder and the weapon.

[@hvymax]

It's called " Flinching" when you pull shots high in anticipation of recoil.

[@evelcustom9864]

I just watched Barry Lyndon, and the last duel shows a pretty good example of using the pair of pistols.

[@darrenvanderwilt1258]

A more elegant weapon, from a more civilized age. Excellent video. I figure ten paces to be about twenty one feet, which is considered self defense range by today’s standards. Theoretically, an attacker can cover that distance before a pistol armed self defender can draw and fire.

[@manfredconnor3194]

Nice book.

[@markkodryk829]

“I won’t shoot that idiot.” Mikhail Lermontov (killed in a duel).

[@duck8dodgers]

One thing you might not know is that this English/French Pistol/Sword preference is reflected over here in the US. During the eghteenth and nineteenth centuries sword dueling was far more common in New Orleans, which was a French founded city, than any of the east coast cities which were primarily British founded.

[@remingtonwright6796]

In Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series, The Gunslinger's paired pistols are said to be forged from the metal of Excalibur. Having learned that paired pistols were forged as one in this video, I'd like to imagine that's how it was done. Truly making them two halves of the same whole. Which is a mentality I find key to dual weilding

[@joeredman569]

Can't remember the source, but I heard that the balls were often removed by the seconds. Big noise, honor satisfied, pistols back on the shelf.

[@WalterWild-uu1td]

Pistol duels had the advantage of being a lot more equitable than the sword. A person who was essentially frail or disabled could stand up in a pistol duel whereas a fencer with skill could dominate a weaker opponent.

[@effigytormented]

Hence the duel between Lincoln and one of his detractors. Dude saw Lincoln chopping brush with a sabre and decided he didn't want that.

[@loki1066]

Is that the mang in graz (?) I've got the same one by pedersoli

[@theg0z0n]

How is Matt Easton going to release a video about pistols on April 1st and it not be and April fools video. I kept waiting for the punchline the entire time!

[@scholagladiatoria]

I didn't contemplate making an April fool video, but I put a post on the Facebook page instead.

[@zoiders]

One of the first things Queen Victoria did upon taking the throne was to make dueling an offence under military law.

[@mackdog3270]

I've always enjoyed mark Twain's accounts of French and German dueling. It's amusing.

[@kaoskronostyche9939]

Very interesting. A nice change from stabby/slicey. Thank you.

[@gregcampwriter]

I'd have thought that a skilled user of a sword would prefer that weapon for a duel, since there's a lot more chance involved in a smoothbore pistol confrontation.

[@blitskreegdeantioch5851]

The barrel construction.

[@fatpad00]

I always assumed they were paired because one person would provide and load the pistols anf the other person would choose from the pair. Kinda like kids sharing food, one gets to cut it, but the other picks their piece. It seems like a good way to ensure fairness

[@inthedenoftigers5702]

As the character Jamie Astaloa in the fencing master said "pistols are an impertinence"

[@andrewwolkowich]

People and politicians would I think be far more civil to others if duals became common again.

[@CanyonBlue737Capt]

Next time you visit the USA you can take your pick of gun stores with their own shooting range and restaurant. It's pretty common these days.

[@Fred-ki7wv]

I am curious about the accuracy of those pistols. And how deadly were duels in practice?

[@Tommiart]

I saw a video by Mr Ferguson at the National Armouries Museum and he showed a pair of pistols with the barrels still attached. Apparently this may have been an import thing for Bringing in arms into the UK at the time.