I went to the gun show in Austin today hoping to see some bp guns. The only rifles I saw did'nt look safe to shoot, but there were some pistols. One fellow had 2 nice antiques, one was a old smooth bore cap lock, very large bore and a six shot revolving barrel cap lock small pistol. Pictures were'nt allowed and he was in conversation so I did'nt get to see them close.
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Pepper box
- Thread starter Drago
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That's too bad but I'm sure you enjoyed seeing some old guns from our past.
Prior to and during Colts early ventures into creating his revolver the percussion Pepperbox was quite popular from the early 1830's to as late as 1860.
Most of them were small caliber defensive pistols with calibers ranging from .25 to .36, the .36 caliber guns being quite unwieldy due to the weight of the barrel.
Of course the really early rotating barrel pistols were flintlocks that dated back to the 1600's but due to the complexity they were owned by the very rich.
Prior to and during Colts early ventures into creating his revolver the percussion Pepperbox was quite popular from the early 1830's to as late as 1860.
Most of them were small caliber defensive pistols with calibers ranging from .25 to .36, the .36 caliber guns being quite unwieldy due to the weight of the barrel.
Of course the really early rotating barrel pistols were flintlocks that dated back to the 1600's but due to the complexity they were owned by the very rich.
rodwha
58 Cal.
Me too.
I've wanted a pepperbox since I was a kid and I found out about them and Ethan Allen and told my dad about this cool gun I saw in a book called a pepperbox. Then dad informed me that I am related to Ethan Allen through my mothers family. So I asked grandma if that was true and she confirmed it and spent a couple hours telling me family history and lineage stories.
But looking at that thick barrel/cylender makes me rather weary of how heavy it would be.
But looking at that thick barrel/cylender makes me rather weary of how heavy it would be.
Here are photos of two rotating barrel flintlocks taken from Claude Blair's book, "Pistols of the World", THE VIKING PRESS, NEW YORK, 1968.
The upper pistol # 508 is a 5 barrel single-action flintlock, English (London) c. 1730-1737.
The barrels are 4 5/16 long in .43 caliber. (Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, Windsor Castle)
The lower pistol # 509 is a German 4 barrel flintlock, c. 1750. Caliber not given. (Metropolitan Museum, New York).
I suspect this gun has a self rotating barrel where cocking the cock rotates the barrels.
Right or wrong, it's a neat pistol.
The upper pistol # 508 is a 5 barrel single-action flintlock, English (London) c. 1730-1737.
The barrels are 4 5/16 long in .43 caliber. (Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, Windsor Castle)
The lower pistol # 509 is a German 4 barrel flintlock, c. 1750. Caliber not given. (Metropolitan Museum, New York).
I suspect this gun has a self rotating barrel where cocking the cock rotates the barrels.
Right or wrong, it's a neat pistol.
Twain's take on the PB:
"George Bemis . . . wore in his belt an old original "Allen" revolver, such as irreverent people called a "pepper-box." Simply drawing the trigger back, cocked and fired the pistol. As the trigger came back, the hammer would begin to rise and the barrel to turn over, and presently down would drop the hammer, and away would speed the ball. To aim along the turning barrel and hit the thing aimed at was a feat which was probably never done with an "Allen" in the world. But George's was a reliable weapon, nevertheless, because, as one of the stage-drivers afterward said, "If she didn't get what she went after, she would fetch something else." And so she did. She went after a deuce of spades nailed against a tree, once, and fetched a mule standing about thirty yards to the left of it. Bemis did not want the mule; but the owner came out with a double-barreled shotgun and persuaded him to buy it, anyhow. It was a cheerful weapon--the "Allen." Sometimes all its six barrels would go off at once, and then there was no safe place in all the region round about, but behind it."
