Who would buy one?

Dr.Rob · July 19, 2002, 08:12 PM

Ok I was thinking ( a dangerous endevour to be sure)..

Given that we can't have a centerfire pistol over .50 cal, what would make the best "howdah" style double barrel pistol?

I bet Pedersoli could Make a dandy 45 caliber one from a cut down 45-70 case. Sort of a "2.5 inch .45" Or would you upgun it to a monster linebaugh load? Or can you still make a .577 (since its a black powder cartridge?) that would be historicaly appropriate at least.

Not that I plan on stopping a charging tiger from the back of an elephant, but the Howdah has always been a source of fascination for me.

MeekAndMild · July 19, 2002, 08:20 PM

Hope you don't have osteoporosis. You'd take the term 'limp wristing' to new extremes.

braindead0 · July 19, 2002, 09:53 PM

How about a double-barrel .460 wby mag?

blades67 · July 19, 2002, 09:55 PM

Probably not.

C.R.Sam · July 19, 2002, 11:10 PM

A few would buy.
"Just because"

And at least one gunzine would praise them to the heavans.

Sam

croyance · July 19, 2002, 11:41 PM

We can't have centerfire pistols over .50 cal?

Why would anybody even take the time for such a law?
Isn't there a company that makes a (very large) pistol sized contraption that shoots 12 gauge shells? And I thought there was a reproduction of the old Ithaca 20 gauge "car guns". Admittedly the Ithaca is underpowered for Howdah duties.
Why not a down loaded .50 BMG? Flat-nosed rounds. That would seem to level that monster under the bed. We could sell it with a matching forearm brace and a listing of good orthopedic surgeons.

C.R.Sam · July 20, 2002, 11:54 AM

How bout McMillan's 20mm necked down to .50 cal. Legal without gettin special tax stamp, 18,000 ft lbs energy.

Don't think anybody has tried it in a handgun yet.

Time ?

Sam

Blackhawk · July 20, 2002, 09:01 PM

No, thanks.

AC · July 20, 2002, 09:14 PM

A .50 AE would work but a rimmed case would be better in a break action. As I understand it .510 needs a special license but .500 is OK. So you could take something like a .50-70 case, shorten it a bit and then do a very slight bottle neck to get the bullet diameter to .500 or under.

There is a lot to be said for a revolver for this type of gun. Maybe a .475 Linebaugh makes the most sense. Over the counter components and guns.

Its too bad we have the silly laws or the simplest way to go about this would be a shortened 20 gauge shotgun. Load some real brass cases with slugs, probably downloaded for the wrist. A big hunk of lead at low velocity. I guess you could still have this but you would need to jump through hoops for the BATF. But if you want it badly enough you can own it.

Hal · July 21, 2002, 08:29 AM

Quote:

the best "howdah" style double barrel pistol?

.480 Ruger would get my attention. The .480 Ruger bore looks huge on the Super Red Hawks I've seen. That's a lot of pressure though for a break action to contain.

Kalindras · July 21, 2002, 08:41 AM

The Howdah pistols are a favourite of mine, too! I had a thread, a ways back, about trying to find out if anyone was making anything comparable, today.

While I think what we wound up with there (Hand_Rifle_Guy, have you made that one, yet?) was buying one of Cabela's big Kodiak BP rifles in .75, and cutting it down...not a cartridge, but sure to wake you up!!!

As far as centerfires go...it would be a bona fide sin, but I'd pay a dollar to see an old H&H .600 Nitro cut down into a Howdah!!! It probably wouldn't hit a barn from the inside (WITH the doors closed!) beyond, say, fifty feet--but, then, they wouldn't've been made to, would they? And at the in-your-face-and-full-of-teeth ranges they were MEANT for, I can't imagine a naturally occuring hide that could've stood up. And how many game cats have taken to wearing two-inch plate armour, neh?

A (relatively) cheaper option might be to saw off a 10-gauge until it looks like a .38 special with a case of the mumps, and then shoot slugs out of it. Not for the faint of heart, or the weak of wrist, but if you want a BIG bang, that's where my money'd be.

