Robert Hillberg's Winchester Liberator shotgun

[cluttonfred]

This came up in an earlier thread, but I think it's just too cool not to start a new one. This is Robert Hillberg's design for an ultrasimple insurgency (or counter-insurgency) weapon, initially a top-break four-barrelled shotgun not unlike a scaled-up version of the old Sharp's four-barrelled pepperbox.

Hillberg's patent and drawings at Google Patents
"Hillberg Insurgency Weapons" at Guntech.com

I especially like the simplicity of the original design, and I think it would adapt well to modern materials (stainless barrels, latch and mechanism, all the rest in polymer) with lower cost and lower weight. The original four-barrel magnesium, steel and wood Winchester Liberator prototype in 16 gauge came in at 7.6 lbs. The eight-barrel aluminum, steel and wood Colt Defender in 20 gauge weighed only a pound more.

I can definitely see an 18" barrel one with a fixed stock for general purpose use or a short-barrelled dual-pistol grip model for serious close quarters work. A folding-stock .410 gauge model could come in around 5 lbs for a great home defense gun for the elderly, the recoil shy, or anyone looking for something simple, handy and light.

Thoughts, anyone?

 

[SDC]

Hillberg's next design, the Colt Defender, looked even more freaky (but would still be an interesting shotgun to recreate today); the Defender was designed as sort of an all-purpose anti-riot gun, and had 8 barrels surrounding a central tank for aerosol tear-gas (the trigger on a forward grip fired the tear-gas, while the rear trigger cycled the hammer through the barrel cage, the same way the Liberator did). There's no reason someone couldn't do the same thing today, only with a selectable hammer position for an inner and outer cage 20 gauge or .410 on the outside, with an inner cage of 22 LR, or a single central barrel for 12 gauge (possible liability issue, with a 12/20 mix-up) or a centrefire rifle chambering.

 

[cluttonfred]

Thanks, the Colt Defender is also featured in the article link I provided in the initial post.

That dual purpose version of the Colt Defender does make me a bit nervous, though, as I would be afraid of pulling the wrong trigger under stress. Better to separate lethal from less-lethal in entirely different weapons, IMHO. I do think the move from four to eight barrels in the Colt version tends to defeat the purpose a bit as the increased size, weight and cost starts to erode any advantage over a pump.

On a related note, I would like to see someone come out with an inexpensive combination rifle-shotgun like a refined Springfield M6 Scout or a cheaper Savage Model 24. For a truck gun, camp gun, boat gun, etc. it's great to have a whole range of choices from (.22LR to 12 gauge depending on the model) in one handy weapon.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Thanks for the info here. I see little need for the Liberator in any variation, but it's a fun thing.