Jonathan is perplexed by these mystery pivoting pistols, with firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson
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- čas přidán 7. 05. 2024
- It's a rare sight on this series to see Jonathan left scratching his head.
But that's exactly what happened when our Keeper of Firearms examined the curious curvature of the grips of these flintlock pistols.
Help us out in the comments and give Jonathan your theory to what they might be or their original purpose.
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Those oddities are what used to be called bosuns guns. If a cannon didn’t fire , a damp squib, they never had time to leave it etc, they had to be cleared quickly. They never fired a ball as such, but fired fire into the touch hole to clear the damp powder and hopefully ignite the charge, thus clearing the cannon. They were very unpopular because it was a very dangerous way of remediating a problem. They were used primarily in the East Indies where everything was damp .
Sounds like a winner.
Makes sense. The curved grip means that you could fire straight down into the touchhole and not scorch your hand.
I could especially see this if they just recycled old stock of pistols for something that they only needed a small handful of per ship. Or even used ones that failed QC of any sort.
@@zd9389Back then, labour was dirt-cheap. Having stocks made was surely no problem.
The metal bits were a lot more expensive. Therefore, they recycled the leftovers of old scrap pistols.
Exactly what I was thinking!
The ancient method of igniting a cannon was by use of a "linstock" ie a staff with a fork at one end to hold a lighted slow match. The linstock allowed the gunner to stand away from the cannon, both as it recoiled and as some part of the explosion vented out of the touch hole.
By the mid 1700s, it was recognised that some form of mechanical ignition was quicker and more efficient and a rich variety of shapes and types resulted in the pursuit of the optimum igniter for a muzzle loading cannon. One type was a flint boxlock at the end of a long grip with a remote trigger. Another was a brass enclosed flintlock body, fixed to the cannon and operated by a lanyard. I suppose they could, if desired, be ready primed and there might be value in having more than one on hand.
The circumstantial fact cannot be ignored that the exhibits shown are undoubtedly ship's pistols and were more than likely in the exclusive possession of the Royal Navy and stored at some time in the company of cannon.
An article in the American Society of Arms Collectors bulletin by Dick Salzer and Matt Sears explains that in 1755, the British Admiralty issued a directive that all "Men-O-War" would have their cannon equipped with flint cannon locks. The decree was largely ignored until Sir Charles Douglas decided at his own expense to equip his 98 gun frigate HMS Duke, with such locks, improvised out of old musket locks. The resulting improvements in accuracy and rate of fire made the programme a priority. There was no standard design.
These do seem to be potentially early specimens of cannon igniters, significant for that reason and notable for allowing some distance from the gun, but not very much. A design deficiency compared with the linstock.
It is speculative whether they were used for Royal Navy purposes, or sold out of the Tower as surplus decades later and reworked commercially for merchant ships.
Exact my thougt
very interesting read. Thanks a lot.
these look like the kinda cartoon pistols where the bullets will do 90 degree turns around objects
And for a real curve, the Krummlauf exists.
Except that the barrels aren’t the weird bendy part of these, it’s the handles and the trigger mechanism.
its a joke about cartoons dude, stuff dont make sense in them anyway
true
Perhaps they are not for shooting per se, but for ignition? Like a developmental in-between of a match fuse and a built-in flintlock igniter on a cannon. Or a backup for said cannon igniter in case it misfires? That would explain the downward grip angle and the ridiculously short barrel.
These remind me of the cut-down Lee-Enfields used on AFV smoke dischargers, as in a service firearm modified for a different use as a tool rather than as a weapon.
Are you going to make this comment a third time? Are you drunk?
ya that was my initial though an ignition system
@@samuelgarrod8327youtube sometimes multiposts your comments
My first guess is that they are intended to be used to repel boarders by sticking them out of a cannon port. Or around a corner. It would explain the damage to the wood under the barrel since they would probably be they part that they would take impacts when braced against the door frame or port. I should admit that I came to this conclusion before hearing Mr. Ferguson come to the same conclusion.
maybe also for shooting at attackers from fortification/castle walls where they were too close to aim your rifle properly
Shooting from an elevated position like Rigging ?
