Harmonica gun

[Colt Fanning]

Hi,
I recently finished a Harmonica Gun project started by Trailrider about 35 years ago.  He laid out the project along the lines of an example by Jonathan Browning, milled the receiver,magazine, and mounted the barrel.  I built the lock and stock.  As you can see,
the accuracy is not great but it is a hoot to shoot.  I use a 220 grain 45 LC bullet with 34 grains of ffg powder
Regards
Colt.

[Tascosa Joe]

As usual you come up with some realy cool off the wall stuff to shoot.  Way to go.
T-Joe

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I  volunteer as a docent with the Sacramento Museum .... I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about the history of firearms, but I had never heard or read of such a firearm until I saw one in a museum case ... the stock on this one dropped down like an old East Coast flintlock, so I am guessing the time period of this to be around that period.

If I am ever allowed access to it, I will get pictures and caliber of the weapon ... and maker, year of manufacture, etc.

BTW, it shoots five rounds at each loading, and I am guessing it to be a .36 Cal.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi again,

I found these pics of harmonica guns online ....

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/564193113IzsjJo

Enjoy!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

What an interesting gun!

[Dirty Brass]

There was a thread on these posted awhile back, and I did a little research on them. Very interesting rifles. I was pretty impressed with the whole concept. Nice going on a finished project!

[Caleb Hobbs]

I would be interested in knowing how these operated. How were the chambers advanced. Thanks.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I can't speak for all of them, but in the one in the museum, there is a detente trigger in front of the trigger guard .... one fires, pulls the detente 'trigger', and manually slides the 'harmonica' untild the detente 'trigger' clicks into the next hole in the 'harmonica/magazine', signalling that the gun  is ready to fire again ... load a cap if percussion and fire ....


Have I got that right?  I have never fired one, only had it explained to me ....

[Colt Fanning]

Hi,
The detente locking was used on some guns including the Sam Houston gun but was not very satisfactory.  The
Browning guns have a shallow recess in the front of each chamber that fits over the end of the barrel and
centers the chamber and barrel.  A cam operated by the lever forces the magazine forward over the barrel
and holds it there.  The lever can be seen in the picture behind the magazine. So the firing sequence is:
1. Pull hammer to 1/2 cock to remove it from the primer well.
2.Push cam lever up so the magazine can slide back off the barrel
3. Slide magazine back with right hand and advance to next chamber and push forward over the barrel.
4. Push cam lever down to lock the magazine to the barrel.
5. Cock hammer and fire.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Thanks!

The piece that the museum owns is naturally behind glass and untouchable ... if they ever take it out to dust it, I am hoping to at least hold it ....

So all I know is what has been told to me by other docents ...

[WaddWatsonEllis]

So correct me if i am wrong ... just trying to understand ...

But it seem like, in theory, one could have four or five magazines on his person, and have someone reloading them, and keep a very creditable fireing rate up ....

So does anyone know if any of these guns came with interchangeable magazines ?

[GunClick Rick]

Just glad they are not made to shoot a harmonica player,an accorfdian gun,?Yea i can see a use for that.

Cool gun though..

[GunClick Rick]

Didn't Lee Van Cleef use on in Viva Sapata?

[Trailrider]

So correct me if i am wrong ... just trying to understand ...

But it seem like, in theory, one could have four or five magazines on his person, and have someone reloading them, and keep a very creditable fireing rate up ....

So does anyone know if any of these guns came with interchangeable magazines ?

That was apparently the intent of Jonathan Browning.  I started on a second "magazine," but ran out of access to the milling machine at the university I was attending at the time.     Colt Fanning has done an excellent job finishing this rifle.  As to the lack of accuracy, I may not have done such a good job on the one finished magazine, or the barrel (a Numrich muzzleloading barrel, IIRC) may not be the best.  Still, if I was facing a bunch of hostile individuals or maybe a grizzly b'ar, I think the accuracy would be good enough to help me keep my topknot!  Again, congratulations to Colt Fanning on a fine job!  (Wish I lived close enough to get to shoot it.)