[Big Red Badger]

Sheesh ,,

[American in Israel]

That period grip does not cut it. Kan, that IS a hand cannon.

[Delta 21]

If you’d make the barrel longer you could pack more powder in it.

[elcid1970]

That appears to be a traditional Bavarian or Austrian “Handboeller”, down to the carrying strap.

On New Year’s Eve, people fire these salute guns into the air both to celebrate and to frighten away evil spirits. They are fired with powder only, no projectile.

[real saxophonist]

Damn, Jon, try to come up with something even more stupid for Monday.

[Swordmaker]

It’s not that it’s a black powder muzzleloader. It’s what it shoots out the muzzle, how heavy and how fast. That’s a huge bore . . . Likely one inch, with a lot of powder behind it and no real way to hold on to it. It will have a huge recoil. A 1 inch bore ball would weigh about 3.4 ounces. Move it out of the muzzle at say 1100 feet per second from a gun weighing six or seven pounds, and you will still have a respectable kick.

[Dutch Boy]

Another episode in the series, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”

[going hot]

Avast! Repel all boarders...with one shot!