I was thinking the same thing... a la the Krummlauf add-on to the Sturmgewehr. How about shooting over the inboard bulwarks of a slave-ship? The waist, the area between the fore and main masts, was used for exercising the "cargo", it was blocked off from the forecastle and quarterdeck by tall bulwarks in case the cargo got feisty during this evolution, the crew could then subdue the uprising from their protected positions fore and aft.
Ah shite I came to a similar conclusion before I noticed your comment and before Johnathan came to a similar conclusion 😅😂😅😂😅🤣🤦♂️
Maybe it was using to shoot something inside carriage or outside the carriage?
The first thing that popped into my head was adaptive equipment for a partial amputee.
That's where my mind went too, adapted for someone with some form of disfigurement/injury/disability. I'm stuck in a wheelchair and use a sort of gripper type thing for a bunch of things that would make zero sense and have no utility for someone able to stand up or crouch down. The handle of my gripper is VERY similar to the handle of these things, including the very long trigger bit.
@@noth606 It was such a gadget that got me thinking. No Wheelchair on my end, but my arthritis won't let mr reach things up high anymore. I the thing my Long Reach.
Sorry about the misspelling.s No Auto-correct on this thing.
@@Lurker1954 I'd be surprised if it wasn't for that in some way. The thing doesn't make sense for a fully able person in my view. I have tons of other things that are 'adapted' in one way or another for them to work for me with the way I can and cannot reach things and where I can and can't go. As an example all electric things are plugged into extension cord splitters, because I can lift them with my gripper and bring them up and then plug/unplug things in my lap, nothing is ever in the back of cabinets apart from very tall things because I can't see or reach small things low in a cabinet above my head level.
But the point is that I adapt my environment and tools etc to what I can and can't see/reach/use etc and I know others in similar predicaments do as well, to a varying degree but still. I know some people who insist on domestic help doing all that sort of stuff for them but that's absolutely not my jam.
My first thought was accessibility too. Perhaps if some one was wearing gloves, which did also get me wondering if they might be used in low temperature environments.
They could be "Walking Stick Pistols". The fact they were sawn off leads me to believe that someone wanted to locking mechanism (which attaches the stick part to the pistol through the barrel) to no longer be there so it couldn't be a walking stick anymore, maybe for legal reasons. I have seen similar 17th & 18th century firearms that look similar to these have the stick attachment.
Holy moly that's a pretty good theory ! Walking sticks that got sawn off later! :D
While I think Jonathon's theory is a good one, other ideas that came to mind for me-
-Booby traps. The long trigger gives a lot of leverage for a tripwire etc to act on, the crescent spur on the end gives a convenient point for some kind of lever or wire to be attached. Doesn't explain the weird angle though.
-Handicap adjustment for a disabled shooter, recreational or service purposes. They might have some kind of hand or arm injury that necessitated the weird trigger and stock arrangement
-Perhaps they are meant to be used upside down, the trigger finger grasping the end of the trigger, the angle would then be pointed up. They could be concealed under a table or similar to shoot someone seated opposite (I'm picturing the scene in Tombstone where Wyatt Earp has a sawn off wired to the underside of a card table
-As others have suggested, they might be adapted for some kind of very specific non-weapon purpose, for lighting a fire, signalling, firing artillery etc. Probably made sense at the time but without context looks bizarre
If you tried to fire it upside down all the priming powder would fall out.
@@johnhodges8264 Good point, hadn't considered that!
@@johnhodges8264 the priming powder enclosed by the frizzen, you mean?
@@truckerjesus8633 would still be spill out around the frizzen. Additionally, as the frizzen is opened by the falling flint, the powder would tend to fall away from the touch hole. While the flint is moving very fast, this would still increase the chance of a failure to fire.
I was thinking the same, either ye olde cornershot or for use of booby traps
The shortened barrel suggest it is not intended to shoot things.
The offset grip enables the hand to be behind cover, but it cannot be aimed unless your head is over the cover.
I suggest they are intended to start fires. Load with a lot of powder but no ball. Put the muzzle into a barrel of tar or the like and the muzzle flash ignites it and the offset grip keeps the hand clear of the flames. Fireships maybe.
Seems like a convoluted way to start a fire when the main mechanic of a flintlock pistol is.. you know.. flint and steel. Just build everything up to the flashpan and call it a day.
