Lancaster Oval Bore
Four-Shot Handgun
The Lancaster Oval Bore attempted to solve the repeat-fire issue of a pistol by utilizing four barrels in its design.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited:
8/9/2016
Charles Lancaster, a barrel-maker based in London, U.K., was responsible for the handgun that went on to bear his name - the "Lancaster Oval Bore". The weapon was one of the many unique attempts of the 1800s at a repeat-fire handgun. To accomplish the action, four individual barrels were set in a 2x2 arrangement, fixed in place and each managed by an individual firing pin at the rear. a striker mechanism was used to actuate the weapon and this assembly rotated behind each barrel in succession. with each trigger pull. The operator had access to the barrels by way of a hinge which allowed a "break-action" type approach for loading/reloading. All other design facets of the gun were consistent with pistol design of the late-1800s - integral pistol grip, under-slung trigger unit, etc...
The weapon was chambered to fire the .455 Webley round and held a four-shot capacity. The trigger used a Double-Action (DA) mechanic. The pistol exhibited an overall length of 9.75 inches with the barrels measuring six inches long (each). Unloaded weight was 1.25 kilograms.
United Kingdom