Ethan Allen dbl barrel pistol

[dualsport]

Work's been slloooww, BUT, that means I have more time to play, right? Really digging into the back of the gunbox, found an old friend I haven't shot in at least 20 yrs. It's an Ethan Allen by Hoppe's, double barrel .36 smoothbore, 4 1/4 th inch barrel, double hammers percussion with a single trigger. Back in the 80's they sold kits for these and a couple other models. Mine's Plum Brown, one of the first kit guns I built. I also ran across an old Italian brass mold, makes a round ball and a bullet at .36. This thing would be fun with a buck and ball load! It's too big to call it a deringer, but I don't know what else to call it. Anybody remember these?

[waksupi]

I believe those were marketed as the "Snake Eyes".

[Mk42gunner]

I remember shooting one when I was 12 or 13; you could fire it at the fifty yard berm, and hear it hit the cardboard.

Not very powerful, but it sure was fun though.


Robert

[dualsport]

That's right, they did call them that. The smooth bores make them versatile and fun, like little mini .410s. I think I remember TC making a smoothbore .69, could be a fun gun. One of these days I'd like to get a flintlock smoothbore like those old Indian trade guns. I think at close range they would be effective enough. I also want a Lyman .54 pistol, if anybody is in the mood for some trading.

[missionary5155]

Good evening
Actually the good smoothbore rifle barrels are just as accurate as a rifled barrel out to 50 yards generally and some with the right patching can accuratly fire a RB well past 70 yards. My 58 smoothy will do 40 yards nicely. I know the barrel (British about 1820) has a few irregularities (wide-narrow spaces) that messes with proper ball tention and that begins to show up farther out. Good straight barrels of constant diameter are the key. That is why the good custom smooth barrels cost more. They shoot GOOD !!!

[peter nap]

I believe those were marketed as the "Snake Eyes".

Geeze, I've got pne somewhere. I pot it together back in the mid 70's. It was a lot of fun to shoot.

[dualsport]

OK Pete! Dig that baby out and you and me will have an internet Match! 15 ft. with round balls? Does anyone remember the TC smoothbore I'm thinking of? Was it .69? I have a 12 ga. New Englander from way back that lobs punkin balls pretty good. Anybody up for a smoothbore match? All you gotta do to enter is report your results here, you pick the distance, but 25 yds. is where I'm going. Give me a few weeks. Offhand of course.