is this a .44 cal howda???

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damoc

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Is this a form of howdah pistol .44 cal rifled double barrel made by corsair
in italy.

hdah.JPG


any historical imformation as to what this is a replica of would be apreciated
 
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A "Howdah" pistol is generally thought of as .60 caliber/ 20 gauge or larger. This is just a regular double-barreled pistol.
 
Yeah, I think most people reading this are probably thinking of something like the Pedersoli ones but historically it's kind of a vague term. I'd probably just call it a double barreled pistol but I'm actually getting kind of tired of explaining the whole howdah thing to people at the range, so that's just me.
 
I could go either way on it. It wasn't advertised as a howdah when it was was made/sold.
HOWEVER, I'd be more than happy to have you in the Howdah camp with us Howdah owners.
After all, it's a .44 and I LOVE .44s.
Welcome to the Howdah fold sir/madam.
Nice Corsair/Junior Howdah there. I first saw those for sale in the 1970s, as a boy.
In fact, Ralph Walker's Black Powder Gunsmithing has a section in the back with BP guns that were currently made and the Corsair was listed as being available in .36 and .44 caliber.

We need a Howdah club.
I'd start one, but I'm not here enough to keep track of members.
Plus, I'm too lazy. :)
 
Please note that the "Howdah" pistols according to the reference didn't start to appear in the handgun calibers until breech loading designs came about. Depending on the load that double .44 can take, if it's not up around a Colt Walker load, it's probably too puny to deal with a tiger, even at a few feet..., so it wouldn't be a "Howdah Pistol".

LD
 
We need a Howdah club.
I'd start one, but I'm not here enough to keep track of members.
Plus, I'm too lazy.

I could start a thread with my howdah :) We could do it like the ruger old army clug, just post to be a member.
 
The howdah pistol was a large-calibre handgun, often with two or four barrels, used in India and Africa from the beginning of the nineteenth century, and into the early twentieth century, during the period of British Colonial rule. It was typically intended for defence against tigers, lions, and other dangerous animals that might be encountered in remote areas. Multi-barreled breech loading designs were later favoured over the original muzzle loading designs for Howdah pistols, because they offered faster reloading than was possible with contemporary revolvers,[1] which had to be loaded and unloaded through a gate in the side of the frame.

The term "howdah pistol" comes from the howdah, a large platform mounted on the back of an elephant. Hunters, especially during the period of the British Raj in India, used howdahs as a platform for hunting wild animals and needed large-calibre side-arms for protection from animal attacks.[2] The practice of hunting from the howdah basket on top of an Asian elephant was first made popular by the joint Anglo-Indian, East Indian Company during the 1790s. These earliest howdah pistols were flintlock designs, and it was not until about 60 years later percussion models in single or double barrel congfiguration were seen. By the 1890s and early 1900s cartridge firing and fully rifled howdah pistols were in normal everyday use.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howdah_pistol

http://youtu.be/6mXeuJOfUNM

^^^ this is the reason why the howdah was started.
 
I have one of those that I bought a long ol' time ago, in kit form. The locks were awful, and i never assembled it. I believe "Corsair" was the model name. I still have the parts at Dad's, and sometimes I think I should have a whack at putting it together. That feeling usually passes after I mess with the locks for ten minutes or so.
 
I have one of those that I bought a long ol' time ago, in kit form. The locks were awful, and i never assembled it. I believe "Corsair" was the model name. I still have the parts at Dad's, and sometimes I think I should have a whack at putting it together. That feeling usually passes after I mess with the locks for ten minutes or so.
The trigger pull on this was terrible and I see that other thread on these things mentioned the same problem but it only took a little light filing to get it to where
its comforatable
 
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Extremely fine & rare cased pair of henry tatham howdah pistols (london)

I just bought a splendid and very rare cased pair of rifled howdah pistols by Henry Tatham, 37 Charing Cross, London, circa 1845. Gun and Pistol maker to the Royal family.

They are in their original case with coloured maker's trade label. Barrels retain 95% original bright stripy browning. Bores are bright with strong rifling. Triggerguards display most bright "peacock" bluing. The finely checkered select walnut stocks exhibit a startling 98%+ original varnish. The locks, hammers, and hinged buttcaps are finely engraved and have considerable colour hardening throughout. Stirrup rammers are crisp. Accessories include original key, rod with jags, and box of caps. Silver thumbpieces with owner's initials. 65 calibre barrels are 5 inches to patent breeches and pistols measure 12.75 inches overall.

http://www.jamesedition.com/lifestyle-collectibles/antique-arms-and-armor/extremely-fine-and-rare-cased-pair-of-henry-tatham-howdah-pistols-(london)-687902
 
nordmann

all I can say is beautiful!I have an original but nowhere like yours
 
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