Interesting 🧐,their was flintlock firestarters available at the time (have a Google if you are interested)I shall go with shooting down hatchways ,all the best from sunny Troon 😊
@@Drakith90 I am suggesting a serious fireball to rapidly ignite large fires. With no ball to build up pressure one could fill the barrel with black powder. Perhaps with some additives to create additional incendiary effects, magnesium?
Sounds ridiculous and improbable..
Besides SHORTENING A BARREL DOES INDICATE IT WASNT MEANT TO SHOOT THINGS YOU FUDD..
ITS PROBABLY SO THE GUN CAN BE FIRED FROM SAFELYINSIDE AN EMBRASURE. OR FOR A BOONY TRAP
Booby*
Clearly so you can hold them high above your head while "aiming" at your foe, very popular amongst 18th century gangster rappers.
This got a good chuckle from me thank you
Lmao
First thing I thought of in the first few seconds of the video was portable locks for firing cannon ! Glad to see other people have the same idea !
Maybe an attempt at a cannon ignitor for older pieces that couldn't fit a gunlock.
That's a good idea. Blank load it and fire it into a fuse hole on a cannon. The long handle means your hand is protected at the side of the cannon, and you don't have recoil to deal with.
Looks like you were right. Bosun's gun for clearing unfired cannons.
I don't buy it. Guns without locks were used for centuries and nobody else felt the need to make igniters out of pistols
These sorts of experimental objects are the absolute best. The mystery of their use and design makes them incredibly intriguing, and even when those things are known it is so fun to see the paths unfollowed. More of these pieces please!
We'll see what we can do ;)
The handle looks like it's meant to be held upside down and the forefinger would go in the additional curve at the end of the long trigger and the bulbous end meant to rest against the web of the hand, possibly to fire underneath something from concealment.
Agreed, Or if someone had limited joint movement so they could potentially be able to get on target accurately and easily with said limit.
Maybe you hold the gun upside-down but actually it is you who is upside-down in Australia, so... 🤨
Problem firing a flintlock upside down,
As soon your sparks - not to mention your priming powder - would fall AWAY from the pan and touchhole.
This is what I thought too. I don't have any idea why you would want to shoot a pistol upside down, but it looks like that's what it's designed for.
@@andyleighton6969 I was thinking the same unless the powder pan was cupped to create a pocket of powder, but yea gravity does play a big role against the idea.
I'd guess they're not firearms, but firestarters. You load them up with just wadding, put the barrel against something flammable, pull the trigger; instant fire. They show damage at the front because they were jammed against the edge of a container. They're curved like that to keep the hand out of the fire. The barrels are short because no accuracy is needed.
Maybe. But the flint is right there and would start a fire well enough. Maybe to put fire into the touch hole on a cannon... (someone already suggested that).
They are for igniting ship’s canons I guess, thats the leading theory and what makes the most sense so you arent even to far of with starting fires
My thought is that these pistols could be made for naval service men (officers?) that have lost some or all main digits, and the trigger is an adaptation to get to the remaining outer fingers to trigger the lock. The angle could improve a grip weakened by finger loss.
This was my thought. Peripheral nerve damage can fuck up your hands something fierce (ask me how I know) and my knee jerk thought was "someone had these made to compensate for a hand injury."
They would make sense if you lost strength in your index/middle fingers and had to use the pinkie or ring finger to pull the trigger?
I do love a mystery, and all the speculation that goes with.
Could they be used to fire a blank charge in to a cannon touch hole or similar?
thank you
awesome history, thank you for showing us
For use on an Arctic/Antarctic expedition? Where use of heavy mitten or gloves would be a consideration.
That was my first thought as well.
But the hypothesis several people made about this being a heavy duty safety lighter rather than a weapon seems much more compelling.
Definitely my first thought, especially with the left pistol. Short barrel allowing for easier storage, less weight, and quicker drawing against surprise polar bear. The extra trigger shaping on the right pistol doesn't make sense for the hypothesis though.
This was my thought. People forget winter combat.
Bosun guns for clearing out cannons with damp powder that failed to fire.
Possibly some kind of special tools. For example, to break blockages in pipes where you shouldn't stick your hands in. Once we had a chimney so blocked you couldn't open it, like shooting from the bottom with a pistol. That could be very practical for such an activity.
