On the topic of the pistols. The device came to light (although there are obscure comments probably referring to it earlier) just before the 1976 bicential. One of the pistols remained intact, in the possession of Chase Manhatten Bank I believe, and was sent to an Italian gunmaker as model for replicas to be reproduced for sale as bicentenial commemoratives. When the gunmaker disassembled it he discovered the mechanism. This was written up in the Smithsonian magazine at the time, but I don't have the reference.
Hamilton's son died in a duel using the same set of pisols.