|
Peter Lalor’s Pistol
c1840
Pictures Collection
This pistol was owned by Peter Lalor who led a group of aggrieved miners at the Eureka Stockade uprising in Ballarat, Victoria in December 1854. It is believed that it was used by Lalor during the riot.
Made of Damascus steel with a handle of walnut stock, this double-barrelled, muzzle-loading percussion pistol has two back-action locks with fish type hammers, each with its own trigger and oval trigger guard. It also features foliated engraving on the hammers, lock plates, trigger guard and butt cap.
Although this pistol was fairly typical of its time, it would probably have been of more use as a bludgeon than a gun, being both clumsy to use and inaccurate! | 
