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Infantry Small Arms / The Warfighter

Stocking Model 1850 (Pepperbox)


Six-Shot Compact Pistol [ 1850 ]



The Stocking Pepperbox utilized a pack of six barrels rotated to meet the percussion cap action.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 01/23/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]
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The "pepperbox" gun was developed as a way to provide a repeat-fire function in a compact form. The gun also came to be known under the names of "pepper-pot" and "pepperbox", all related to the distinct shape of a kitchen pepper grinder dating back to the age of matchlock firearms. Pepperbox guns achieved a certainly level of fame during the period preceding the American Civil War (1861-1865) when their rise was noted as early as 1830. Such guns were essentially offshoots of traditional revolvers though, instead of a rotating cylinder containing the shot chambers, the barrels themselves were rotated to meet the action. Because of their popularity and ease of use/manufacture, many firearms producers all over the world took to designing and selling their own style of Pepperbox. Their design was no doubt helped by the arrival of the Industrial Age and the development of the percussion cap system of operation.

Stocking & Company was an American firm based in Worcester, Massachusetts and they, too, delved into the Pepperbox industry. A single-action form was made in which six barrels were rotated along a central point, each barrel aligning to meet the action. A trigger pull actuated the barrel's rotation through mechanical means while also enacting a spring-loaded hammer set over the mass of the pistol. Percussion caps were used at the end of each barrel assembly, these sat upon individual nipples, with the hammer falling on these caps in succession as the trigger was repeatedly pulled. The barrels were machined out of a single piece of metal for the required tolerances and the trigger unit sat under the body of the gun in a traditional fashion, protected some by a thin oblong ring. The handle was a curved section finely contoured with the weapon's profile and covered in wooden grips. An offered caliber was 32 and the barrels measured 4 inches long.

Pepperboxes like that offered by Stocking were intended from the outset to serve the civilian market as a self-defense measure. However, their usefulness went beyond this and many types were purchased by officers of military forces when possible - most often through private dealings as these weapons were not standard-issue guns. Pepperboxes continued in popularity through to the end of the 19th Century by which point the revolver was firmly entrenched as a trusty sidearm and the semi-automatic pistol was beginning to take form.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
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Specifications



Service Year
1850

Origin
United States national flag graphic
United States

Classification


Six-Shot Compact Pistol


National flag of France National flag of Russia National flag of the United Kingdom National flag of the United States France; Russia; United Kingdom; United States
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Pistol / Sidearm
Compact design for close-quarters work or general self-defense.


Overall Length
200 mm
7.87 in
Barrel Length
101 mm
3.98 in
Sights


None.


Action


Revolving Barrel Assembly; Spring-Loaded Hammer

(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)


Caliber(s)*


.32 Ball

Sample Visuals**


Graphical image of a Musket Ball bullet
Rounds / Feed


Six-Round Rotating Barrel
Cartridge relative size chart
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources.
**Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Stocking Pepper Box - Base Series Name


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