Pistol sword
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged with Bayonet, Talk:Pistol Sword#Proposed merge with Bayonet due to lack of focus and User:Cameron.Walsh. (Discuss) Proposed since August 2007. |
A Pistol Sword is a sword with a pistol or revolver attached, usually alongside the blade. It differs from a rifle with a bayonet in that the weapon is foremost a sword, with a pistol being worked into the design. The two components are not separable. Such weapons were primarily used in naval warfare to provide a weapon that could still be used in the event of a jam or misfire and until it was safe to reload.
Historically, some early flintlock pistols were constructed as gun-swords, with the barrel of the pistol attached to the side of the blade of a shortsword or dagger. Examples of these weapons can be found in the armoury of Wawel Castle (Kraków, Poland). Pin-fire cartridge gun-swords were produced in the 1800s, although in limited quantity[1]. There was even a US patent filed on the design of one such weapon. Replicas of pistol/dagger and pistol/cutlass combinations from the 18th century have been made available for sale from Replica Weaponry.
Pistol Swords did not last long through history except as novelty and collector's items, because instead of getting two weapons in one, one got a heavy pistol and a heavy, off-balanced sword.