I was recently looking at the Dixie Gun Works site looking for some new plunder for the upcoming season and this little monster caught my eye:
Get this . . . it’s a double-barrelled pistol that comes in 20 gauge, .50 caliber, or with one barrel of each. Though it’s a little outside of of the mountain man period, it is percussion, so it would slide at some less strict events. I dare you to whip it out on a pistol shoot or walk . . .
At a cost of $550-625, it certainly isn’t cheap – and with two 11 1/2″ 20 gauge pistol barrels – it ain’t subtle, either!
The original Howdah Pistols were designed to defend a hunter – most likely a Victorian-era British noble, soldier, or imperialist – from his howdah – the carriage on top of the elephant that the more well-to-do set used in the later 1800s.
This one would make a great back-up pistol for hunting dangerous game in North America. Someone be sure and drop me a line and let me know what exactly this kind of game would be . . .
It would also be a great way to defend your camp or lodge from the random mountain man after your jug or maybe even a way to rival your neighbors’ late night cannon hijinks – with blank loads of course.
More on Howdah pistols on wikipedia.
The pistol on Dixie Gun Works’ site. And Pedersoli’s website.
It’s not period-correct for the Rendezvous, but you are sure-as-Hell welcome to bring one into my camp. 🙂
– Many Rifles.