Fascinating
My guess is it was meant to convert old flintlocks that had become obsolete into some kind of utility device. It has the feel of "Let's see if we can do something with this rather than throw it out." It reminds me of attempts I have made to repurpose things, which always failed as well.
I agree with some of he other comments here that the barrel is too short to fire a bullet with any accuracy, but maybe someone thought it could be used with powder only to ignite something. Even on the off chance it worked, it looks like it would have been too much effort to convert large numbers, so it wasn't adopted.
How about defending a fighting top from people below climbing the rigging. Or defending any ship from people boarding in small boats.
Locktraps maybe? They are perfect for a fishing line trigger
Looks like something someone would cobble together for the Arctic. Perfect for oversized gloves....
I would guess igniting a cannon while keeping your hand relatively safe.
But why? No other gun crew felt they needed such an elaborate contraption
@MB-st7be actually, there were flintlock ignition systems for cannons, some fitted directly to the cannons, others hand held. As to why the answer is money 💰 if you could invent something and sell it to the military, you'd be ritch..
My immediate thought was some sort of holdout/last redoubt pistol. As you say shooting over parapets would work. But also if forced to retreat to the structures on the quarterdeck, poking it through a hole & firing means that if someone shoots back they'll fire over your head, meaning you don't get a face full of splinters. Accuracy on your part wouldn't need to be that great if loaded with bird-shot & the sawn-off barrel would give greater spread.
I agree!
I think that Jonathan's speculation is most likely, but I could also see them being made to accommodate a disability. The way he held it didn't look right, but if that was the best someone could do and they still wanted to shoot, it seems possible. Might also be why the barrels were cut, in an effort to make them a bit lighter.
Hello Jonathan 👋🏼
Drat second !!!! Lol
@@johngreen-sk4yk 👋🏼 🤗
* Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds
"what I will say, is that they have both lost wood" 🤣
I've never used ancient firearms, but I am a Marine and the FIRST thing that came to mind, seconds into the video, was firing at boarders of a ship without exposing yourself to losing your head to a sword swipe / cannon ball.
Shooting over a wall was the first thing that came to mind.
With the grip so far down the grip, they must be used for shooting down, maybe from the masts of ships
They are secret drawer weapons. Short barrel , funky trigger. They were used in hidden compartments.
Source?
I like your guess more than my immediate assumption which was that they maybe designed for someone less abled maybe some one with an injury or birth defect whom could not use a standard pistol very interesting pieces thanks for sharing
I don't know if you all would do a video reaction to a new weapon made but Brandon herrera has officially created a .50 BMG AK platform that works and I would love to see Jonathan's reaction to it
Could they be expediently rebuilt for use in a howdah (where you intend to shoot downwards at silly elevations). Would also potentially explain the sawn-off barrel.
My guess (doubtless incorrect judging by other comments) was: sawn off, so short-range weapon; grips designed to orient the aim downwards - experimental cavalry pistols for shooting nearby infantrymen (or gunners) without having to cock the wrists awkwardly.
am def thinking igniting something whether canon or mortar, maybe as backup. Held at arms length away from the touch hole, pointing down. I don't know enough about muzzle loaders as to how well the charge would stay seated though?
You would need some sort of wad but that isn't difficult
The handle reminds me of the curved handle of the Bisley-style Single Action Army revolvers that were designed for competition shooting.
I was thinking it could have been a purpose-built handicap type modification 🤷
Yes - wondering what a prosthetic hand of the period looked like.
I was thinking the same.
This is exactly where my mind went as well.
I enjoyed the lighting much more in this video as opposed to the last videos in this series. Sometimes the lighting is too dim for me to get a good look at the firearms. Thank you for your videos, tho. I very much enjoy them.
It seems like there may be an answer, but I want to share my theories anyway:
My first thought was that these were used in early military balloon service. The bulbus end would sit in a leather ball joint to steady the Flint while firing downward. Of course the problem there is that the pan would need to be more cupped otherwise the gunpowder would fall out.
My other thought was that this was a weapon designed to be used by someone wearing gloves. And so my thought was then that perhaps this was a weapon used by someone operating a coal fired steam engine, perhaps on a train or an early steamship which would allow them to fire a weapon without having to take off their gloves.
