Double Barrel Percussion Pocket Pistol

[RobertGuy]

Originally Posted by corrado26

This sight is outsite of the barrel's length axle and so totally
useless
corrado26

I must admit that with 3 inch smooth bore barrels I would think any sight pretty superfluous. I suspect it was thare to show the user that he was holding it the right way round

[fernando]

I am no shooting expert but, i don't think these sights are completely useless; they may not provide the best of precision, but are always a point of reference, no matter how long barrels are.
On a (only partly) different perspective comes to mind that, two side-by-side barrel shot guns only have a central sight set .

[Pukka Bundook]

Quite a lot of very short muff pistols and such when made on the Continent had rifled barrels. I do not know if this was thought to give more penetration to the ball, but may be the reason.
As most defense pistols are made for close quarters, say within a few feet, sights are not really needed and not used, Except when maybe trying a pistol to see where it shoots.
With a shotgun, the head position is the 'rear sight', with a bead at the muzzle, which is ignored/not seen in spontaneous shooting anyway!

Richard.

[fernando]

As i said ... just references .

[Richard G]

I remember being told once a lot of these pistols were rifled because the rifling was thought to 'hold' the ball better, i.e. there was less chance of the ball being shaken down the barrel.
Regards
Richard

[fernando]

I hear that, Rifling has an unequivocal purpose; improve projectile stability and precision. All other effects, being the case, would be resulting phenomena.


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