Double barreled .44 Cal. percussion pistol.

Skinny 1950

Skinny 1950

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Just got this in the mail yesterday and took it to the range today.
Overall length is about 14 inches, the barrels are 8 inches and it takes a .440 ball with a .010 patch. The triggers are very sensitive and the first time I shot the gun with both barrels loaded both barrels went off at the same time..the recoil caused the second hammer to drop. The way around this problem is to load both barrels and lower the hammer on the left nipple.
There is no half #### position for the hammers which would have been good to have but overall this is a fun gun to shoot.
The barrels are rifled and at 10 yards I was getting decent groups even without a rear sight.


 
Sensitive triggers with no half #### suggests defective locks.
Looks familiar. Trying to remember the maker.
 
I'd feel similarly to Tiriaq - maybe a previous owner tried to fix a damaged lock? Looks great, and frankly careful work should get the triggers working right pretty quickly.
 
That looks like one of those pistols that came in from Brazil in the late sixties.

Listen to tiriaq. If you drop that pistol while it's cocked, there is a very good chance you will get an unexpected discharge in an uncontrolled direction. Send it to him or take it to a gunsmith that understands the workings of those locks. They aren't exactly rocket science but they are tricky to work on.

South Americans had a real love affair with those double barreled pistols and even carried them over into hinge action double barreled cartridge loaders.

The pieces I ran across in Brazil and Argentina, were usually smooth bored if they were muzzle loaders and rifled if they were cartridge loaded.

If you're finding the recoil really stout, you are over loading the pistol. That will eventually lead to broken parts and parts are no longer available for them, unless you're willing to hand make or pay a high price to have the parts hand made.

I saw lots of those for sale in Brazil. Every second hand shop I went into had several of them on hand. Everything from flintlock and percussion pieces to more modern pieces chambered in 45 and 38 caliber. That was back in the mid seventies. Whether they are still popular or not I can't tell you.
 
I got the gun from Joe Salter Canadian Sales AKA Down East Trading, the Italian proof marks and date code indicate it was made in 1968 and imported by Intercontinental Arms Inc.
I have a back-log of things that need a gunsmiths attention but the safety concerns that were mentioned will put this one on the front burner.
The recoil using 24 grains of Goex FFFG and a .440 ball is quite stout and I noticed that the blowback from the nipple was sufficient to recock the hammer, I think the nipples are drilled straight through because I noticed when loading it that black powder was coming out of the nipple ie: the hole is bigger than the grain size. A couple of new nipples may be in order.
 
I'm a long way from my library, but somehow the name "Corsair" came to mind. A peek in an old Gun Digest would tell the tale.

I find it singularly odd that there would be no half-#### position. It's possible that the notches are there on the tumblers, but something is blocking the sear travel. I'll agree that having the locks checked is a priority.

Besides all that, the pistol has a lot of character, and would be a hoot to shoot once tuned.
 
I am going to open it up and see what is going on inside,there is only one screw that appears to hold the two locks together also two pins that align them. I have worked on revolvers so this thing should be fairly simple.
Range report after repairs...with photos.
 
@ LYMAN54:

Oh, come now, friend!

ALL newspaper editors aren't that bad.

Just most of us!

Nice Toy! Hope Janice doesn't see this; she'll want one for sure.
 
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