Appalachian Bear Pistols

[Treestalker]

In the rapidly dimming past of my memory, I recall seeing pictures of long barreled southern style flintlock and perhaps percussion single shot pistols referred to as 'bear' pistols. Having just started building a long barreled .50 cal. percussion Kentucky style hand cannon, I would like to ask the Forum members for historical/traditional pictures of such a critter, as info on the web wants to show normal Kentuckies or modern travesties of them. Thanks, guys! George.

 

[Robby]

Here is one I made patterned after a southern bear hunters pistol I had seen.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/bear-pistol.112469/
Robby

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

The Petroselli Bounty would be an excellent copy of such guns.

 

[8 BORE]

If all else fails get a Howdah

 

[Griz44Mag]

If all else fails get a Howdah

Two shots vs one shot, better.
For me, if I am hunting in bear country, it's gonna be big and carry six....
My skin is more valuable to me than a PC/HC correct carry gun.

 

[Treestalker]

Tx-Griz, thank you. To clarify, I do not intend to shoot a bear with my pistol. However, I think the 'bear pistol' will make a very adaptable shooting platform for my use since partial paralysis renders me virtually a one-handed hunter. Most deer around here are taken at 50 yards or less, so if I practice and use judgement with a rest, success is very possible. I also will be carrying a custom .50 cal. percussion belt pistol as a backup. During regular season I can pack my SAA in .357. Robbie, your pistol is a beauty and is considerably more refined than mine will be, mine has an 18" x 15/16ths" barrel and will be a half stock style so it's a heavy duck stomper. Thanks to all who responded, I value your input, George.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Now that's a horse of a different color....
That long barrel 50 would be perfect for a 50 yard deer.
Ought to be heavy enough to control recoil and has enough punch to punch through.
You know we will require pictures as it progresses.
And more pictures when it draws blood.

 

[Zonie]

Now that's a horse of a different color....
That long barrel 50 would be perfect for a 50 yard deer.
Ought to be heavy enough to control recoil and has enough punch to punch through.
You know we will require pictures as it progresses.
And more pictures when it draws blood.

For the new members on the forum, when it gets to the bloody pictures, that's when the posts should be put in the Traditional Hunting area of the forum. That is what the Traditional Hunting area was made for.

I know some of you won't understand but we have a lot of members who don't like to see bloody photos of shot animals. That's just the way they are.
After we had a lot of complaints about having to see bloody animal pictures, Claude decided to create a special area on the forum just for hunters and anyone who might be interested in hunting. That's when the Traditional Hunting area was made.

I know. Too much information, so lets get back to talking about pistols.

 

[Many Klatch]

I'm not sure whether long barreled "Bear Pistols" are really a thing or not. They are currently being built by a number of living gunsmiths, but I don't recall having ever seen an original like that. However, you are building it for yourself for your own use and not to play in the HC/PC game so go for it.

 

[Robby]

Klatch, Here is a picture of one, originally a flintlock, http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=50989.msg508182#msg508182
There are others that have a similar line to them, that was the first one I found.
Robby

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Just sounds intriguing. Were these expensive custom guns or were they for more common folks?

One in .50 or .54, rifled, with a heavy charge, would make an excellent deersman's piece, maybe even a good hogsnan's pistol. Maybe even as its namesake, for the blackbearsman's hunts. But the brownbearsman? Not sure!!

 

[Treestalker]

Now that's a horse of a different color....
That long barrel 50 would be perfect for a 50 yard deer.
Ought to be heavy enough to control recoil and has enough punch to punch through.
You know we will require pictures as it progresses.
And more pictures when it draws blood.

I'm still challenged when it comes to pictures and computers, I have to use my wife's computer and still learning to take pictures with a cell phone (not mine). I will try to post progress reports and hopefully photos of the hunt/s. I really just need a weapon I can handle, and the bear/bounty hunter pistol looked like a good place to start. It's really a carbine with a pistol grip. I plan on making it with musket cap capability, and being heavy it should sit well on a rest. Thanks for everybody's interest, please stay tuned! George.

 

[Treestalker]

Well I have run into the first snag on the bear pistol, the barrel takes a 16mmx 1.5 pitch for a breech plug. Can anybody direct me to a straight flint type plug for sale? I can cobble one together from a bolt, but a machined one would be nice. Thanks , George.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Is it true these bearsman's pistols were of a small caliber, such as the .30s? If so, why, and why were the bbls so long?