[Third_Rail]

Hi, just idle curiosity... what's the largest available caliber in a blackpowder pistol currently made or in kit form?

I've seen up to .52 and wonder if that's the maximum for pistols of the single shot variety.

[armoredman]

.577 Trantors are available for a huge price.

[Third_Rail]

Hm. Looks like I'm going to have to go custom on this one....

EDIT: I notice that the Tranter is a revolver... I'm looking for a large bore single shot.

[Third_Rail]

I still haven't found anything, nor do I wish to go custom quite yet. Does anyone else have even a lead?

[41mag]

You need something like this http://www.adrax.com/watsons/howdah.htm

Oh yeah!


edit:Heck I need something like that!!!!:D

[BigG]

The old standard single shot pistol of the US was 69 caliber, IIRC.

[Third_Rail]

That 12 bore actually comes close to what I want... maybe someone makes repros?

[Cap n Ball]

I have two large bore 'horse' pistols. One is a .58 cal flinter and the other is a .54 cal caplock. Both can kick like a mule. Make sure that the grip is of the curved or 'birdshead' style so that the gun's recoil doesn't push directly back onto your wrist and also you will be more accurate and save yourself some pain by shooting with a two handed grip. I'm not a real big guy physically so that's what works for me. I don't think I would like to shoot one of these from horseback with one hand. The horse pistol was designed primarily for shooting the horse out from under the other sabre fairy. Usually it was loaded with buck and ball and not fired until one was within 20 yards. Dragoons carried at least two in thimbles on each side of their saddle. Extra pistols were carried in bags or tucked into a belt. After firing the soldier usually dropped the gun to be retrieved later if they survived.

[Otony]

I've got two .62 smoothbore flintlock pistols, and one .69 miquelet smoothbore.

Not really as exciting as you might think to shoot, unless you gets crazy wid de powder charge:D

[1858remington]

Dixie gun works is offering a beast of a pistol. Its a caplock in, I believe, 72 cal, and can be loaded with a 1oz shot load or roundball. sells around $500

Dixie gun works also offers a 1777 flintlock in 69cal

[BigG]

Interesting fact: We refer to these as so-and-so caliber but back in the day, they were called by gauge - how many round lead balls to the pound. The well-known Colt's Revolving Pistols were 100 gauge (IIRC) in 36 caliber, for example. The catalog would say "firing so many balls to the pound with such and such charge of powder"

The 75 caliber Brown Bess was 11 gauge, while the 69 caliber French/American muskets ran 14? gauge.

Maybe somebody has a chart?

[Otony]

28 gauge = .54
24 gauge = .58
20 gauge = .62
16 gauge = .66
14 gauge = .69
12 gauge = .72
10 gauge = .75
11 gauge =.77
8 gauge = .82

Not 100% positive on the last one, as I am going from memory, but I own everything from 24 thru 12 in various flintlock fowlers.

[unspellable]

There is a replica made of the old British Army pistol that is a flintlock and has a .69 cal or 14 gauge smooth bore. I think it's calle a Tower pistol or something to that effect. The one I had was stainless. Never fired it, sold it as I am more into cap locks.