Advice on creating a Steampunk gun please

[Sir Tifyable]

The game is currently in 1874, and one of Our Heroes wants a quick-firing weapon with a shotgun option. Since no manufacturer currently produces a pump-action shotgun, she has decided that the way ahead is to combine a shotgun with a Winchester rifle (for the large tube-magazine with lever-action reloading). She has decided that a break-action shotgun isn’t compatible with the Winchester mechanism so she needs her gunsmith to source one with a side-loading gate.

So, forumites, put yourselves in the position of her gunsmith. Will he build this weapon as a side-by-side, or an over-and under? Will he instead suggest that he knows of a gadgeteer who has invented a pump- or lever-action shotgun? Or possibly a shotgun-revolver? Is there another very Steampunk option I haven’t thought of?

I’d appreciate the full stats of the resulting weapon. It can’t be too heavy – even though she’s an eccentric adventuress, she’s still a Victorian lady with limited ST. (So that rules out the Gatling shotgun, thanks!) But she is Very Wealthy, so money is really no object.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Sir Tifyable

The game is currently in 1874, and one of Our Heroes wants a quick-firing weapon with a shotgun option. Since no manufacturer currently produces a pump-action shotgun, she has decided that the way ahead is to combine a shotgun with a Winchester rifle (for the large tube-magazine with lever-action reloading). .

The weapon you seek is the Winchester 1887, found on p.105 of HT. Of course, you do want it 13 years early but this is not a terrible problem.

It does require custom construction but it's still slightly below the Gadgeteering level IMHO.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Sir Tifyable

.... decided that the way ahead is to combine a shotgun with a Winchester rifle (for the large tube-magazine with lever-action reloading).

Why not have a shotgun with a tube magazine and lever-action reloading? It's going to be a lot lighter than a combination gun, and your servant can carry your other gun - the Winchester rifle. You can also fire solid slugs, clockwork air-burst shells and other exotica from the shotgun.

[Kale]

What, a four-barrel sawed off isn't enough? @:-)
I could see a gunsmith from that era come up with harmonica action or the like. All the shells are in a row in a magazine that slides sideways through the action. It's clunky and awkward, but it's pretty steampunk-ish. You could also manually slide the 'harmonica' back and forth to select different types of ammo.
Here's some examples which look very 'period':

http://underhammers.blogspot.com/200...derhammer.html

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440707

http://www.rockislandauction.com/vie...id/48/lid/1067

This one has even wackier rapid-fire mechanisms:

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2...tity-firearms/

[Comedian]

I'm no gunsmith, but creating a lever action rifle/shotgun combo would be pretty tricky, at least if you want to do it with two barrels. The only way I can think to make it work is having two bolts that operate completely independent of one another, which would allow the shooter to shoot and reload one barrel without ejecting the fresh shell from the other (unfired) barrel. You could either have split lever actions and triggers, or a mechanism which switches the bolt that the lever action is engaging (thus allowing forcing you to only be able to reload one barrel at a time). The only way I see it working is as a side-by-side. I suspect it would extremely heavy, since it's pretty much two lever actions welded together and modified to eject spent casings on the proper sides. Keep in mind, this me just imagining such a thing, I have no idea if it's even remotely possible in the real world. I've certainly never seen such a contraption.

The other way would be to have a single barrel that's fed by two tube magazines. Fill one tube with center fire rifle cartridges and the other with shotgun shells, and then switch between tubes as needed. It's not a combo gun, but similar things exist in real life. Google Kel Tec KSG or Neostead shotgun if you want real world examples of what I'm describing.

[Sam Cade]

I'm no gunsmith, but creating a lever action rifle/shotgun combo would be pretty tricky,

Pump action has been done.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0TdtycCxOI...00DSCN1448.jpg

Tubular magazine in the buttstock.

[Sam Cade]

She has decided that a break-action shotgun isn’t compatible with the Winchester mechanism so she needs her gunsmith to source one with a side-loading gate.

It would be trivial to mount a stockless but pistol-gripped shotgun action forward of the action, out of the arc of the reciprocation.

The barrels are fixed, but the action should be free to swing down.


It could be done in an evening with just braze and bands.

[Comedian]

Originally Posted by Sam Cade

Pump action has been done.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0TdtycCxOI...00DSCN1448.jpg

Tubular magazine in the buttstock.

Interesting. How does it work? Does using the pump action engage the rifle and shotgun actions at the same time?

[Sam Cade]

Interesting. How does it work?

Poorly :-)

Does using the pump action engage the rifle and shotgun actions at the same time?

No, you flip a lever to select which action the arms are engaging.




Powderpuff review from 2000.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...6/ai_65017379/

[Sir Tifyable]

Thanks for these suggestions. An earlier construction of the Winchester 1887 looks easily possible for a gunsmith Gadgeteer of the setting, but I reckon I'm going to go with the harmonica gun! I'd never heard of them before, and they are very steampunk!

And they could come in six-round 'magazines' for fast reloading in the heat of action - big advantage.

But I'm still tempted by the idea of a six-shooter cylinder shotgun...