Kal

jmlv · July 22, 2002, 02:52 PM

do the paperwork and buy a 20 gage auto burgler. shoot slugs out of the thing and you have a good idea of how the howdoh pistols worked. Like the cabelas doeble rifle idea but at $700 a pop without custom work its a bit expensive perhaps more than the fed paperwork & price of autoburgler 20.

Hand_Rifle_Guy · July 25, 2002, 06:31 AM

Nope. Not rich enough YET.

Gotta get two of those twelve guage rifled front-stuffers, as you can never have just ONE Howdah. Tigers can be SO disagreeable.

That'd be be, uh...$1500-ish, plus elbow grease to hacksaw the barrels down to 12"-14", and reshape the stocks into a viable plowhandle grip. Hmmm... I suppose I could sell something.

Then it's 1 1/4-ounce roundballs at about 800-900 fps. That's about 550 grains/ball. I wonder how much half of a twelve bore weighs? Four pounds?

Yup. Definitely a matched pair. Spin those tigers till they turn into butter.

Now, if I was REALLY rich, I'd get me a set of Lancaster O/U pistols in .577 Revolver. They're antiques, and therefore un-regulated. Nominal bullet diameter is .614, weighs in at 350 grains, I think, and it runs on forty grains of black. You have to make cases out of Nitro Express brass cut down to an inch and something, but that's an inconsequential cost if you can afford Lancasters at something like $4000 each.

Kalindras · July 25, 2002, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Nope. Not rich enough YET.

Ahhh, c'mon, H_R_G...you don't NEED two kidneys!!! The only thing they help with is the drinkin'!

And just think how many guns you could afford if you quit drinkin' AND hocked a kidney!!!!

I should get a 5% finder's fee!!! Wait, what are you doing with that derrin-- NOO!!! AAAAIIIGGHHHH!!!! *BLAM* --THUD--

Er...anyway. I just had an ugly vision of firing any of these big-bore doubles offhand, both barrels. Now my whole arm hurts...!!

Kal

July 19, 2002, 08:12 PM	#1
Dr.Rob Staff Alumnus Join Date: July 28, 1999 Location: Denver Posts: 2,457	Who would buy one? Ok I was thinking ( a dangerous endevour to be sure).. Given that we can't have a centerfire pistol over .50 cal, what would make the best "howdah" style double barrel pistol? I bet Pedersoli could Make a dandy 45 caliber one from a cut down 45-70 case. Sort of a "2.5 inch .45" Or would you upgun it to a monster linebaugh load? Or can you still make a .577 (since its a black powder cartridge?) that would be historicaly appropriate at least. Not that I plan on stopping a charging tiger from the back of an elephant, but the Howdah has always been a source of fascination for me. __________________ You broke into the wrong Rec Room!

July 19, 2002, 08:20 PM	#2
MeekAndMild Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2001 Posts: 4,992	Hope you don't have osteoporosis. You'd take the term 'limp wristing' to new extremes. __________________ In a few years when the dust finally clears and people start counting their change there is a pretty good chance that President Obama may become known as The Great Absquatulator. You heard it first here on TFL.

July 19, 2002, 09:53 PM	#3
braindead0 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2002 Location: Canton, Oh Posts: 897	How about a double-barrel .460 wby mag? __________________ DoD# 2223 Meum scapha volitare plenum anguillae

July 19, 2002, 09:55 PM	#4
blades67 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 1999 Location: Chandler, Arizona, USA Posts: 6,016	Probably not. __________________ Guns cause crime like spoons cause Rosie O'Donnell to be fat! I hunt, therefore I am.

July 21, 2002, 08:41 AM	#11
Kalindras Member Join Date: January 17, 2002 Location: Wichita Falls, TX Posts: 70	Dr. Rob... The Howdah pistols are a favourite of mine, too! I had a thread, a ways back, about trying to find out if anyone was making anything comparable, today. While I think what we wound up with there (Hand_Rifle_Guy, have you made that one, yet?) was buying one of Cabela's big Kodiak BP rifles in .75, and cutting it down...not a cartridge, but sure to wake you up!!! As far as centerfires go...it would be a bona fide sin, but I'd pay a dollar to see an old H&H .600 Nitro cut down into a Howdah!!! It probably wouldn't hit a barn from the inside (WITH the doors closed!) beyond, say, fifty feet--but, then, they wouldn't've been made to, would they? And at the in-your-face-and-full-of-teeth ranges they were MEANT for, I can't imagine a naturally occuring hide that could've stood up. And how many game cats have taken to wearing two-inch plate armour, neh? A (relatively) cheaper option might be to saw off a 10-gauge until it looks like a .38 special with a case of the mumps, and then shoot slugs out of it. Not for the faint of heart, or the weak of wrist, but if you want a BIG bang, that's where my money'd be. Kal __________________ If ignorance is bliss, why does stupidity hurt me so?!?

