Howdah Pistol - Double-Barrel Pin-Fire

[browningautorifle]

It's spot on for many of the patterns of Howda... As pointed out, maybe the inside of the chamber has some sort of a shape? If just straight, it could well just be a shotgun or a simple straight walled pistol cartridge. just look through towards a decent but not too bright light and see if there's a taper from the base of the breech to a couple of inches forward... Maybe take a pic from the breech end towards a decent light. Not too bright though...

[UNPROFOR1994]

I still think it's a 36 gauge a.k.a. 12mm a.k.a. .410 smooth bore ;-)

[browningautorifle]

Could be...

[UNPROFOR1994]

Al we can do now is wait for dttuner to take some more pictures and make some precise measurements...

[dttuner]

I see what you're saying about a chamber now. It does have a small chamber in each barrel, before the rifling starts.
There's some pitting in those chambers, but the rifling looks pretty clean.
Muzzle dimensions are smaller than breach. Also, cheap measuring caliper, fyi.

edit --
Chambers are 2.238 inches deep/long.

Hope this is what you guys were asking for...





Breach 1


Breach 2


Muzzle 1


Muzzle 2 ... not sure why they measure so different from each other.


Also noticed some more markings, and interesting features

[browningautorifle]

So it's a straight walled cartridge that's a lot like a 45-70. Only way to get a true picture of the chamber is do a casting and to find the bore diameter you have to slug both barrels. Lots of work... Yes, it's rifled and I'd be working on some sort of cartridge if I had it...

[dttuner]

So it's a straight walled cartridge that's a lot like a 45-70. Only way to get a true picture of the chamber is do a casting and to find the bore diameter you have to slug both barrels. Lots of work... Yes, it's rifled and I'd be working on some sort of cartridge if I had it...

Working on a cartridge, to shoot it?

[satx78247]

dttuner,

I think that you'll find that your howdah pistol is a 21/2inch ,410 shotgun shell fitted with lead conical bullets. = POWERFUL at close range, though with a rainbow trajectory.
(Howdah pistols came in rifled/SB and in bores of up to.72 caliber. - A few ML Howdah pistols were up to 4 gauge!!!)

Depending on who you believe, Lord Robert Baden-Powell (Later a Major General of British forces & founder of the Boy Scouts) once owned a Howdah pistol of either 8 or 10 bore. - The Howdah pistol (that MAY or MAY NOT be his) is a 10 bore SxS DB with 10" tubes & made by Rigby in the UK. = An 8 or 10 bore Howdah would have BRUTAL recoil.

yours, satx

[browningautorifle]

to shoot it

Just me, but yes I would. Something not too powerful.

21/2inch ,410 shotgun shell fitted with lead conical bullets.

Would they be the same ones used by the #1 Mk3s done up for prison with the 410 bore? Those are made up on 303 cartridges?

[dttuner]

dttuner,

I think that you'll find that your howdah pistol is a 21/2inch ,410 shotgun shell fitted with lead conical bullets.

Would a modern 45 acp fit, and give you a better idea of the chamber size?

Just me, but yes I would. Something not too powerful.

Nobody I know reloads, unfortunately.



edit -
Fits like a glove.