Well I got my .58 Howdah pistol. I thought I would post some pics. I can't wait to give this beast a go.



You can't make it out very well in the pic, but it has a nice brass bead front site.

Very interesting piece! I remember reading about this pistol a couple years ago. Who's the manufacturer? If you don't mind my asking, how much did it set you back? Thanks!

Davide Pedersoli, I gave $499 for from Cabela's on sale from the normal $599.
They offer a smooth bore in 20 bore, and the rifled .58 caliber I bought.

Very nice. I'd have gone with the smooth bore. It's meant for close range repelling of tigers and such, so a slug out of a smooth bore would do just fine, and besides you get the option of loading shot too, giving you a sawed off shotgun that doesn't require any special paperwork.

I even found the article I had read in GUNS OF THE OLD WEST (Fall 2008).


Here's an excerpt:

"The Howdah rose to prominence during the early percussion era of the 1830s and 1840s, first as a percussion (loose powder and ball) side-by-side and superposed pistols, and later as breech-loading large caliber cartridge guns, in both side-by-side and superposed configurations... The name comes from the big game hunter's sedan chair or "Howdah" which was mounted on the back of an elephant. The pistols had their greatest fame during the period of the British Raj in India and were used for protecting hunters in case an attacking tiger or other large game animal was not stopped at a greater distance by a rifle shot. The Howdah pistol was the last line of defense, a large caliber sidearm designed for close quarters use... Although originally intended for use only under the "gravest extremes," during the late 1880s Her Majesty's Royal Army officers adopted them as defensive weapons in the many far-flung outposts of the British Empire."

The weapon featured in the article is a Perdersoli Howdah Hunter (imported by DGW?) and is listed at $650-675 (back in 2008) - so it appears you got a great deal!

Anyway - congrats on a very cool and unique pistol.

I am figuring on using it for javalina this spring, and I figured the tc maxi hunter and rifling might give a bit better results.

was just reading a review of it....should be a lot of fun to play with. minute of javelina at 20 yards or so.

Looks like a nicely made piece...

I thought they called it "Howdah" because before these guns were invented it was the last words out of a great White Hunter's mouth...I think the sentence if completed would have been something to the effect of....

"How dah F+++ did that Tiger get up here"...but most of them only got out "Howdah..." before they were killed...hence the name...

Bob

Very neat. Hope you'll give us a rundown on it after you fire it. I'm interested in how much the great beast recoils.

Probably not as much as you think. It takes black powder, first of all, which is relatively slow burning. Secondly, it's quite a heavy chunk of steel.

I like the fact that the grip cap seems to be designed so that the gun can be used as a skull crushing mace once both rounds have been fired.

Yeah it ain't exactly made of scandium or Ti, weighs right under 5 lbs. Should still be good for a shove.

review in the Rifleman said it feels like a .38 with +P loads....not specified what kind of .38 one would be shooting them out of.

One for each hand would be cool,...go wading into a Javalina lair with all four ears laid back,...feedin' 'em fire and brimstone while letting go with a few "arrrgg arrrgg's", like Blackbeard the Pirate.

LOL! Classic.

Wow!

Is that the handgun carried by Michael Douglas in the movie "The Ghost and the Darkness"?

Dropped by Val Kilmer.
Actual lions are in Field Museum in Chicago.

Sweet! Will be watching for dead javi pics!

[quote=RJM
"How dah F+++ did that Tiger get up here"...but most of them only got out "Howdah..." before they were killed...hence the name...

Bob [/quote]


Bob, that's the best explanation of the name I've heard.

Have looked at them several times, neat pistols.

Thats awesomely funny right there......

The article mentioned that the charge was 25 or so grains of black powder, which is a powder puff load! It's the "recommended" load from Pedersoli, but on the other hand, it's just a Pedersoli shotgun cut down and my Pedersoli SXS recommends a max load of 90 grains! I wouldn't recommend that!!!

I'd think with a little load development you would eventually get to 40 or 50 grains of black powder since that's what the Colt Walker seems to like and it weighs less than your Howdah.

Don't mess around with conical bullets! Stick with patched balls and be happy with that. You will get your highest velocity and your easiest recoil and a .58 caliber ball is simply nothing to sneeze at!!

Have fun.

Dan

TFF!! Coffee on the keyboard!


Ingwe

Yeah Pedersoli specs a load of 25 grains, which is rediculous in my opinion. I have talked to a couple of guys who are running 60 grains Ffg and TC maxihunter. They say its potent but no trouble for the gun or shooter.
I had thought about working up using conicals, but I am probably going to go with patched balls.

..always nice to make someones day...Bob

More years ago than I can remember, the American Rifleman had an article on the Howdah's. Their pics were not of percussion, but of brass cartridge doubles in 16ga and 12ga that shot slugs or buckshot. Truly impressive shells, but the old guns were not any nicer than yours. Good luck.

Well, found this forum and Howdah postings and just HAD to add my 2 cents worth, (brag).
I too just bought a HOUDAH from the K.C. Ks. Cabela's Bargin Cave. Initial price was $480.00. In pointing out that the reduced retail price was %500.00 they should knock off another $100.00. The offer became $382.49, I CAN DO THAT. Then went to Cabela's customer service securing a $70.00 discount. End price for a new in the box with all papers, dvd, etc. = $312.49 + extortion (tax).
OH, it is in 20ga. Picked it up on 21-Dec-09.

Welcome aboard. Let's see some pictures.

Welcome to the Campfire! Pictures man...pictures. You guys keep this up I may have to look into one!

Welcome. Looking forward to someone else on here having one of there honkers.
In a twist of irony I also bought a mousegun today. Ruger LCP .380


I am figuring on getting my howdah out and shooting next month or so. I am itching to do sooner, but things are crazy around here as of late.

I hope this photo post worked. Not the best photos, but what I have that show the best clearity.
NOTE: The camo is a poncho liner stolen from the Army, Viet Nam, 1971-2.