A Surprising Weapon Carried by Highland Clansmen in the 18th Century

In this Survive History video, Tod Booth from reenactment group Rose and Thistle explains why the steel pistol (or dag) was a particularly useful weapon for highland clansmen in the 18th century. Used by wealthy highland warriors during the Jacobite rebellion, the steel pistol was a unique weapon produced in places like Doune and Glasgow. It was used at the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745 and Culloden in 1746.

[rslover]

The old horse nails thing is true. In the US it was common for gunsmiths to buy old wagon springs for gun barrels.

[chemistryofquestionablequa]

Makes infinitely more sense to use a heavy pistol like that as a bludgeon or off hand weapon after firing than to throw it.

[donaldrauscher]

The Murdock pistol a true piece of art!

[twiddlerat]

Saw a pistol like this that belonged to a jacobite general when I was on a tour of abbotsford house, although it was a little worn it looked like a masterful piece of work

[SeemsLogical]

The Nepalese blacksmiths do the same thing when they make khukuris. They go to junk yards and salvage the leaf springs from old Volkswagen trucks. Then they reforge them into khukuri blades.

[AlexandervanGessel]

Throwing something valuable at the enemy is a time-tested tactic to raise morale: now youre going to have to defeat them or at least push them back if you want to retrieve it, so you're extra committed to the attack.

Some roman allies were notorious for doing this with their battle standards: now the whole unit is obliged to defeat the enemy, or they'll have to live with the shame of having lost their flag.

[WalldoTheWInner]

"I first produced my pistol, and then produced my rapier and said 'stand and deliver, or the devil he may take ya!'"

[DJRonnieG]

The subtitles misspelled Dune, but yes I can imagine this beings used om Arrakis.

[huntclanhunt]

A lot of people say the brits won Culloden because of the bayonet.

They didn't.

They won because, unlike the scots, they had a professionally trained army and competent commanders who knew how to use terrain to their advantage.

[STEVESEVE]

Mainly used in Scotland for haggis monster hunts

[avramlevitter]

I wonder how many people they fought went "wow, they're not throwing them after firing them, their pistols must be really good if they're holding on to them!"

[DaibhidhBhoAlba]

Scotland had a thriving firearms industry until the British Government destroyed it through disarming vast swathes of Scotland and Scots.

[walterkurtz]

Thank you for the history lesson very much appreciated

[kevmoful]

I have a picture of a distant great grandfather on my dad’s side holding one of these. It’s dated 1879, Probably an heirloom at that point or something. Pretty cool.

[dalemoss]

Very cool pistols. I like the ball triggers and fishtail pommels on them too

[patrickbarrett]

Is there a shock to the hand without the wooden grip?

[yorktown]

The story I heard is that the Highlanders would advance in rank then halt, fire their muskets to create a smokescreen at close range, then charge in small platoon-equivalent bands to punch through the enemy lines with cutlasses & daggers. This massive punch would wreak havoc, and individuals would then be picked off with either knives or pistols.

[JP-buki]

The man is a great leather worker too!!

[jonathanlewis]

I suspect that references to iron and steel are being cast around with limited discernment.

Steel was around for a very long time but it was a niche commodity until Henry Bessemer. For British Longarms, barrels were iron until the MkIII Snider, which conforms with the widespread uptake of steel from the 1870s. Iron barrels and stocks would have been sufficient in Doune Pistols like any other. The locks would take stresses of their own and especially in the springs I can see why nothing less than steel would do in that application.

[bigfootaintreal]

I love the history behind the tools that our forefathers used ( guns are tools). I don't own a flint lock. That is a beautiful pistol sir.