.64 caliber. 9.75" pinned barrel. NSN. Bright finish, brass furniture, smooth walnut stock with sheet brass reinforcement near the tip. Single shot flintlock muzzleloading smoothbore pistol with brass blade front sight, single brass ramrod pipe and wooden ramrod. 4.875" flat lock with pronounced teat at the rear and flat reinforced cock. Look with rounded integral bridled iron pan, frizzen with curled toe and a faceted pointed frizzle spring tip. Lock marked "MILES / PHILA" in a two-line cartouche under the pan. Lock appears to be in original flint, although the cock, top jaw and top jaw screw may be old replacements. Some small internal parts appear to be replaced as well, notably a couple of the screws. The touchhole is well centered in the pan and correctly tapered. Internal endoscopic examination reveals no indication of reconversion, modification or welding of the barrel. Barrel marked in a single line "MILES PHILAD - 1, V'A. REGT." Both lock screws are mating marked "XIII", as is the bottom of the barrel. Tang screw is marked "II". bottom edge of lock and bridle with matching mating marks that appear to only mate the lock parts together, and not the balance of the gun, a not uncommon practice of the time. 

John Miles Sr. (1752-1808) was an English born gunmaker who emigrated to America in 1790 and established himself in Philadelphia where he obtained several contracts to produce military pattern flintlock muskets and pistols. He is probably most recognized for the 4,000 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania "CP" 1797 contract muskets that he manufactured, as well as for contract pistols that he produced for both the states of Pennsylvania and Virginia. While exact details of the Virginia contract are not completely clear, it appears he produced 250 pairs of pistols (500 total) for that state circa 1802-1804. Regimentally marked examples of the Virginia contract pistols are quite scarce and very desirable for collectors of early American martial arms, particularly southern ones.

Good. Bore fair to good, heavily pitted, dark, dirty and oxidized. Metal lightly cleaned with moderate pitting and scattered oxidized discoloration. Markings remain clear and crisp in the metal, Lock is mechanically functional and appears to be in original flint, although some parts may be replaced. The barrel is unmolested and remains in original flint, Brass with a medium golden patina. Wood with moderate wear and likely lightly sanded at some point in time. There is some chipped wood loss at the left side of the tang, which also appears to be slightly bent. There is also some old, well executed wood repair to the rear of the lock mortise, around the rear edges of the lock. Otherwise the wood shows a tight surface crack along the top rear of the grip and numerous scattered bumps, dings and mars, as well as some chipped wood loss around the barrel pins.