The collection of hunting weapons in the Gatchina Palace and Estate Museum contains a pair of flintlock pistols made in the 1740-1750s. Despite their extravagant and even frivolous appearance the pistols were intended for highly skilled shooters. It is obvious from the construction of their rear sights which include not only the usual low blade with a notch but also two additional folding blades for different types of shooting. Moreover, the pistols have so called ‘French style’ set triggers. It means that in order to fire a shot, one needs to push the trigger forward until it clicks into the position. After that the trigger can be released with the slightest pressure thus reducing the shift of the point of aim. Such combination of sights and triggers was common for long guns of the 18th century, but was rather rare for pistols made in 1740-1750s. The two pistols form a pair. They both have round forged iron barrels. The rear sights are made of the same iron in the form of one fixed and two folding blades with notches. One of the sights has the engraved figure ‘1’ and the other — figure ‘2’. Both front sights are made of brass. The touch holes are decorated with gold. The upper planes have signatures inlaid with gold reading ‘Joh. And. Kuchenreuter’. It is the name of the gunsmith — Johann Andreas Kuchenreuter. The barrels are decorated in the chasing technique. The breech ends have images of vases against the background of a stylised floral pattern and there are rocaille motifs around the front sights. Near the breech faces there are square gilded marks of the gunsmith with an image of a horse rider. All the parts of the pistols are decorated with a floral pattern. The decoration of the barrels and locks is made in the chasing technique, which is well known since the Middle Ages and allows to create in relief images against gilded background. The bronze furniture of each pistol includes a butt cap, a trigger guard, a lock bridle, a plate on the grip and two ramrod pipes. The gilded bronze parts of the furniture have in relief decorations. The shape of the solid lock bridles is very similar to the fancy shaped lock plate. The butt caps are oval.