July 19, 2002, 11:10 PM	#5
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,876	A few would buy. "Just because" And at least one gunzine would praise them to the heavans. Sam

July 19, 2002, 11:41 PM	#6
croyance Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2001 Posts: 3,604	We can't have centerfire pistols over .50 cal? Why would anybody even take the time for such a law? Isn't there a company that makes a (very large) pistol sized contraption that shoots 12 gauge shells? And I thought there was a reproduction of the old Ithaca 20 gauge "car guns". Admittedly the Ithaca is underpowered for Howdah duties. Why not a down loaded .50 BMG? Flat-nosed rounds. That would seem to level that monster under the bed. We could sell it with a matching forearm brace and a listing of good orthopedic surgeons.

July 20, 2002, 11:54 AM	#7
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,876	How bout McMillan's 20mm necked down to .50 cal. Legal without gettin special tax stamp, 18,000 ft lbs energy. Don't think anybody has tried it in a handgun yet. Time ? Sam

July 20, 2002, 09:01 PM	#8
Blackhawk Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2001 Posts: 5,053	No, thanks.

July 20, 2002, 09:14 PM	#9
AC Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 1998 Posts: 268	A .50 AE would work but a rimmed case would be better in a break action. As I understand it .510 needs a special license but .500 is OK. So you could take something like a .50-70 case, shorten it a bit and then do a very slight bottle neck to get the bullet diameter to .500 or under. There is a lot to be said for a revolver for this type of gun. Maybe a .475 Linebaugh makes the most sense. Over the counter components and guns. Its too bad we have the silly laws or the simplest way to go about this would be a shortened 20 gauge shotgun. Load some real brass cases with slugs, probably downloaded for the wrist. A big hunk of lead at low velocity. I guess you could still have this but you would need to jump through hoops for the BATF. But if you want it badly enough you can own it.

July 22, 2002, 02:52 PM	#12
jmlv Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2001 Location: PA AMERICA STARTS HERE! Posts: 741	the easiest (and probably cheapest way is to do the paperwork and buy a 20 gage auto burgler. shoot slugs out of the thing and you have a good idea of how the howdoh pistols worked. Like the cabelas doeble rifle idea but at $700 a pop without custom work its a bit expensive perhaps more than the fed paperwork & price of autoburgler 20. __________________ JMLV NEW PA RESIDENT TFL ALUMNUS MOLON LABE!

July 25, 2002, 06:31 AM	#13
Hand_Rifle_Guy Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2001 Location: Palo Alto, People's Republic of Kaliforny Posts: 726	Nope. Not rich enough YET. Gotta get two of those twelve guage rifled front-stuffers, as you can never have just ONE Howdah. Tigers can be SO disagreeable. That'd be be, uh...$1500-ish, plus elbow grease to hacksaw the barrels down to 12"-14", and reshape the stocks into a viable plowhandle grip. Hmmm... I suppose I could sell something. Then it's 1 1/4-ounce roundballs at about 800-900 fps. That's about 550 grains/ball. I wonder how much half of a twelve bore weighs? Four pounds? Yup. Definitely a matched pair. Spin those tigers till they turn into butter. Now, if I was REALLY rich, I'd get me a set of Lancaster O/U pistols in .577 Revolver. They're antiques, and therefore un-regulated. Nominal bullet diameter is .614, weighs in at 350 grains, I think, and it runs on forty grains of black. You have to make cases out of Nitro Express brass cut down to an inch and something, but that's an inconsequential cost if you can afford Lancasters at something like $4000 each. __________________ I find the world disappointing at best. I'm reminded of that every time the phone rings. "The telephone is an infernal device whereby any damnfool with a nickel can ruin your whole day."---Mark Twain H_R_G