Lebeda 4.5mm Pocket Watch Gun

Made by one Francis Lebeda, this is an Elgin classic pocket watch with the internal mechanism removed and replaced with a single-shot pistol mechanism. It fires a 4.5mm BB using just a No.11 percussion cap, which allows it to avoid NFA regulation as an “Any Other Weapon”, as it does not use fixed ammunition. 

“Firearms Curiosa” by Lewis Winant is available here:

17 Comments

  1. This does not look like a serious weapon for any use except for a surprise bang in order to escape an attempted mugging. A surprise bang will suffice to unnerve the mugger and perhaps buy the user some time to run the heck out of the area. I could be wrong.

  2. The early Flobert “saloon pistols” or “parlor pistols” for target shooting in a gallery (not your parlor) operated basically the same way. They were breech-loaded, but the “load” consisted of a round ball with a special percussion cap separately loaded behind it.

    A full discussion of the Flobert system, with diagrams, can be found on PP. 163-165 of Civil War Guns by William B. Edwards (Stackpole, 1962);

    https://ia803206.us.archive.org/33/items/Civil_War_Guns/Civil_War_Guns.pdf

    cheers

    eon

  3. I once converted a cheap chinese air rifle to fire pellets using percussion caps for a colt pistol.By fantastic scientific deduction ie measuring the depth of dints in a Heinz bean can I figured I was getting about 90 m/sec

  4. Experience in various situations leading to 4mm Flaubert’s injuries says that eye contact is usually fatal.
    Although not always immediately after injury.
    Also, with a “lucky” coincidence, the temporal bone or the like may be punctured.

    Of course, such a device is more of a dangerous toy than a weapon.
    Although for reviving dogs, it is quite good.

  5. If you imagine, the inside of a Wankel engine: Reuleaux triangle, sort of; then you divide that inside into three “compartments” kinda tear drop shaped, aye you can see it. (Say two, not three: Would like 3 but.) Either way, said triangle would need to rotate around a central axis. You, with the watch internals removed thus. Maybe make a two shot .22 rimfire type power gun… Excepting regulations. Top mounted cap… Could get three in… If it was bigger…

    Actually I have span off into said shape cartridge cases, three round burst lark… Burp. I like pocket watches anyway, be nicer if the mech was kept accordingly, he he.

    • Barrel would need to be aligned, as oppose having two… Meh, may have had better/worse ideas. Could eject wee triangle cases… Don’t see why not. May be better with more different propellents, I digress.

  6. I am Francis C Lebeda, I am coming out with a Derringer with in three months. Making and selling Saloon Pistol and. Parlor Pistol to be sold at the RIA in May 2021. Single shoot 6mm primer , Ring Gun

    • Dear Sir, I was fortunate enough to get my clutches on one of your 177 cal ring pistols. I noticed in other offerings there was an additional cylinder included. Do you offer a larger 209 primer cylinder available to fit the 177 cal Ring? Thank You.

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