- Roughing It
:haha: Great stuff. I need to reread that book. There's a hilarious account of Twain and other passengers on the stage trying to hit a rabbit and another passage about him and several other guys being lost in the snow and trying to start a fire with a C&B revolver that had me LMAO. :hatsoff:
"George Bemis . . . wore in his belt an old original "Allen" revolver, such as irreverent people called a "pepper-box." Simply drawing the trigger back, cocked and fired the pistol. As the trigger came back, the hammer would begin to rise and the barrel to turn over, and presently down would drop the hammer, and away would speed the ball. To aim along the turning barrel and hit the thing aimed at was a feat which was probably never done with an "Allen" in the world. But George's was a reliable weapon, nevertheless, because, as one of the stage-drivers afterward said, "If she didn't get what she went after, she would fetch something else." And so she did. She went after a deuce of spades nailed against a tree, once, and fetched a mule standing about thirty yards to the left of it. Bemis did not want the mule; but the owner came out with a double-barreled shotgun and persuaded him to buy it, anyhow. It was a cheerful weapon--the "Allen." Sometimes all its six barrels would go off at once, and then there was no safe place in all the region round about, but behind it."
- Roughing It
:haha: Great stuff. I need to reread that book. There's a hilarious account of Twain and other passengers on the stage trying to hit a rabbit and another passage about him and several other guys being lost in the snow and trying to start a fire with a C&B revolver that had me LMAO. :hatsoff:
SgtSchutzen
45 Cal.
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I like the part where the poor mules owner came out with a shotgun and persuaded him to buy it :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
In the 70's Hoppe's brought out a reasonable represention of an early percussion pepper box.
I had one, it was .36.
It functioned well, though not very accurate.
If you would like one, watch Gun Broker, Hoppe's pepper box guns come up for sale every now and again.
Please do not waste your money or time on the Classic Arms version.
Fred
I had one, it was .36.
It functioned well, though not very accurate.
If you would like one, watch Gun Broker, Hoppe's pepper box guns come up for sale every now and again.
Please do not waste your money or time on the Classic Arms version.
Fred
Blunderbuss,
What about the part where he (Twain) and some of his friends had captured a bunch of tarantula spiders in glass jars, and in the middle of the night an earthquake broke all of them .
"Boys, the spiders are LOOSE ! "
I love Mark Twain. :applause:
nilo52
What about the part where he (Twain) and some of his friends had captured a bunch of tarantula spiders in glass jars, and in the middle of the night an earthquake broke all of them .
"Boys, the spiders are LOOSE ! "
I love Mark Twain. :applause:
nilo52
zimmerstutzen
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One of the Italian companies just announced a new variation on a colt revolver frame with no barrel, just a long cylinder.
several movies show that Bowie had a multibarrel rifle at the Alamo, Don't know if that is just movie stuff or some truth.
several movies show that Bowie had a multibarrel rifle at the Alamo, Don't know if that is just movie stuff or some truth.
Mr. Zimmerstutzen !
Please tell me more about this new Colt type shooter. ( the pepper box type )
I have heard about it in rumour form but nothing concrete.
TELL ME MORE! :stir: :thumbsup:
Fred
Please tell me more about this new Colt type shooter. ( the pepper box type )
I have heard about it in rumour form but nothing concrete.
TELL ME MORE! :stir: :thumbsup:
Fred
zimmerstutzen
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I saw a picture of it and a little write up on one of the black powder arms forums. Of course when I went looking for it I could not find it.
zimmerstutzen
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From EMF here it is.
http://www.emf-company.com/store/pc/1851-Pepperbox-c310.htm
http://www.emf-company.com/store/pc/1851-Pepperbox-c310.htm
Last edited by a moderator:
I look forward to seeing what EMF will bring out.
It seems as though they may have two options.
1851 Colt type pepper box, and also able to purchase just the cylinder???
But that will be a very unusual shooter.
It would have been bad medicine loaded with two or three balls per chamber. :hmm:
Fred
It seems as though they may have two options.
1851 Colt type pepper box, and also able to purchase just the cylinder???
But that will be a very unusual shooter.
It would have been bad medicine loaded with two or three balls per chamber. :hmm:
Fred
zimmerstutzen
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I wonder if it was just hype. Haven't seen any more about it, including cost.
Thank you for your post
Fred
Fred
nilo52 said:
I do. Lol. :haha: Wasn't it a strong wind that blew the roof off the bunkhouse or something that released the tarantulas? 'Course, it's been a long time since I read it. :hmm: Twain is my favorite author, no contest. :bow:
Zimmer, thanks for the link. That Navy pepperbox is sweet! :bow:
