Mau Mau Rebellion?

Tim Simmons · 20th December 2025, 01:42 PM

Posted some time ago.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=home+made

Dangerous one shot, close up bang.

RobT · 20th December 2025, 09:47 PM

Tim Simmons,

Zip guns were rather common in New York when I was growing up and a door bolt firing pin was the ignition device of choice. Heavy duty rubber bands were used to propel the bolt forward when it was manually unlocked. The force was sufficient to set off the rimfire primer of a 22 short and send the round through the short section of pipe used as a barrel. I had heard that some enterprising individuals fitted the wooden stocks of these guns with a trigger attached to an external lever set-up that would release the bolt but that may have just been an urban legend. In any event, carrying these things around “cocked and locked” was as dangerous as all get out and only favored by those with more anger than sense. I wonder if NYC zip guns would qualify as ethnographic weapons?

Sincerely,
RobT

Tim Simmons · 21st December 2025, 06:25 AM

A New York zip gun would be an ethnographic weapon.

Richard G · 29th December 2025, 03:57 PM

This could well be a gun from the Mau Mau Uprising.
However degrading breech loading firearms to muzzle-loading black power was not uncommon in Africa, particularly W Africa, in the late 19th to mid 20th centuries in a quest for simplicty and economy.
Regards
Richard

Jim McDougall · 29th December 2025, 04:42 PM

Another analogy concerning gun conversions in latter 19thc.
The ZULU shotguns were ex- French muskets from Franco-Prussian war were apparently converted in Belgium to smooth bore shotguns about 1885. Depending on which guns were used, these rifled barrels were bored out to either .12 GA or .16GA and the 'brand' name, as in those times used clever sensational terms ...used the word ZULU to capitalize on the Zulu Wars of 1877-79.

These shotguns became ubiquitous in the American west, in ranches and households and were marketed by retailers including Sears, Roebuck.
They had the 'Tabatiere' system of breech loading, so sort of a converse example, but the point is that gun conversions of sorts was apparently not uncommon, even in these contexts.

Triple Jack · 4th January 2026, 11:43 PM

Hi all,
I hope that you all enjoyed the festive period and thanks for your interesting replies which have given me something to think about.

I will discuss with the owner and let you know what her intentions are.

Cheers Jack

20th December 2025, 09:47 PM	#2
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 619	NYC Zip Guns Tim Simmons, Zip guns were rather common in New York when I was growing up and a door bolt firing pin was the ignition device of choice. Heavy duty rubber bands were used to propel the bolt forward when it was manually unlocked. The force was sufficient to set off the rimfire primer of a 22 short and send the round through the short section of pipe used as a barrel. I had heard that some enterprising individuals fitted the wooden stocks of these guns with a trigger attached to an external lever set-up that would release the bolt but that may have just been an urban legend. In any event, carrying these things around “cocked and locked” was as dangerous as all get out and only favored by those with more anger than sense. I wonder if NYC zip guns would qualify as ethnographic weapons? Sincerely, RobT Last edited by RobT; 20th December 2025 at 09:49 PM. Reason: new info

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20th December 2025, 01:42 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,970	Posted some time ago. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=home+made Dangerous one shot, close up bang.

21st December 2025, 06:25 AM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,970	A New York zip gun would be an ethnographic weapon.

29th December 2025, 03:57 PM	#4
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 418	This could well be a gun from the Mau Mau Uprising. However degrading breech loading firearms to muzzle-loading black power was not uncommon in Africa, particularly W Africa, in the late 19th to mid 20th centuries in a quest for simplicty and economy. Regards Richard

29th December 2025, 04:42 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,833	Another analogy concerning gun conversions in latter 19thc. The ZULU shotguns were ex- French muskets from Franco-Prussian war were apparently converted in Belgium to smooth bore shotguns about 1885. Depending on which guns were used, these rifled barrels were bored out to either .12 GA or .16GA and the 'brand' name, as in those times used clever sensational terms ...used the word ZULU to capitalize on the Zulu Wars of 1877-79. These shotguns became ubiquitous in the American west, in ranches and households and were marketed by retailers including Sears, Roebuck. They had the 'Tabatiere' system of breech loading, so sort of a converse example, but the point is that gun conversions of sorts was apparently not uncommon, even in these contexts.

4th January 2026, 11:43 PM	#6
Triple Jack Member Join Date: Dec 2025 Posts: 6	Hi all, I hope that you all enjoyed the festive period and thanks for your interesting replies which have given me something to think about. I will discuss with the owner and let you know what her intentions are. Cheers Jack