Anyone own a Howdah Pistol?

V

Venom1956

New member
Ill be honest. I watched The Ghost and the Darkness and was like how cool would it be to have a double barrel howdah. :D .500 S&W would be cool. or .45-70 maybe? Idk if I am manly enough for that.

Does anyone own/fired one? I gather they are unpleasant but so interesting.
 
Do not own one but have had a chance to fire one, a Petersoli (I think that was the brand) 20 gage black powder front stuffer. Pistol was a real heavyweight and loaded with buck and ball. It was handful but not bad to shoot. Never had a modern cartridge one in my hands so can't help with that one.
 
Thats super super cool. :D Totally jealous. I'm not a huge magnum guy but Those look huge enough to eat up most of the energy. Kinda like the 500. That guns massive so shots aren't that big a deal.
 
I made one once in a side by side 16 bore (66 cal) percussion muzzleloader. It was cool and fun to shoot, but you have to hang on.
 
The Lancaster 4 barrel is the one I want ,probably in 44 mag. But then I'd have to buy an elephant .:D
 
I'm building a 20 ga. double barreled pistol SBS. I gotta remember to do the paperwork so I can finish it. A little more engraving, then plating the action and it can go back together. It will have 20" bbls until the tax stamp comes in, then I'll cut them to 10".
 
Over under or SxS? Could u please post me a picture? It sounds excellent! I looked @ the .45-70 derringer but it looks to small. I just like how massive they are and the styles.
 
Here is the gun I'm modeling it after. Mine will be a double trigger, with engraving.
I'll take pics of the frame/grip later when I'm in the shop.
 

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Pictures.
I'm re engraving the terrible factory engraving on the action.
 

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I first saw a couple of Howdah Pistols at the Royal Armories in Leeds, UK. They were SxS break action pistols chambered in several of the big game cartridges in use at the time. I seem to remember them as rather plain working guns not engraved show pieces. I remember thinking the tiger would have to be climbing the elephant's trunk before I'd fire one of those pistols, the recoil must have been spectacular!

If anyone gets to Leeds go to the Royal Armouries Museum. It is well worth the side trip, plan to spend the day.
 
I'm getting old and the little gray cells aren't what they used to be But. I seem to remember that Lee Juras did up some T/C Contenders as Howdah Pistols. If I remember correctly, the caliber was called a .500 Howdah, based on a a cut down Winchester 450 Magnum case. If I'm remembering correctly.
 
It looks like a few people have used HRs to do this! I'd like 2 shots when fighting tigers though.

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Creek - I don't think the BATF would see the humor in folks making those.


I do own one of the Pedersoli 20X20 Howdahs. The gun is a hoot. I get good accuracy and performance with 40 grains of FFG and a .60 patched round ball. It also patterns great with Ball and #4 buck shot out to about 15 yards.

I guess it has its place as far as a range novelty and a close distances would definitely be an attention getter. As far as being practical? It's too short to be a serious hunting arm, and I would rather have six shots out of my 1858 Remington .44 as the two .60 caliber balls from the Howdah.

I did spend a hundred bucks and had a custom holster made for mine patterned after the one showed. It always starts conversations... Guess it comes down to what you want.
 

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