Turret gun
A turret gun is a type of multi-shot hand-held firearm. It is a variation on the percussion revolver, designed with chambers in a drum mounted so it would rotate horizontally (around a vertically mounted pivot), rather than around a horizontal axis, in an attempt to circumvent the patent of Samuel Colt. Chambers opened in all directions, and the weapon was prone to row ignition[citation needed], all chambers firing in sequence, resulting in fatal accidents[citation needed] because one chamber always faces the shooter.
Several designs were attempted, including an 1837 Cochran and an 1851 Porter.
A number of turret rifles were also attempted. None of these weapons were successful, due to the row-firing hazard. As a result, they are very rare and much sought-after.
Sources
[edit]- Jeff Kinard, Pistols, 2004, ISBN 1-85109-470-9 (page 64) (Google Books)
External links
[edit]- [1] - This link is now defunct and is replaced by an archive link.
- The Turret Pistol with firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson on YouTube
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