The widespread adoption of the percussion ignition system in the 1830s and 1840s paved the way for the development of repeating firearms, especially those with revolving barrels, to be manufactured in a cost-effective manner. The pepperbox revolving handgun, so named because of its visual similarity to a pepper shaker, was one of the easier designs for gun makers to manufacture. As the gun had multiple barrels which rotated, the guns could be produced to less stringent tolerances than a conventional revolver which had to be made to tolerances that ensured the cylinder chambers always aligned with the barrel properly. A variety of pepperbox designs appeared on the market during the 1830s and 1840s in the United States, Great Britain and on the European continent. Some were simple single action systems, some used an underhammer design and some used ring triggers. One of the most generally successful and reliable of the design was a double action only mechanism coupled with a bar hammer ignition system. The bar hammer made the gun easier to carry and deploy from a pocket, as it did not have the projection of a conventional hammer spur. Thousands of percussion pepperbox revolvers were produced during the 2^nd quarter of the 19^th century with most being between about .28 and .36 caliber and with barrel clusters typically including from three to six barrels, with five being a particularly popular. Most were sized for relatively convenient pocket carry with barrels in the 2 ½” to 3” range, although some larger guns were made, in particular the “dragoon sized” guns of Ethan Allen’s various partnerships. One of the downsides of the guns made in larger calibers or with longer barrels was that they were big and heavy, which made them less convenient to carry. As such, these larger caliber guns are relatively uncommon as they were made in relatively small quantities.

Offered here is a VERY GOOD condition of what could be termed a “Dragoon Sized” pepperbox by English gunmaking firm of Moore & Harris. The gun has a heavy, 4” long, 6-barrel cluster with nominally .42” caliber bores. That equates to roughly 60-Bore in the English bore system of caliber designation. The pistol is of the double action only, bar hammer design that was so popular in the 1840s and 1850s with those who preferred the pepperbox system. 

The firm of Moore & Harris was a partnership between William Moore and William Harris. Moore had been a Birmingham based gun stocker who went into business circa 1829 and was initially located at 4 Whittall Street. In 1838 he relocated to 35 Loveday Street. William Harris was a Birmingham based gun and pistol maker who first appears in the directories at the same address, 35 Loveday Street, in 1838. It is not clear if Harris was initially leasing space from Moore or if they were simply sharing the space and working together. However, by 1840 the pair had formed a partnership and moved next door to 36 Loveday Street, where they were located from 1840-1860. The firm was listed as a “Gun & Pistol Makers” and also as “Gun Barrel Makers” and “Gun Lock Makers”, markets they entered circa 1859. In 1861 the firm relocated to Constitution Hill and operated under the name Great Western Gun Works. In 1864 they fell on hard financial times, and the assets of the company were sold at auction. A brief attempt was made to save the company by partnering with another gunmaker named Richards, but Moore, Harris & Richards did not survive the year of 1864. On October 1, 1852, Moore & Harris received a patent (69/1852) for a hinged frame percussion revolver, but apparently production was extremely limited, with only a couple extant examples known. Instead, the firm appears to have concentrated on producing more conventional firearms like the pepperbox offered here. As a side note, Moore & Harris also produced Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Muskets for the Birmingham Small Trade Association and several of the very rare Louisiana State contract Enfield Rifle Muskets from the American Civil War are maker marked by Moore & Harris.

As noted, the Moore & Harris Pepperbox offered here could be classified as a “Dragoon” sized pepperbox due to its relatively large .42” bores. The double action only bar hammer pepperbox has a 4” long fluted 6-barrel cluster is a handful and has some substantial weight. The overall length of the gun is 9”, about the same size as a 4” barreled Colt Pocket, but much bulkier and heavier, as the barrel cluster measures about 1 ½” across the face of the muzzles. The fluted barrels have London commercial proof marks and are numbered 1 through 6. The frame is engraved with flowing foliate Arabesque scrolls with the name MOORE/& HARRIS in a two-line ribbon on the reverse of the frame and IMPROVED/REVOLVER in a two-line oval cartouche on the obverse. It is not clear if this marking refers to this particular pattern of gun or was simply an advertisement for their patent percussion revolver. The sides of the bar hammer are engraved en-suite to match the frame, with intertwined ribbons on the top of the hammer bar. The triggerguard bow is engraved en-suite with the frame as well. The butt of the pistol has a cap box with a shell motif engraved on the lid. The one-piece walnut grip is tightly checkered. 

The pepperbox remains in about VERY GOOD condition with no finish present and a pleasing pewter patina that shows a moderate amount of surface oxidation and freckled patches of age discoloration. The markings and engraving all remain clear and crisp. The pistol remains mechanically functional with the double action only mechanism raising the hammer, rotating the barrel cluster and firing the gun all with one long, heavy pull of the trigger. The bores of the barrels are all about VERY GOOD. They are smooth bores with scattered oxidation and minor roughness, and some show some scattered pitting as well. The checkered walnut grip is in VERY GOOD condition as well and retains crisp, sharp checkering. The wood does show some light wear as long as some lightly scattered bumps, dings and mars from carry, handling and use.

Overall, this is a nice, solid example of a large bore, high quality English pepperbox that likely dates to the 1840s to 1850s. The gun is well made and was a very high-quality gun when it was new, if the quality of the engraving is any indication. This is a somewhat impressive gun in terms of size and caliber and would be a nice addition to any collection of pepperboxes or a collection of mid-19^th century English handguns.

SOLD