My dad got this "slam-bang" shotgun several years ago. The trigger only releases the barrel, it doesn't fire the gun. to fire, you put a 12 ga round in the barrel, put it back together, then slam the barrel rearward. there's a fixed firing pin in the "receiver".



From what I've pieced together, information-wise, the Filipinos in WWII used homemade shotguns like this to kill invading Japanese soldiers, then would pick up the Japanese guys' guns and fight with them. A Lieutenant named Richardson brought the idea home and started building them, hoping there was a significant market for a real cheap shotgun. There may have been, but not for this one and it's method of firing, so Richardson Industries went belly-up in short order.

The markings on this one(stamped in the wood, not the metal) are "Pat. applied for" and "104XX". It doesn't say anything else anywhere on the gun. Dad actually shot this thing before he passed away (two separate occurances), so it works.

This thing looks very crude, but about 5 years ago, I saw one like it at a gun show listed for around $3500.

I want to sell it for my Mom, but I have no idea what to ask for it, or where to even begin to find a buyer. I think the gun show guy might have had a bit of "natural (and now psuedo-legal in CO) herbal medication" if he was expecting $3500 for 2 pieces of pipe and a roughly shaped 2x6. But, if it is a collectible, I don't want to give it away for a fraction of value.

Anyone got any insight?

The photo ain't showing up for me...can y'all see it?

I would think it will require provenance to sell it. They were called cigarette guns, I believe, because they could be fired by setting a cig to the touch-hole. If I'm not mistaken, there was one on Pawn Stars in one episode. Can't remember much about it though.

No, can't see it from here.

Trying photo again.

There's no touch-hole I can see, it fires by slamming the barrel back into the firing pin.

Here's a link. Called a "paltik." Some did have toucholes, some apparently didn't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paltik

The Paltik's an earlier guerrilla gun; muzzleloader musket. This one uses 12 ga shells and is slam-fire.

Here's something similar, but with different markings and no vertical foregrip.


http://www.gunsamerica.com/99139486..._Industries_Philippine_Guerrilla_Gun.htm

I've fired a home-made gun made of iron pipe, but without a stock. It slam fired by sliding the small pipe into the large one. Same principal...the firing pin was a BB glued in the bigger pipe. Recoil wasn't bad.

Yeah, it wouldn't be too hard to make an extreme close range defense gun.

Just wondering how to get value/potential buyer info on this particular thing.

How about the Philippine Craigs List or maybe checking with a war museum over there?

That same Lt. Richardson was one of the guys to hide out in the bush after the order to surrender came down from Gen. Wainright. He wrote a book about his exploits as a guerrilla, titled "American Guerrilla in the Philippines". Good read, but if you want to get a good feel for the guerrilla war in the Philippines read "They Fought Alone" about Wendell Fertig's operation on the island of Mindanao. Amazing what those guys did for weapons. At one point when they ran out of ammo for the 03 Springfields they had, they reloaded with bullets made from 5/16" curtain rods, powder from Japanese sea mines from out in the harbor, and primers rejuvenated with barnburner match tips. They blew up a couple of rifles before they got the load worked out, then used them to kill more Japanese soldiers to get their weapons.

I recall seeing a photograph of Lt. Richardson holding one of those slam-fire shotguns while standing in a jungle hideout.

This is an American made one...just based off what the Filipino Guerillas used. I'm not 100% positive it's a Richardson, as it doesn't say "Richardson Industries" on it, just a serial number and "pat Pending" stamped into the wood.

I'm still trying to find any information on value for this thing...I'd like to sell it for my Mom, as she's got no use for it.

Run an ad in Shotgun News & see what responses you receive.

Run a search of the #s on line in us patten office. Will give you a lot of info.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Richardson-Industries-Slam-Fire-Shotgun.cfm?gun_id=100297608

Pucking Plips!

I would say unless it had some sort of documentable historical provenance -- like it was Ramon Magsaysay's or Ferdinand Marcos' personal wartime weapon or it was used to capture General Homma or it was presented to MacArthur upon returning to the PI -- it ain't going to be worth much.

The fellas over at www.gunboards.com might have more info on
this gun.