Duckfoot Pistol

[Pigman]

I recently aquired a Duckfoot pistol.

Now I am wondering how they were carried?

Anyone have any documentation?

Thanks,
Mark C. Foster

 

[omarick1948]

Mark,
I really don't think they were generally carried or maybe they were just stuck in a belt sash.

Rumor has it, that they were used by some ship Captains for mutinous situations or visually impared card cheats!(Sorry, just added the later) :rotf: ....Don't know that much about them, but someone here will!

Rick

 

[fluggies4]

I found in a general reference book that they were sometimes carried by bank guards, prison wardens, and sea captains. The theory being that a volley could inflict damage on several assailants. Although threatening in appearance, I wonder what these pistols would actually do? Would be interesting to set up a series of tests with one of these to find out.

 

[fluggies4]

I found another reference to where remnants of one were found during an archaeological excavation of a slave ship.
Now, as to how they might have been carried, out of the half dozen or so originals that I found illustrations of, one of them had a belt hook on the left side. The others had none. So the belt hook would have been one way.

 

[paulvallandigham]

When I built my duckfoot kit gun, I took it to the club range, and tried it out. 15 grains of FFg in three barrels was a handful to hang onto when the gun fired. It HURT! I have big hands, and these guns don't have large grips. I backed the loads off to 10 grains of FFFg ( .31 caliber ball). We tried shooting it a 3 yards, and 5 yards, and at 5 yards,( 15 feet), the hits were spread far enough apart that if I went back further I might miss two men standing shoulder to shoulder with the center guy I was pointing the center barrel at.

These were designed to defend ship's captains, in the narrow confines of the stairs, and hallways on board ships. Because the angle of the barrels is fixed, and the caliber is so small, there is no point in loading the barrels with shot. Its a shoot and drop, and grab another pistol to fire again kind of thing. At the short range these guns are designed to be used, they can hurt an enemy very well, and disable him enough to step forward and kill him with a sword thrust, before his accomplices behind him can get past his falling body to reach you with their swords. Oh, the smoke that three barrels produce is also something to consider when fighting in a closed area. I don't know how any one could see anything through that cloud of smoke for at least 10 seconds, and thats a long time to hold up an attack. I can't imagine the panic that would set in when seeing the flash of not one, but three barrels all at one time coming towards you.

 

[Rikeman]

Check out this site. http://website.lineone.net/~da.cushman/ducksfoot.html

I agree with everything you said and emagine that expanded to eight barrels. The bottom gun on the link is wicked looking. Almost as dangerous for the guy holding the thing! :shocked2:

 

[Allan Gray]

I have a similar story to Paul's

My Dad got me a duckfoot kit when I was about 15. I don't know if it was because it was a simple thing to put together or if...well, my Dad was just plain nuts!

I fired it once, packed full of "Copperhead" bbs, point blank at a sheet of plywood.
That wasn't spectacular enough for me so I loaded the thing with patched round balls for round 2.

The thing nearly slapped me in the forehead, and yes, it hurt.
That was the last time the duckfoot saw powder.

Today it still hangs on my wall, barrels turned sideways, so when visitors see it they say "what the #%$@ is that?!!" :shocked2:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Try 10 grains in each barrel, and a patched round ball. Together, that means 30 grains of powder, and about 120 grains of lead. It was tolerable to shoot, but still didn't impress me with any accuracy. Its a Point and Shoot kind of pistol, and its not provided with any kind of sights for that reason. :thumbsup: