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.

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 22385 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 1, with the shorter 2 1/2 inch barrel assembly in .22RF Short, light and very concealable. Unlike almost all others we have seen however, it has a STEEL frame, not a brass frame, which usually were produced later, however we cannot find much information on Model 1 pistols with steel frames.

The pistol was originally marked on both sides of the frame with the address and patent information in circles around the hammer axis screw. These were often not stamped evenly, and it looks like the steel did not take the stamp well. It also may have been worn away. There are now only traces left, but originally the right side would have read:

While the left had:

We can definitely see some of the letters, and they are in the correct circles, so this is not a later Sharps & Hankins pepperbox. Overall metal finish on the pistol shows a bright polished steel patina, with little trace of the original blued finish, so we assume it has been cleaned repeatedly over the years. The flat bottom grip is very nice, with a lovely aged look to the finished wood, which looks to possibly be rosewood, with very clear grain.

The advance lever for the rotating firing pin is present and fully functional, rotating the pin 1/4 turn every time the hammer is cocked. The bores on the barrels all still show faint rifling, with a partly bright finish. However they also show areas of fouling and oxidation from use, which the pistol definitely saw a lot of. 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, or it has been disabled.

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: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.