india hand pistol firearm ?? smoothbore bayonet canon

[rickystl]

Hi Phil

What an interesting item. Maybe South India ? I notice the percussion nipple just behind the threaded portion. This makes me think there was a longer portion of pole which also contained the trigger and hammer assembly. Too bad that portion is missing.
Possibly made for hunting wild boar from horseback ala European style (?)

Rick

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Hi Phil

What an interesting item. Maybe South India ? I notice the percussion nipple just behind the threaded portion. This makes me think there was a longer portion of pole which also contained the trigger and hammer assembly. Too bad that portion is missing.
Possibly made for hunting wild boar from horseback ala European style (?)

Rick

that's a real possibility Rick .... in my picture No 3 above I illustrate the muzzle of an Indian musket which also features a permanently fixed bayonet . This weapon I believe to be for hunting boar too. The curious aspect of it is that the bayonet is linked by a rod to the trigger , when the bayonet is 'thrust' into anything it causes the gun to be discharged .... thus anything 'stuck' with the bayonet will also be shot with the gun , simultaneously .

[fernando]

Originally Posted by rickystl

This makes me think there was a longer portion of pole which also contained the trigger and hammer assembly.

Some kind of fancy stock ...

[rickystl]

The percussion firing mechanism I was thinking about might be similar to the walking cane guns made during the mid-19th Century.

Rick

[kronckew]

A hollow pole, internal spring-loaded long rod as a 'firing pin' to hit the cap, L shaped slot for a 'bolt handle' that can be pulled back against the spring, pushed into the base of the L, and flipped with a finger sideways to release the 'pin' would be simple and reasonably easy to make.

[rickystl]

Exactly what I was thinking. That's how the cane guns worked.