Diabolo: intended use? For discussion

I'm thinking home defense for those who don't want any victim testimonies at the trial. It's been said by many a gun scribe that the best home defense gun is a 12 gauge shotgun. This would do away with the worries of too long of a barrel and stock, much like a Howdah gun. And you wouldn't need to be accurate if it was loaded with goose loads.

A novelty more than anything else.

It wouldn't be a "dodge" about owning modern firearms, because even though federal law doesn't regulate the sale, I am pretty sure most if not all states consider black powder firearms AS firearms for possession and use. Guessing, since I am not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV, but I know my home state of Arizona does consider them as such. As Hawg says, novelty item unless you are actually riding on the back of an elephant in tiger country and local laws won't let you mount a minigun. I suppose it would be a very effective if not extremely oversized snake gun, maybe in a horse pistol scabbard.

I think it’s a way to own a short barrel shotgun without the paperwork, six month wait, and tax stamp.

armoredman said:

It wouldn't be a "dodge" about owning modern firearms, because even though federal law doesn't regulate the sale, I am pretty sure most if not all states consider black powder firearms AS firearms for possession and use. Guessing, since I am not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV, but I know my home state of Arizona does consider them as such. As Hawg says, novelty item unless you are actually riding on the back of an elephant in tiger country and local laws won't let you mount a minigun. I suppose it would be a very effective if not extremely oversized snake gun, maybe in a horse pistol scabbard.

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Some states allow convicted felons to hunt with bp firearms. I'm not sure about ownership. MS is not one of them.

For those who want to walk the walk and keep an absurdly historical rig in their vehicle, a sawed off double barrel percussion 12 was ubiquitous in the 1800’s. It might have even been more common than revolvers among civilians, since they could be had so cheap and were indisputably effective. The ballistic potential of a close range 12 is best described as morbid. It would be more than adequate for any close range use, though a jury would need convincing it was a proportionate choice for EDC or car use, especially after turning the bad guy inside out and peppering the whole neighborhood with stray pellets.

Great for snakes

Didn't think anyone thought about shooting it, let alone buying....gimmick gun...I'll stick with my old stuff...

Grouse or wabbit gun?

The 11 inch barreled Desperado might be more "practical", if that term can even be applied here.

Here's the link to their products:

https://americanguncraft.com/products/

I'm sure they would be fun to own and shoot. Everything doesn't need a tactical or defense purpose. Shooting can be just for the fun.

I think the intended use is to make the seller money.
They saw a niche and tried to fill it.
There have been folks interested in the idea and at least a few apparently who even tried to purchase one from AGC with varying success.
In my opinion (not worth much) the company is a little sketchy.
I've heard of folks claiming to have trouble getting what they ordered.
There have been some rave reviews on some forums that seemed overly positive and odd like a bad commercial (didn't pass my smell test)
The "wood" grips are plastic. I have a hard time taking them seriously when they use smooth wood colored plastic instead of actual wood.
Their website looks like it's set up to sell T-shirts more than it is to sell pistols. I bet they sell more T-Shirts.
The address they list on their website is the UPS store. Most "real" companies soliciting manufacturing work especially usually list an actual address and are proud to show images of their facility instead of hiding behind the UPS store.
Could mean that AGC doesn't actually make anything and just resells stuff from China or anywhere else.

I might be willing to try one if they were maybe half the price. I can get a nice C&B revolver for less than those things sell for, or spend a little more and buy a Howdah.

Can’t speak to the manufacturers intended use of the piece but I’ll answer , who needs a reason to buy one ? Like many here I own far more firearms in far more configurations then I have need or have a use for. I’d certainly buy one for giggles but disposable dollars for new firearm purchases are not unlimited and there are others with more appeal.
If I lived somewhere a walk about in a desert or open space was available that type of gun would be a hoot to just carry and pop of offending cacti or rocks or what ever.

Foot note. Just saw on their web site. A nifty low slung holster is coming soon. In a open carry state that would get some attention.

I guess if one was Mr. Money Bags, it would be a novelty or fun-gun kind of thing. Could have everyone shoot it at the BBQ. That's the best reason I can come up with Whug.

From a practical standpoint, I might say again that you could put one of the smaller ones in your pack, and shoot grouse with it at ten yards. (I don't imagine they are choked) But if you consider the price, one could carry a much lighter .22 pistol with greater small game getting effect, and carry 100 rounds of ammo at the same weight of a very small number of shotgun shells. Even if you had to add a couple of hundred bucks to get a really nice .22 pistol, you would be way ahead of the game in every other aspect. !!!

Now for a crack-head street thug, it may be the ideal armed robbery gun, but what crack head is going to pay $500+ bucks for a gun, when he can spend that on crack, and steal a gun?

BAH!!! Looks like a no good troublemaker special designed for one thing and one thing only, MURDER and to skirt past the NFA laws for short barreled shotguns! (shudders)

Just kidding. Looks like fun to me and it’s just neat. No other reason or need needed.

Speaking of that, are those rifled, or...what? I thought smooth bore pistols were VERBOTTEN!

Oh duh. They be ML's.

Now a single barrel 20guage, that might make more sense.

Ugly Sauce said:

Speaking of that, are those rifled, or...what? I thought smooth bore pistols were VERBOTTEN!

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Das ist de BIEREN VERBOTTENENENEN

Würst und mit schnitzel ist gutten!

Muzzleloading pistols can legally be smoothbore.

Diabolo intended use?
I see it as a curiosity piece, like a 4.5 mm Lilliput pistol, not as a practical weapon.

Ugly Sauce said:

Now for a crack-head street thug, it may be the ideal armed robbery gun, but what crack head is going to pay $500+ bucks for a gun, when he can spend that on crack, and steal a gun?

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Besides, these would be very impractical to hold sideways while pointed at your rival gang members...

Captain*kirk said:

Besides, these would be very impractical to hold sideways while pointed at your rival gang members...

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I disagree. Hold it sideways, it becomes an O/U.