How did people use a blunderbuss?

A blunderbuss served as a close-quarter defensive weapon, famously carried by mail coach inspectors and homeowners. The flared muzzle allowed the shooter to scatter lead balls or slugs over a wide area. Coach guards relied on these brass-barrelled arms to deter highwaymen during night journeys across poorly lit British turnpikes.

How do I identify a Tower pistol?

A Tower pistol bears official government inspection stamps, typically featuring a Crown over the letters GR and the word Tower marked on the lock plate. These military arms were issued to British dragoon regiments and infantry. They combine walnut stocks with brass furniture and flintlock mechanisms produced under contract for the Board of Ordnance.

What is the difference between flintlock and percussion?

A flintlock uses a piece of flint striking steel to create a spark that ignites priming powder in an external pan. This system was standard throughout the eighteenth century. A percussion lock, introduced later in the nineteenth century, uses a hammer striking a small copper percussion cap containing detonating powder placed on a nipple.