Presidential Pistols

by Aaron Decker • February 17, 2012 • 31 comments

From battle-used pistols to presentation-grade masterpieces, here’s a look at some of the sidearms used by—or, in some tragic cases used on—our past Presidents.

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GEORGE WASHINGTON Steel-Mounted Saddle Pistols

GEORGE WASHINGTON Steel-Mounted Saddle Pistols

Marquis de Lafayette, a young French soldier who volunteered to fight for the United States, gave Washington this pair of saddle pistols with barrels made of Damascus steel. Washington reportedly carried these sidearms at Valley Forge, Monmouth, Yorktown and during the Whiskey Rebellion as president. Washington maintained possession of the pistols until his death in 1799. Andrew Jackson owned them for a spell, until bequeathing them back to the Lafayette family.

Image courtesy of Christies

In Featured, Pistols, Revolvers

31 Responses

  1. Bill K

    Did B. Clinton get a weapon from NRA, when he was president? With his anti gun policies, I hope not. As for Obama, for sure not. There is no reason to honor these and their type, as the NRA did with President's in the past that hunted, owned and used firearms and believed in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Bill K

    On February 20, 2012 at 2:43 pm • Reply
    • Pete

      Obama got rid of more terrorists than any of them and has not tried to pass any anti gun laws

      On February 21, 2012 at 5:35 am • Reply
      • Dan

        Obama didn't do anything other than give the ok.. All the terrorists and the the killing of binladin were all in the works before Obama became president.

        On February 22, 2012 at 1:56 am • Reply
        • Pete

          Bull

          On February 22, 2012 at 4:31 am • Reply
          • Alan Z...

            Pete, you are a fool. BHO has a long record of anti-2nd Am. statements and actions, and all of his appointments to cabinet posts and SCOTUS have been extremist gun-haters. He attempted to stop the sale of fired military brass to civilian reloaders, and caosed the destruction of thousands of Garand and M1 carbines by refusing to allow importation. If given a second term, firearms prohibition will be high on his agenda. Don't doubt it!

            On February 22, 2012 at 12:39 pm •
          • Pete

            A survey out proves my point that those individuals who only watch fox news are more uninformed than people who don't watch any mayor news organizations so just keep blowing your hatred

            On February 22, 2012 at 6:22 pm •
          • Guest

            Who conducted the survey? The BHO administration, MSNBC or you after asking two of your closest friends? Provide a source for your "survey." And what version of the truth are you basing that off of? At least Fox isn't drinking the cool aid and actively working to re-elect BHO, unlike ABC, CNN, MSNBC, etc.

            On February 23, 2012 at 5:11 pm •
          • Max

            I'm all for another term of BHO if it keeps any of the other GOP frontrunners out of the white house. They are terrifying people.

            On March 5, 2012 at 6:05 pm •
          • Kool-Aid Man

            Spelled Kool-Aid (cool aid) wrong bro.

            On March 6, 2012 at 3:28 am •
  2. Jim Benat

    Bill K. Maybe they will make a pistol for B-Ho and Clinton that doesn't shoot bullets but blows hot air and smoke out the barrel.

    On February 20, 2012 at 2:49 pm • Reply
    • Alex Gadino

      Jim Benat: You just made my day LOL.

      On February 20, 2012 at 3:03 pm • Reply
  3. cspezia

    JB, you just made coffee shoot out my nose! ROFLMAOF!!

    BTW, I have a FN M1900 that my Dad took from a German he captured during the Bulge. I doesn't look any where near that nice.

    On February 20, 2012 at 3:28 pm • Reply
  4. Todd

    While a good quote, Jefferson didn't say it. It was Cesare Beccaria in his "Essay on Crimes and Punishments", which Jefferson quoted in his "Legal Commonplace Book".
    http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/laws-for…

    On February 20, 2012 at 4:39 pm • Reply
  5. John

    John Hinckley's .22 revolver would have made a good addition to the list.

    On February 20, 2012 at 4:45 pm • Reply
  6. Sal

    Come on guys, I know you need to make your money from advertizements but do you really need to make us wade through 23 pages to view these guns? A little ridiculous IMHO.
    Sal

    On February 20, 2012 at 5:00 pm • Reply
  7. Alan

    I for one , enjoyed all 23 pages and to the best of my knowledge , no one made anyone wade through anything . Guess I blinked 'cause I didn't notice any advertizements ( sic ) .

    On February 20, 2012 at 8:32 pm • Reply
  8. Guest

    The NRA won't give Obie a gun for fear he'd have a genetic flashback and start holding up 7-11s.

    On February 20, 2012 at 11:56 pm • Reply
    • Frank the Rabbit

      Ah dude, that ain't right.

      On February 21, 2012 at 2:49 am • Reply
      • Pete

        Thank you

        On February 21, 2012 at 5:41 am • Reply
        • Alan Z...

          Yeah, but it was funny, huh?!

          On February 22, 2012 at 12:41 pm • Reply
          • Pete

            My last post I shouldn't argue with fools. True stripes are showing through just put on your pointed little white hats and masks so we know where you're from. You shouldn't be associated with firearms!

            On February 22, 2012 at 9:03 pm •
    • John

      hey man you tryin to say somethin about black people? think were all just a bunch of niggers whos only purpose in life is to steal your shit?!

      On March 28, 2012 at 5:00 pm • Reply
      • guest

        yep

        On April 5, 2012 at 3:56 pm • Reply
  9. LVP

    Nancy called me and said I may have Ronny's SAA. I should contact the museum.

    On February 21, 2012 at 3:10 pm • Reply
    • Alan_T

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !

      On February 21, 2012 at 8:10 pm • Reply
  10. DonM

    Attention all trolls. We want to protect your first amendment right to lie about Obama's record. Please register your name and personal details with the publisher in-person during business hours Mon-Fri between 9am-5pm excluding holidays. Then submit your comment in triplicate, typed on white 9.5" x 11" paper, that has been properly signed and notarized by a third party. If, after review, your comment meets the editorial guidelines of decency and adherence to this procedure, it will be posted within 30 days of submittal. This program may vary in thirty of the fifty-two states. Thank-you.

    On March 27, 2012 at 2:25 pm • Reply
  11. Guest

    What happened to noriega's gold plated .45's

    On April 5, 2012 at 6:08 pm • Reply
    • Craig

      who cares?

      On May 1, 2012 at 10:04 pm • Reply
  12. Ray

    Too many of these were never presented so I believe they shouldn't be on the list. A manufacturer can make a gun anytime and say it was going to be presented but never was just to make a name for themselves. This is BS.

    On April 19, 2012 at 3:00 pm • Reply
  13. RimfireShooter

    Having been to a few Presidential libraries, I know there are a number of sidearms that have been left out. I remember 3 for instance at the Reagan museum. 1 pictured here. I hope the author might republish and include the many others out there for us to see.

    On May 4, 2012 at 3:44 pm • Reply
  14. adecker44

    RimfireShooter…this isn't the definitive, defacto list of all presidential handguns. There are WAY more than we could have included in this gallery…thanks for chiming in…

    On May 4, 2012 at 6:01 pm • Reply