"Turn off" pistol question.

[rusty bubbles]

I noticed these mainly "Travelling", or "Pocket pistols" for sale in a M/L shop
they are so neat, with folding triggers, and sliding safety- made to fit in a pocket or purse- but , being muzzle loaders, where was the essential ramrod ?

Cleverly, the designer/gunsmith made the barrels to "Turn off" or unscrew, making them erstwhile breechloaders

All fine and dandy, but how to load one when the barrel is off, and you are holding a pistol sans barrel- do you pour the powder into the pistol part, and push the bullet into the barrrel or what? I'd be very cautious about screwing a thread with gunpowder in it. Can anyone enlighten?

Thanking thee
Rusty

 

[Chawbaccer]

What I am familiar with is the ball goes into the breech end of the barrel and the powder goes into a chamber in the grip end of the breech, screwing them together set the ball into the barrel a set distance and because the powder was in a chamber of sorts it wasn't crushed but it was right up to the ball.
The advantage of this system is that because the ball can be made to fit so tight the pressures are much higher than conventional loading giving higher velocities.

 

[AntiqueCollector]

Paper cartridges.

 

[rusty bubbles]

Thanks Chawbaccer- I'm wondering if a wad was also put over the powder, to prevent the crushing you mention ?-you're right about the tight fitting balls and higher resulting velocities-making them mare efficient and accurate no doubt- Prince Rupert was a crack shot with a pair he carried in the English Civil war( Flintlocks of course)

Antique collector- paper cartridges would be mighty convenient, but did they have paper cartridges in the 17th and 18th century?

 

[AntiqueCollector]

Yes I believe they did. But is this a 17th/18th century style gun (flintlock) or is it 19th century style (percussion)?

 

[rusty bubbles]

Both- Identical, apart from the locks, and both were pocket pistols-the caplock more compact, and easier to access of course, - Another name for these pistols was Queen Anne pistols. The pair used By Prince Rupert, about 1645 were some of the earliest flintlocks- and he is recorded to have hit a weathercock with one, from on horseback. then, as it spun around, spun it back with the other pistol! -Wild Bill- eat your heart out!

 

[RyanM]

Sounds like a Pedersoli screw barrel derringer. http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_92_187_189&products_id=995