Done took the Howdah out and shot it. This is a fine example of a heavy duty, well built pistol from the factory of Davide Pedersoli, even in kit form. I know the guy who gave it to me had over $800 invested in it. It is made in three different (Actually 4 if you count the 58 caliber that has been unavailable for as long as anyone selling these can remember) configurations, Twin rifled 50 cal, twin smooth 20 gauge, and a 20g/50cal combo. This one is the twin 50. I have heard many stories of how hard these beasts are to shoot, monster recoil and all. Hmmm, it's more like Hanshi's bear stories, not all that unimpeachable. At rest it looks formidable.
(https://i.postimg.cc/YGzd5khw/IMG-1870.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/YGzd5khw)
And it looks like a beast when aiming.
(https://i.postimg.cc/8FWKbLGc/IMG-1872.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8FWKbLGc)
Started with 25 grains in each barrel with a PRB. At 25 yards hit low on the target and felt like I was hooting a pellet gun.
Bumped up to 50 grains and now we're talking. Still less recoil than my 44 cal 1851. I guess all that weight is good for something. Still low on the target.
Went up to 6 grains. Surprisingly, still easy to shoot. Accuracy, not so much. At least hit the middle of the target.
(https://i.postimg.cc/CBgvrdMN/IMG-1875.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CBgvrdMN)
I believe the patches I was using were a little thin and that affected the accuracy and bullet drop. Gonna have to take it out again for a more dedicated Howdah day and fire it more, using the R.E.A.L. bullets a buddy made for me.
Overall, not near as vicious as advertised, but so heavy and cumbersome I couldn't picture most folks carrying this on a hunting trip. So for me it will be a novelty gun to wow people at the range.
I have fired the smoothbore version with shot. Because it is rather heavy there was no real recoil, but it is 20 guage with short barrels compared to a real shotgun and it is cylinder bore so I think I got a pellet or 2 of #7 1/2 shot on the 12 inch steel plate at 10 or 15 yards BUT its purpose was to be able to kill an attacking tiger at 10 feet, not geese at 70 yards so a heavy load of large shot spreading quickly was a good thing.
I agree with the novelty pistol characterization.
Quote from: flintboomer on February 23, 2020, 04:03:27 AM
BUT its purpose was to be able to kill an attacking tiger at 10 feet, not geese at 70 yards so a heavy load of large shot spreading quickly was a good thing.
I doooon't think I'd want to try it on anything that bites, at least not at 10 feet!
Quote from: Hanshi on March 23, 2020, 08:27:26 PM
Quote from: flintboomer on February 23, 2020, 04:03:27 AM
BUT its purpose was to be able to kill an attacking tiger at 10 feet, not geese at 70 yards so a heavy load of large shot spreading quickly was a good thing.
I doooon't think I'd want to try it on anything that bites, at least not at 10 feet!
Both barrels into said beast, then use the pistol as a club - that along with the fancy moves an 8th don Grand Master should be able to put on it ... Well.... that should put any critter on earth to the ground... pnic pnic pnic
I don't even like to shoot DEER at 10 feet though I've killed them closer than that. But we're talking about critters that are masters of "CLAW FU"!
With two barrels loaded and ready, a good name for the pistol would the "Howdy" pistol.