Often when we discuss the assault on the second amendment perpetrated by left wing California politicians we focus on our right to self-defense. While this is obviously an important aspect of the problem there are other things being stolen from California gun owners. Consider our ability to have FUN.
There’s a short video I’d like you to watch because it captures exactly what I mean by having fun with firearms. Before you watch the video I’d like to tell you about the gun in the video.
I first discovered the Howdah pistol while reading an action novel given to me by a neighbor. One of the characters in the book was armed with a Howdah pistol and having never heard that term before I had to look it up. If you’ve seen “The Ghost and the Darkness” the Michael Douglas character is armed with two Howdah pistols.
Howdah is the term for the basket that you see atop elephants in India. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s big game hunters would ride in the Howdah to hunt tigers. Unfortunately the tigers discovered that it was fairly easy to run up the elephant and eat the hunter in the Howdah. This created the need for a very powerful handgun for short-range defense hence the Howdah pistol.
The Howdah pistol was chambered for various high power rifle and pistol cartridges as well as shot gun rounds. In the early 1900’s Ithaca made a Howdah pistol they called the Auto and Burglar model. This obvious self-defense firearm (the auto refers to automobile not automatic) was chambered for 20 gauge shotgun rounds. Unfortunately the Firearms Act of 1934 considered it a sawed off shotgun and put a $200 fee on a $40 gun thus ending production of the Howdah.
Now for the fun part. The Italian Firearms Group offers a beautiful Howdah replica by the Pedersoli Company. This replica is chambered in 45 Colt with rifled barrels so it’s considered a pistol rather than a shotgun. This allows Americans (those fortunate enough not to live in California) to legally buy the gun at their local gun shop or online. The gun is also capable of firing 410 shotgun rounds so you’ll see it chambered as 45C/410.
I really wanted to focus on how much fun the responsible use of firearms can be and how that opportunity is being taken from us. Greg Kinman hosts the Hickok45 YouTube Channel and demonstrates the Pedersoli Howdah here. I don’t think its possible to watch this video and not smile at how much fun he is having. I’d buy this gun tomorrow just based on the video.
Unfortunately I live in California where the Pedersoli Howdah is not on the Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale and is therefore not available for me to purchase. This is another reason why it’s important for all of us to stand up and make it known to our leaders that we want our rights back. Please get involved by joining San Diego County Gun Owners, the California Rifle and Pistol Association, and the National Rifle Association. Join the fight and help us restore and preserve our second amendment rights.
©2017 Joseph T Drammissi
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