Bronze grenade launcher pistol

[Commodore Swab]

I have one of my small cannon barrels that the casting didn't turn out very good (lack of detail in the sand) and while looking thru a friends book I came across a picture of a rather large pistol that has almost the exact shape as my barrel and is just a little larger. I decided to cut off the truniuns and turn the barrel down on the lathe to make this into a pistol instead of just melting the bronze down again. Does anybody out there have any other pictures of anything like this?

[Story]

Hmm how about a piece with about a 30 inch barrel, flintlock, no truniuns?

You didn't mention the bore diameter, but there are historical examples of what you're describing. I can't remember the title or author at the moment (I'm far from my library), but there is a reference book on 18th century naval small arms and weapons.

There is a style of weapon that's essentially a pintle-mounted short barreled musket (though with a barrel longer than a blunderbuss') with a bore generally over .75" and up to 1".

If you were to fit your barrel as described to a tang, then inlet it into a shortened First Model Brown Bess stock w/ lock, then fit a bronze rowboat oarlock to the stock at the balance point : you'd be on the mark.

ps - this book *may* have references, but I don't think it's the one I'm thinking of...

BATTLE WEAPONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. Neumann, George C.

1998. 400pp, 1600+ photos, 8.5x11, photographic collection of muskets, rifles, pistols, swords, bayonets, knives & other arms used by both sides in America's War for Independence SC. NEW Item # 100115

And if you can flip through this book, it might also have examples

MUSKETS OF THE REVOLUTION AND THE FRENCH & INDIAN WARS. Ahearn, Bill.

2005. First printing. 248pp, nearly 500 detailed photos & illust, 8.5x11; covers the smoothbore longarms in early America, including British, French, Dutch, German, Spanish & American weapons including intimate details of men who carried them & desperate battles in which they served on both sides of conflict; includes many never-before-published photos; HC. NEW Item # 106655

pps- 'boat gun' is one name, but not the Frenchified term I'm trying to remember. In any event, see here

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/images/560/E/86/E8649.jpg

For a pistol version, see

http://www.oldguns.co.uk/images/2881.jpg

A good flintlock blunderbuss pistol by Theops. Richards, 8inch three stage cannon barrel signed THEOPS RICHARDS on the top flat, border engraved stepped lock, full stocked with engraved brass mounts, steel capped wood ramrod with concealed worm.

£3,250

Stock Number 2881

and if your mis-cast barrel goes up to 15", you could even make one of these

A brass barrelled Irish flintlock blunderbuss, 15.5inch four stage barrel with flared ring turned muzzle, engraved CORK on the top flat and stamped with Irish Registration marks CB-1136, indistinctly signed border engraved stepped lock, half stocked with brass mounts, undersprung bayonet released by a catch forward of the trigger guard.

£3,450

Stock Number 2682

http://www.oldguns.co.uk/images/2682.jpg

Edited April 22, 2009 by Story

[Commodore Swab]

This particular miscast piece was a howitzer/mortar so the barrel length is around 5 inches with a 1.75 bore

[Story]

This particular miscast piece was a howitzer/mortar so the barrel length is around 5 inches with a 1.75 bore

The perhaps a flintlock signaling pistol.

http://www.ambroseantiques.com/fpistols/flare.htm

A VERY RARE BREECH-LOADING REVOLUTIONARY WAR PERIOD FRENCH FLINTLOCK NAVAL OFFICER'S FLARE/PRYOTECHNIC PISTOL, ca. 1760-1770: In overall fine original flintlock condition. The cannon-form, Blunderbuss-type, sliding, 7", flared, 90+ caliber, brass fore-barrel with smooth rounded surfaces and two (2) baluster turnings, at the muzzle. Breech loading -- with the sliding, outer barrel "sleeve" under-mounted with its locking stud and cut with large opening for loading with powder and a Paper signal Flare. The rear section of the breech with a chamfered, iron, inner "sleeve"/powder-chamber with a matching touch-hole, an untouched age patina with the expected pitting and light wear: brass barrel-tang. Molded and finely relief carved walnut fullstock with a classic French/Germanic curved grip with a hooked butt. Chiseled flintlock mechanism with a working-life replaced French gooseneck hammer and an extensively chiseled lockplate with relief snake-head vine tendrils the frizzen-back and powder-pan bridle, en suite. High quality, chased, engraved and embossed Gilt-Bronze mounts: the pin-fastened trigger-guard with an etched and embossed, urn-type, forward finial with a grotesque mask base and an acanthus leaf spray: the bow with a finely embossed reclining figure of the god Mars, atop a stand of arms & cannons. Matching, embossed and chased, gilt, grotesque mask butt-cap with a deep relief-chiseled mask and screw-fastened, long top finial with stands of Arms and Classical figures: the figures bordered by Snaked-head Vine Tendrils, en suite with the lock. A somewhat crudely replaced, plain, pierced, Rifle-type, flat, copper-alloy sideplate. Made with no provision for a ramrod, as is a Breechloader. In overall fine, original flintlock condition. The barrel(s) with smooth, steel gray iron and brass-toned surfaces, some expected light scattered discoloration/surface nicks and light wear overall: the breech with matching surfaces and an untouched age-patina. Very good lock with dark steel-gray surfaces and in functional order: the mainspring a somewhat weak replacement. Fine stock with sharp contours, quality relief carvings around the lock and sideplate mortises, the mounts and at the barrel tang: various repairs, fills and repaired chips. Retains 75%+ finish with smooth surfaces, some handling marks and wear. Very fine mounts with sharply embossed details, fine quality casting and a pleasing age-patina: retain 45% gilt finish. A very unusual and rare example of fine quality Breech-Loading Gilt Mounted French Naval Officer's Flare Pistol, from the "Ancien Regime". In original flintlock condition and dates to, ca. 1760s. Overall length, 14" (when extended) & 13" (when closed).

Price: $3,775.00

You could mate your barrel to a Queen Anne.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info....roducts_id=9271

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info....roducts_id=9272

[Commodore Swab]

this is what I am refering to . . .

[Cannibal Chrispy]

WOW! Never seen that one. Very nice! And in does indeed look very similar to your mortars.

[Commodore Swab]

Naturally I don't have the original to make a copy of, but I may try a little cutting.

[Cpt. Alva]

It's a hand mortar, and it's designed to lob grenadoes (small clay bombs, about the size of a tennis ball).

of course, it's action was imprecise, and quite dangerous, I'm sure it didn't see a lot of use.

Edited June 5, 2009 by Cpt. Alva

[Story]

Gentleman of Fortune has an entire page on building one

http://www.gentlemenoffortune.com/handmortar.htm