Duck's Foot Pistol
British Gun Trade (various London makers) · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1790
Also known as: Duck Foot Pistol, Volley Pistol, Mob Pistol
Overview
The Duck's Foot pistol is a late-18th to mid-19th century flintlock volley pistol named for its splayed cluster of three to four barrels, which fan out like the webbed foot of a duck. A single flintlock lock fires all barrels simultaneously through a shared powder channel, scattering balls across a roughly 60-degree arc. Favored by ship's officers, prison guards and bank messengers, it was designed to face down a mob or mutinous crew at close range with one pull of the trigger.
Specifications
| Overall Length | 222 mm (8.74") |
| Barrel Length | 64 mm (2.52") |
| Action Type | Muzzleloader |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 4 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 200 m/s (656 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 110 J (81 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 10 m (11 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .36 Caliber Round Ball (Flintlock) · primary — also known as .36 cal, 9.1mm round ball
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Muzzle Loading
- Features: Splayed Multi Barrel Volley, Single Lock Fires All Barrels, Flintlock Ignition, Fan Shaped Barrel Array, Muzzle Loading
Service history
Operators
- Royal Navy
Production
Production years: 1790-1860
Originally a British naval flintlock (c.1790-1840); copied as a percussion weapon by the American Navy through about 1860. No reliable production totals exist.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Discontinued: 1860
Notes
Specifications varied widely between makers; calibers ranged from .36 to .50 and barrel counts from three to five. London makers such as Bunney, Goodwin and John Joyner produced documented examples. Reloading required muzzle-loading each barrel individually, making it strictly a one-volley weapon in a fight.
Background
Ship captains carried duck's foot pistols precisely because they were outnumbered: facing a mutinous crew, a single trigger pull would spray lead across the whole group at once, evening the odds in a way no single-barrel pistol could.