Those are early versions of the SG42, shooting around the corner guns. Instead of looped barrels in a few SGs, they bent the grips 180 degrees, very slick.
Does the Royal Armory have and super soakers? The OG yellow one perhaps?
Pistols used to make trapped doors on a ship or fortification. Hence shortened barrel and the stock/grip shape. You could secure it into a cup mounting and the trigger is setup to easily attach a tripwire. That is also why no belt clip, you wont be running around with it. It would be setup or in storage. Should be able to set that up pretty much anywhere on a ship with time to do so, gun ports, doors, stairs, ceiling, floors or walls. Neat design. Your welcome Johnathan and british armory. 😊
To build on what seems to be the most popular use,shooting over something,that might explain the cut off barrel. Perhaps to aid in dispersion of multiple pellets. That would make sense for a very short range weapon.
Cold weather mittens would fit that grip if you ask me , so winter or similar conditions would call for such
The sort of thing that was preserved because it was weird even in the time when it was made.
I also think it's for shooting around corners, more specifically for the defense of a merchant ship. A merchant captain acquired them from the navy after the pistols were decommissioned and the ship's carpenter modified them.
Because merchant ships ran on as small a crew as possible (higher profits), they generally had no chance of confronting pirates and a common strategy was to have a fortified partition below deck with gun ports facing the stairs. From there the crew could take potshots at the pirates and hopefully discourage them enough to leave.
The distances would have been very short and since pirates typically boarded in great numbers (to demoralize and to overwhelm the crew before the pirates took too many casualties), it was more like shooting into a crowd than at any particular person, so not having a sightline might not have been that much of an issue.
In this defensive role it also makes sense to remove the belt hooks, because you'd want to store them behind the foritification and having belt hooks on them would encourage the pistols to "grow legs" and be unavailable when urgently needed.
The angle and short barrel might work well for dispatching an animal. Would a veterinary pistol make sense for the time period?
I thought that too, having had the misfortune to have to assist in the putting down of a badly injured horse, by an equine vet, I can attest that the vet had to reach up very high and point his pistol at a difficult angle to ensure a clean and instant kill. These curved stocks with extended trigger would have been helpful (not for the horse)
I was thinking the same thing, I think the fact that they were originally navy is throwing everyone off, it would be used 2 handed, grabbing the stock with one hand and reaching up to pull the trigger with the other. To dispatch a large animal like a horse.
In the oil industry, nearly every operator has a "Wheel Spanner", not officially recognised as a tool, all made on the sly. Used to open or close valves, they could do a lot of damage if used incorrectly. This sounds like a gunners' Heath Robinson tool which the authorities turned a blind eye to, just like the oil industry does to the wheel spanner.
If I had to guess, I would say that they're made to be poked out of a small porthole, possibly to fire down at a boarding party in a longboat/dingy or to shoot out the porthole, laterally, perhaps at boarders, or even to shoot around from a porthole at someone trying to breach the door to the captain's cabin, or the hatch to the lower decks.
shoving them out of a small porthole would also explain why they needed to be chopped down so much, AND why they're missing wood at the spot below the barrels that would knock and rake the frame of the tiny porthole as it was roughed through, and where it may be wedged as it fired, knocking back to damage the wood behind the hammer.
I would not be shocked to discover that these were bespoke pistols for a captain, or his cabin boy as last stand weapons when barricaded in his cabin, needing only to shoot a pace or 3 distance from his tiny window to his door, OR for an intrepid crewman that thought to fight from below decks via a small porthole of some kind.
Heck, could be a cook, who's tiny round porthole for ventilation would also offer such a great angle on the enemy, if only he could shoot around at that confounded angle! 🤣
they're supposed to be used with a muzzle device that's unfortunately missing. It deflects the blast down, and the circular handle lets the pistol rotate in your grip. Recoil compensation similar to the KRISS Vector.
Clearly this set of pistols is designed to be operated by an octopus. The extremely elongated grip and trigger lever allows plenty of room for it to wrap its tentacles around it.
Ayy.....arm the Kraken 😅
The audio is a bit weird on this one but it was still fascinating so thank you
with the barrel that short, and the curve to keep your hand out the way, could they be intended as igniters instead of weapons? say if a cannon charge didn't go off, you touch one of these to it and light it that way? not sure what else might have needed rapid ignition?
