duelling pistol

A duelling pistol is a type of pistol that was manufactured in matching pairs to be used in a duel, when duels were customary and not illegal. Duelling pistols are often single-shot flintlock or percussion black-powder pistols which fire a lead musket ball. They were made in identical pairs to put both duellists on the same footing. Not all fine pairs of pistols are actual duelling pistols, though they may be called so.