Alofs: A Steampunk Mousetrap for a Shotgun

[herb]

Very interesting contraption to convert a single shot shotgun to multi-shot.





Nice feat of engineering for the 1920's.

Will the license in India be still valid if one fits something like this to your single shot shotgun?

[Vikram]

I remember having seen this a while ago. Ian does a brilliant job of explaining this very ingenious mechanism.

I really doubt our licensing authorities would allow it. Though this is technically not a semi-automatic in the conventional sense.

[timmy]

How cool! It looks like a lot of fun to blast at cans on the range, or maybe even trap?

I have to wonder why someone hasn't come out with a 8 or 10 round "tactical" version!

Can you imagine mis-loading something like that and launching the unfired rounds into space?!

[eljefe]

This is my favourite. Martini’s rule, aye!

[herb]

This is my favourite. Martini’s rule, aye!

Very interesting to see the various developments in the evolution of the complex firearms that we see today.

[timmy]

It is interesting to see a "steampunk" jugaad like this attached to an old single shot shotgun, and even more interesting to see it work, more or less. However, were something like this attached to a classic Holland & Holland double or Parker double, that would be a different matter. Calling such things a matter of bad taste would be an understatement!

So, I must offer my opinion about such contraptions being attached to a Martini Henry: It's understood that, during the development of repeating weapons, such examples were contrived to test concepts and principles, and also, like the Snider and Trapdoor and Rolling Block sought to save money by converting muskets to cartridge use, to save money and enhance the military's cost-effectiveness.

But -- and this is a big but! -- a Martini Henry, to me, is the finest of the old single shot cartridge designs. It is simpler to operate than the vaunted Rolling Block, stronger than conversions like the Trapdoor and Snider, and has a much more effective ignition system than a big swinging side hammer. Those who wish to relive the American buffalo hunting days love the old Sharps (as I do, though I've never owned one), but that design is more appropriate to a paper cartridge weapon -- a fleeting thing in the development of firearms.

So to restate, seeing a jugaad like this on some old single shot break shotgun is one thing, but seeing an abomination on the wonderfully clean lines of a Martini henry is really, from an aesthetic standpoint, an abomination!

Having prattled on about this, I confess I did begin to wonder about having a double with mirror images of this device on each side, giving 10 shots. All I can say in my defense in this regard is that we are all tempted at times with evil thoughts. Still, it would have been fun watching Ian shoot such a repeating blunderbus!