Your speculation was the same as my initial thought but as the video went on I had an issue with that being of course how little added protection you would get, compared to using any other pistol, basically none, plus you are almost certainly going to miss since you can't see. Then I thought, what about for shooting around corners down corridors, in this case, you can hold your arm stretched all the way out, if your opponent attempts to shoot you through the wall, you will be standing much further from the corner than they expect, and likely miss your arm and hand, and in that circumstance, in a narrow corridor, a blind shot isn't so unlikely to hit when you shoot if they approach.
The obvious guess is for shooting around corners, or as suggested in the video, over the side of a ship.
Another option is that in the 1700s, it was not yet the standard to teach every gun user to always aim with a straight arm. So maybe some gentleman thought that it would be easier to aim when the gun is closer to his face. So if the gun is hold with a bent elbow, it becomes difficult (uncomfortable) to bend the wrist joint to the point where the gun would be horizontal. Therefore the handle would need to be bent.
Several other comments have suggested that it's for igniting cannons in case of damp gunpowder that wouldn't otherwise ignite. That sounds plausible too.
Just a thought, maybe that knob at the bottom with the weird recurve bit is actually so you can hold the gun *by the knob* and then fire it with your index finger with that recurve bit as the trigger? It'd be good for shooting around a corner I guess, which seems bad? Might explain why people don't bother, but it's worth noting someone could also carry a mirror and use it to site their gun? It'd be risky for the mirror, but that'd be a risk a soldier would take I'd wager?
Early (by almost 200 years) version of the Krummlauf for the StG 44?
Try as I might, I was unable to find sauce (sources) for the cannon tool suggestion. There were similar devices, but they tended to have long bent barrels rather than long grips.
Could it be to manipulate the trigger in heavy gloves?
I can suggest two other possibilities.
A joking gunsmith who, after seeing an image of the preposterous Renaissance codpieces, decided to prank someone with discarded pieces.
Or a thoughtful gunsmith who tried to solve the problem of someone with a strange paralysis of the wrist.
(I once saw a man who had both his wrists permanently locked upwards: he couldn't hold anything "normal")
If it weren't for the strange curved grips, those long triggers would be good for shooting with mittens.
but well, good luck reloading a flint lock with mittens on.
Its for firing over walls or around corners and short barreled because its for close range I've seen something very Similar and of colonial era. The linkage is so you fire it without exposure of your hand to the enemy . im told its used to fire from a covered position such as over a wall around a corner or from holes in walls or cannon ports
I'm thinking either for a sailor with an injured or actual missing hand OR for firing around corners and obstacles or through windows along the side of a ship to repel boarders. OR for strapping to an object and firing from long distance using a lanyard. OR for using as a booby trap in a similar way, you open a door and via a system of pulleys, the gun fires at you.
How would these things help an injured or crippled person? I can't picture it in my head at all, but maybe you have an idea? I've seen several people in the comments suggest this so I'm curious as to what y'all are thinking.
@@jamesallred460 it might be easier to strap into a prosthetic hand? Using a lanyard on the trigger to be pulled by some other body part? Teeth?
Reminds me of a trench rifle, or that curved barrel machine-gun the germans had. Looks like they're made to shoot from behind cover or reach angles you wouldn't usually reach with a conventional handle/stock.
could those be build for the use with prothetics?
I know what they are: gorgeous 🎉
The first harpoon cannons for whaling went into service in 1737
These were used to ignite them.
I can see these being used as a sort of hammerlike weapon in a melee?
my initial thoughts on these curiosities would be for use more as a tool rather than active weapon , with the extended triggers being easier to use wearing heavy gloves . perhaps I`d speculate they`d be used by trappers for seal fur or by whalers , my gut feeling goes more with whalers who operated on the sea`s while also maintaining stations in various cold weather locations where gunsmithing wouldn`t be a widely spread skill but basic black smithing and wood working would be more available . certainly very odd pieces
As a US Navy armorer, my theory is this is for sure something a Navy armorer made just because.
I think is meant to be held up side down. Use the trigger finger. May be for hanging from rigging?
I think shooting blindly could work with defending a ship. Imagine multiple shooters. It could provide some kind of covering fire. It's unlikely they hit anyone, but you wouldn't risk getting too near to the area they point at. The main weakness of this defense is reloading, those pistols wasn't very quick to reload.
