Pepperbox Percussion Pistol:

Peter Piper Proper Person Packed a Percussion Pepper Pot Pocket Pistol in his Purse - Preparing to Piss-off a Politician .. Problem is did the Pepper Pot Pistol Propellant he Personally Packed Put it's Plumbum Pill Projectile into the Proper Place on Paper - Prior to being Prohibited by Police's Te tari Pureke - Puna Kōrero mō te Pū ?

I now have an English marked antique original Pepper-Pot or Percussion Pepperbox Pocket Pistol in decent condition as below: 

                                                        Pepperbox - As trademe Offered

Mark Twaine humorously opined on Pepperbox Pistols - from his book 'Roughing It'  ..

"George Bemis was our fellow-traveler.

We had never seen him before. He wore in his belt an old original "Allen" revolver, such as irreverent people called a "pepper-box." Simply drawing the trigger back cocked and fired the pistol. As the trigger came back, the hammer would begin to rise and the barrel to turn over, and presently down would drop the hammer, and away would speed the ball. To aim along the turning barrel and hit the thing aimed at was a feat which was probably never done with an "Allen" in the world. But George's was a reliable weapon, nevertheless, because, as one of the stage-drivers afterward said, "If she didn't get what she went after, she would fetch something else." And so she did. She went after a deuce of spades nailed against a tree, once, and fetched a mule standing about thirty yards to the left of it. Bemis did not want the mule; but the owner came out with a double-barreled shotgun and persuaded him to buy it, anyhow. It was a cheerful weapon - the "Allen." Sometimes all its six barrels would go off at once, and then there was no safe place in all the region round about, but behind it."

Well, my "PeePee" is in decent (antique) condition - now that I've cleared the bores of obstruction detritus .. but I'm undecided as to should I give the barrel cluster a 30 minute boiling or just keep on drenching it in Wintergreen Oil? - Dunno.

"PeePee"

English V & P Proof Marks between barrels ..

It would be great if I could unscrew the nipples and clean-up their locations - but first I need to make a 'Key' or Wrench to fit those wee slots.

A Repco 5mm Socket voluntered to be adapted - but so far hasn't shifted anything - the nipples are well stuck .. the longer 3/16th socket works for the cones on Ruger Old Army 44s.

Current opinion suggests that if the right size, properly fitting #10 or #11 percussion caps are used with soft balls, sized to leave a leaden ring when inserted onto the powder charges, there should be little risk of a chainfire - while aiming at close combat ranges will yield satisfactory results on target.

Cleaned & Clear

Caliber: 120 Bore aka .338" or .340" 

.. So that would be a 60 grain round ball charged with between 20-50 grains of gunpowder - six barrels. Good enough in times of need.

- I'd suggest this is a similar energy load to a 'TwoTwo' Long Rifle, at around 133 foot pounds (180 joules) energy from each barrel at 1,000 feet per second.

Question: Does anyone have any clues about double-balling loads in blackpowder shooting? This is what I understand as a 'Duplex Load'. Two round balls would weigh similarly to a 'conical' bullet and provided they both are solidly seated on the charge no issues.

In NZ this might be regarded as 'unlawful' ?

- My research suggests this is known throughout history as useful at medium-close ranges. Thompson Centre Arms used to list double ball loads in their paperwork ..

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/double-balling.43584/

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Marty K.