An Idea Whose Time Never Quite Came

[Lee]

I bought this quad-hammer superimposed load double barrel shotgun in 1995 at a local antiques fair because of the fine damascus work on the barrel. The vendor had bought it before the show opened for half of what he turned it over to me for and said that it came from a local family in which it had been for a few generations. There was an old tag, presently misfiled by me, indicating that it had been purchased at one of those 19th century trade expositions and that it was eventually exchanged by the original purchaser for room and board at the Yates Hotel in Syracuse, NY - once the finest accommodation in the area, now, sadly a parking lot.

[Lee]

I find it a handsome work and am curious about its origin and dating.

Perhaps from the same workshop ?

And one thing leads to another...

Additional images:

[kronckew]

superposed loads were experimented with by a few, the seal between loads sometimes failed and they all went off simultaneously, not a happy occurrence for the shooter.

modern attempts by 'metal storm' have proven more successful but not as far as i know, yet accepted by the military.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKlnMwuCZso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLNuBq0NQJE

[fernando]

A most interesting and fine gun, no doubt.
Congratulations Lee, on finding what appears to be the same type of gun and potentially from the same workshop, such is the design of the parts.
How amazing is what appears to be a needle in a haystack turns out to be so simple as Googling on the thing; or even the right way to Google is also an art.
OTOH, my dilemma about one being 'able' to shoot the back loads before the front ones is no more. A possible system failure is another deal.
Maybe one day you will find the tag that came with it; what surprises will it provide.

[Jim McDougall]

I agree, a beautiful gun, and a most unusual firing arrangement.
It does seem that many firearms from Belgium came into the US during the 1860s onward, and of course New York was one main arrival point. There was the huge influx of 'Zulu' shotguns coming in from Belgium which were apparently converted from surplus French muskets.

It would seem the potential for simultaneous firing of all charges would be horrendously likely, and as noted, with disastrous results to the shooter.
I understand that the well known 'pepperbox' pistols had a certain reputation for having this unfortunate action at times.

I saw in a museum in Cody, Wyoming a revolver which had one of these multiple detonations, and noted its fatal result.

Just the same, a beautiful gun, and interesting 'firearm curiosa'!

[Les-M]

your gun was made in Belgium by dewalle brothers circa 1855

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

...

...

I saw in a museum in Cody, Wyoming a revolver which had one of these multiple detonations, and noted its fatal result.

...

colt style cap & ball revolvers have a gap between the cylinder and the barrel. there is a significant discharge of gas, unburnt powder, burning powder, lead shavings from any misalignment, etc. the next round is perilously close. people usually fill the space above the rammed projectile with grease - when they have time. under sustained firing, they may skip the grease and thus increase the chances of setting off a chain of multiple detonations. pepperbox pistols didn't have the gap, but weren't grease filled either. if they were smart they'd use a greased patch and/or maybe a greased wad over the load. cartridge guns are a lot safer, but you still need to keep well away from the cylinder gap. colt made revolving rifles, but the nearness of the shooter's cheek to that gap made them quite unpopular. (and thus increased their price to modern collectors as fewer were made).

see also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nucg5VAff4c
(under 18's should not click the link as chikken fingers gave their lives in this video.)