Looking at the elongated triggers, it looks like they are designed for sailors wearing gloves or mittens. The barrels would likely have been cut down to reduce flash touching rigging or wood. Fires at sea are bad. I think they were designed to shoot from sailors or officers aloft, probably in the tops. The long grips give you a better purchase if you have to hold onto the rigging when firing.
There actual use is probably debatable but what is clear is that the strange triggers are designed to be used with heavy gloves. The 1700's version of big heavy motorcycle gauntlets. As for use I did wonder if perhaps these were sounding pistols for use in heavy fog or foul weather or perhaps in polar regions (hence the need for heavy gloves).
You might be over thinking this. Perhaps it was intended as a two handed gun to offset the recoil. Holding it in both hands would certainly help against the muzzle rising when firing the weapon. The long trigger would make it easier to fire it with either of your hands. The centre staple would support this idea.
Looks like these are specialized to shoot from safety and they probably shot multiple small pellets like a shotgun. They cut the barrels so the pellets would spread faster and yes exactly like you said probably did use for repelling boarders.
My guess is they were intended to be used for firing parallel to the ground over a barricade, like a WW1 periscope rifle but without the periscope.
Held sideways with the index finger on the smaller loop of the trigger (so the other way up to usual) and used to fire around a doorway maybe.
I could see this as a boarding pistol where you keep your fingers behind the trigger to protect them and use your little finger to pull the trigger.
Was watching QI the other day and pretty sure I saw Jonathan Ferguson Keeper of Firearms and Artillery being a maxim gun on the site for Stephen Fry to explain that soldiers used to piss into the water jacket.
Ah yes that episode, yeah it's kinda funny coming back to that one now that Jonathan has become more of a public figure on the interwebs.
Yeah, as soon as I saw those, I thought, for shooting over the edge of a shop to prevent boarding
I believe they are for amputees. Someone who fought with a sabre would be likely to lose the top fingers and only have ring/pinky finger left and these would fit with that.
My thought is that they aren't for shooting at people. I think they are designed to be tied off to something and fired via a lanyard. They could be used as some sort of signaling device but another option would be to imbed the barrel into, say, a barrel of gunpowder as some kind of detonator. Must have been a bit of a dead end given these are the only ones known about.
I'm guessing they're made for a bedridden shootist that has gout or arthritis. They can easily be aimed and fired when you're propped up on a pillow. The long triggers allow your whole hand to fire it
If someone is climbing up a ladder (rope or wood) at you, you might not need to really see what you are shooting at as long as you approximately aim parallel to the ladder.
Interestingly, the profile of these would allow you to essentially keep all of yourself protected behind something, while you could still hook the barrel over the edge and shoot. You likely would not hit anything at all, but it just came to mind. It's probably not a notable benefit, though, considering it's possibly a very small difference between pushing a hand out for the moment it takes to shoot, or having a weird wonky gun that can, in theory, do this without having to expose the hand.
those handles remind me of war clubs, perhaps for hand-to-hand fighting when out of ammo/no time to load. I initially figured they may be angled such to shoot over gunnels while hiding. Something privately produced, anyway.
Of course, forgeries can exist wherever people are fascinated by objects, and certainly appear occasionally wherever people are fascinated with objects of value.
I suspect them being walking sticks if they had much longer barrels for barrel extensions originally
first thought was a quick draw duel pistol. it never leaves holster maybe slung inverted in holster for faster firing.
With how the trigger is set so much down, they look like you could fire them from cover. If I didn't knew any better, they could be auxiliary guns for Leonardo's tank.
And if it wasn't clearly marked as naval equipment, I could imagine it to be some sort of dueling pistol, deliberately designed to be hard to aim, when showing up and participating is more important than "winning" the duel.
Brings up a question I have had for a while now: how do you research the more obscure weapons? I guess what I mean by that is where do you get your information/sources on the weapon. (a bit weirdly written but, eh, I am tired)
Except for the little hook at the end of one of the triggers, I would have assumed that these were made for handling with very heavy gloves on.
Are they more ergonomic held upside down?
naval service used in very cold weather in the artic, were a person will have very thick and big gloves.
that was my idea as well, but that still doesn't explain the crazy angle of the grip.