Smoothbore that’s a bit different

[Colonial Boy]

I got this .50 (0.509 bore) from a gent who had emigrated from Kenya, this gun had been used by a Mau Mau member who attempted to ambush him; didn’t succeed!!
His wife didn’t like it around the place so he gave it to me, not that she was anti-gun but it revived to many unpleasant memories for her.
It appears to be made out of a car steering column, the section that is hammered flat and seals the breech end seems a long way back from the touch hole but the intervening space is filled with clay and ignition is by a toy cap taped over the touch hole.
The wooden hammer, powered by elastic bands comes up with a good whack, trigger pull is quite light and would be fine on a target rifle..

The previous owner made the firing mechanism and he told me that it’s an exact copy of the original which was taken by Customs as it had what appeared to be active borers in it and Australian quarantine regulations have always been strict

 

[LawrenceA]

Damn!!!!!!

 

[TFoley]

A historical artefact if ever there was one!! What a thing!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Where there is a will, there is a way....

LD

 

[Ricochet]

What the...?!?! I do want to see it being shot, though........through my computer screen, miles and miles away

 

[hanshi]

As a kid a couple of us built something similar, but much cruder (if you can believe that). Not having BP we powered it with a strong firecracker. Ammo was the small, exploding thingies that you just threw to make them pop.

 

[smo]

Reminds me of spoke guns and match heads….

Rare gun! Thanks for posting!

 

[Maven]

As a kid a couple of us built something similar, but much cruder (if you can believe that). Not having BP we powered it with a strong firecracker. Ammo was the small, exploding thingies that you just threw to make them pop.

Hanshi, Those were known to us as Atom Pearls, the commercial name. However, torn off roll caps a BB or two, and aluminum foil worked the same way, i.e., when I was in 7th grade and the teacher's back was turned. Just sayin....

 

[Rudyard]

That is serious' Dane gun ' even cruder that the West African ones generally are .
Rudyard

 

[Treestalker]

No Guts, No Glory!

 

[Bigpete]

Its amazing what can be made through necessity!

 

[Cattywompuss]

Local missionary brought back something similar from the Phillipines or Tanzania. Except it was an air gun they charged with a bike pump. He had to cut it in half to bring it in his check bag, but he reassembled it.

 

[leadhoarder]

I like the twine buttpad.

 

[Whitworth]

Kills in front and cripples behind.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Those were known to us as Atom Pearls, the commercial name. However, torn off roll caps a BB or two, and aluminum foil worked the same way, i.e., when I was in 7th grade and the teacher's back was turned. Just sayin....

They are marketed under a bunch of different names..., I think it's up to the company that imports them from overseas..., here in Maryland they were often called Snap & Pops. The ones below are called Pop Pop Snappers...

LD

 

[Nuthatch]

That is awesome. Reminds me of what I heard a long time ago about trying to take toy guns away from kids -- take it away and they'll just turn something else into a gun. Take that away and they'll use their fingers.

Now take them away from adults...