Opinion; this glorious article first appeared on AmmoLand Information in September of 2021 and seems right here now with recent updates.
It’s a billy membership; it’s a gun; No, it’s a “Mixture Policeman’s Truncheon and Extension Pistol Barrel.” Or, at the very least that’s what inventor Edward Norton Moor of California referred to as it. He utilized for the patent in December 1916 and acquired approval in October 1918.
I had an opportunity to deal with considered one of these odd billy membership extensions and even received to shoot a revolver outfitted with one on the vary. Right here are some things I realized: I found that the membership, at the very least the one I used, is definitely designed for use on a Colt and never a Smith & Wesson, regardless that the patent paperwork don’t stipulate utilization on a selected make or mannequin. Manipulation of the attachment ring was tough and it didn’t have interaction fully with the entrance sight on an S&W Army & Police (later, the Mannequin 10) revolver. Once I switched it over to a Colt Military Particular, it match completely. The membership slid onto the barrel and locked securely in place on the Colt’s entrance sight.
From there, it was time to truly see how effectively the Colt would shoot with this contraption on the barrel. The patent requires a entrance sight on the membership, which is comprised of a spring and a screw. Nevertheless, this didn’t make it to manufacturing because the precise unit doesn’t have a entrance sight, neither is there a spot for one.
Firing the revolver was a breeze so far as the attachment was involved. It didn’t impact the purpose of affect after I was capturing it. My pictures grouped the identical with and with out the attachment.
The ultimate take a look at was to attempt the membership facet of the design. With my hand wrapped across the grip and none of my fingers within the set off guard, I approached my cardboard assailant and landed 4 blows. The membership stayed firmly connected the complete time and was not unfastened on the finish of the encounter. Now, clearly hitting cardboard isn’t like hitting a human being in a skirmish, however this proved, at the very least, that the membership will be successfully swung at a goal whereas connected to the gun.
It’s a neat idea, however I don’t suppose there’s any shock as to why it didn’t catch on. Though I made positive the gun was empty and my fingers weren’t close to the set off, I don’t know if each officer – within the warmth of the second – would ensure to be as secure had been they to wish to make use of it, and doing in any other case may simply trigger a negligent discharge, even with the heavy set off pull of a double-action revolver.
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About Logan Metesh
Logan Metesh is a historian with a give attention to firearms historical past and improvement. He runs Excessive Caliber Historical past LLC and has greater than a decade of expertise working for the Smithsonian Establishment, the Nationwide Park Service, and the NRA Museums. His capacity to current historical past and analysis in an enticing method has made him a sought-after marketing consultant, author, and museum skilled. The benefit with which he can recall obscure historic info and figures makes him excellent at Jeopardy!, however exceptionally dangerous at geometry.
