Howdah Pistol
British Gun Trade (various London makers) · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1870
Also known as: Howdah Pistol, Tiger Pistol, Elephant Howdah Pistol
Overview
The Howdah pistol is a large-bore, break-action handgun developed for hunters and officers in 19th-century British India and Africa. Named after the howdah platform mounted on an elephant's back, it served as a last-ditch defense against charging dangerous game such as tigers when a rifle shot failed to stop the animal. Typically a side-by-side double-barrel chambered for full-power black-powder rifle cartridges like the .577/450 Martini-Henry or .577 Snider, it delivered massive close-range stopping power at the cost of brutal recoil.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1700 g (60.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 305 mm (12.01") |
| Barrel Length | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Height | 140 mm (5.51") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 2 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 411 m/s (1348 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2628 J (1938 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 20 m (22 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .577/450 Martini-Henry · primary — also known as .577/450, 450 Martini-Henry
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Manual Break Action Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Side By Side Double Barrel, Break Action Top Lever, Big Bore Close Defense, Rebounding Hammers
Service history
Operators
- British colonial hunters and officers (British Raj)
Production
Production years: 1870-1910
Built in small numbers by many British gunmakers as bespoke pieces; no centralized production figures exist.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Discontinued: 1910
Notes
Early howdah pistols were muzzleloading flintlocks and percussion guns; by the 1870s they had evolved into break-action cartridge weapons. Calibers ranged from .380 up to .577, with .455 Webley and .476 Enfield also common. Four-barrel variants existed. Premier makers included Manton & Co. and Holland & Holland. Specifications shown are representative of a .577/450 break-action example.
Background
When a wounded tiger charged the elephant and clawed its way up toward the howdah, the hunter's bolt-action rifle was useless at arm's length, so he drew the howdah pistol as a final, thunderous insurance policy at a range of mere feet.