Double-barrel BP percussion pistol?

[Preacherman]

Have any of you read the Hornblower novels by C. S. Forester - specifically, "The Commodore"? In that novel, Hornblower's wife presents him with a cased pair of pistols. They're described as double-barrelled percussion-fired rifled pistols.

Just for the heck of it, I'd be interested in getting something similar. Does anyone know a source for such a BP pistol? If so, please advise. I'd prefer something in a decent caliber, too - .45 or .50 would be nice.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Grey54956]

The Hornblower books are a great series. I have read all of them.

 

[Old Fuff]

Maybe something like this?

http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=17219025

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Hornblower

The Hornblower series is great. I've read it a couple of times.

Can't help you on a source for the percussion double pistol, unless you want a shotgun that you take a hacksaw to.

 

[Alex]

Classic Arms makes the snake eyes kit which is a smoothbore double barrel 36 caliber pistol, not terribly good quality but I've seen a few nice examples that were assembled with care. In the old days there were many different multiple barrel pistol combinations, many of the English makers produced over and under flintlock and percussion pistols of very high quality, the price for these originals is way up there when they can be found, you could probably make one or have one made if you were so inclined. I would imagine that these would have been the type that were mentioned in the story since they often came in cased sets and were relatively large caliber. I also remember double barrel pistols being offered for sale in the 70's and 80's that were not particularly high quality, but I guess they were safe enough, these can be found used occasionally on some of the auction gun sites and can probably be bought for less than $100 when found. You could also modify a percussion shotgun into a pistol if you really wanted, you would have to check local laws concerning this subject, but I don't think federal laws prohibit this procedure on a muzzleloader.

 

[slabsides]

Shadows from my youth...one of my favorite cap pistols, circa 1946, was a Hubley double barrelled 'pirate' pistol. The stocks were some white composition that was sufficiently like ivory to satisfy a boy, and there was Hubley's usual pretty fine nickle plating over 'engraved' cast iron . I was the envy of many a compatriot, lemme tell ya. If one could find such today, it would probably sell for what a real pistol would. I eventually traded it for another Hubley, a dead ringer for a Colt Pocket Automatic model M...and gave that away to a younger relative when I grew too old (as I thought) for toy guns.
I can understand your wanting one, Preacher. It's on my back-of-the-mind 'someday' list, too!
The Classic 'Snake Eyes' is more properly a double barrelled derringer.