Original Item: Only One Available. This is exactly what the Mississippi gamblers carried on the River Boats after the Civil War for self protection. Featuring FOUR barrels, each in .22 Rim Fire that fired individually by way of a single action hammer with a rotating firing pin. Easy to conceal, these were very popular, and often outfitted with custom options, such as the lovely decorative gutta percha grips on this example.

The barrel is slid forward for reloading by pushing down the button on the bottom of the frame and sliding the barrel forwards. The underside of the barrel is marked with serial number 47667 on the dovetail, which is also marked on the bottom of the pistol grip frame. There were several variations on this pistol, including some in .32RF with a longer barrel. This is the model 1A, with the shorter 2 1/2 inch barrel assembly in .22RF Short, light and very concealable.

The pistol is also marked on both sides of the brass frame with the address and patent information in circles around the hammer axis screw. The right side reads:

While the left has:

Overall metal finish on the barrel cluster exterior is a nice polished light gray patina, having faded from the original blued finish from cleaning. There is however still some of the original bluing retained in the flutes between the barrels. Like most we see, the plating on the brass frame is completely removed, and it now displays a lovely "mustard" patina on the exterior. The flat bottom grip is very nice, with two lovely decorative composition "gutta percha" style grip scales. Both are in very good condition, with just a bit of rounding and light chipping on the bottom corners.

The advance lever for the rotating firing pin works great on this example, and we did notice any failures to advance or other mechanical issues. The bores on the barrels are all clear, and all are in good condition, still showing clear rifling, but also some fouling and oxidation. There does not look to be much wear to the lands, so it was probably just not cleaned after the last use. The barrel slides forward correctly when the button under the front frame is depressed, and then correctly locks back into place. There is no mechanism on this example that locks the barrel in place except when at half cock.

An interesting stepping stone in 19th Century American firearms. In very good collectible condition and ready to display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: circa 1870
Caliber: .22 Rimfire Short
Ammunition Type: Rimfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 2 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 5 inches
Action: Single
Feed System: 4 Barrel Pepperbox. Rotating Firing Pin.

NOTE: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.