Re: [DL] Double Rifle?

[Jayg <jayg@penn.com>]

    I know there were a few double rifles in the 1870's period.  I 
cannot remember names off hand, Hotchkiss for some reason is coming to 
the forefront of my mind though. You are correct most were European in 
origin and very expensive.  These double rifles were fondly called 
Safari or Elephant guns.  Game stats just use the stats for the Sharps 
rifle and give it the RoF of a double barrel shot gun.  I would also 
throw in that is you let loose with both barrels the char would have to 
make a Strength check TN 9 not to be thrown off balance.


> 	Along the same line there was discussion some time back about a
> British sniper rifle of the period that fired an octagonal (hexagonal?) bolt
> instead of a bullet.  Twisting the barrel provided the spin for the bullet
> instead of the groves found in normal rifles. Does anyone have any
> information on this weapon and its potential game stats? I assume it would
> be expensive and hard to find/make new bolts for. Thanks!


The rifle you are refering to is the Parker Hale Whitworth Rifle.  This 
rifle was used widely by the sharpshooters of the Confederacy.  It is a 
percussion firing system and uses a .451cal hexagonal slug.  This was 
one of the most accurate long range rifles of its day (1857 to the late 
1860's).  You can find more information on this rifle at:

http://www.lrml.org/directory/whitworth/whitworthgs.htm

This site has field test trials of the rifle against the Enfield Rifle also.

As for making new ammo.  Since it is a percussion muzzle loading (i.e.. 
not cased ammo)weapon they just need to make a new mold to make the new 
lead bullets.



-- 
Jay

"Sealed with a curse as sharp as a knife. Doomed is your soul and damned 
is your life."