4268 J.W. COCHRAN PATENT STYLE MODEL REVOLVING TURRET

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 1,000.00 USD
Estimated at 2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
CANNON. PATENT MODEL OR DISPLAY PIECE? Cal. 52. NSN. In 1834, John Webster Cochran of Enfield, NH patented a repeating cannon or firearm that utilized a revolving horizontal turret to fire multiple shots. The story is that the next year he demonstrated a model to many possible European buyers. The Turkish minister was impressed and persuaded Cochran to exhibit his cannon to the Sultan, who had Cochran build a full-size 12-pounder. After being rewarded by the Sultan, he returned to America and worked with the C.B. Allen factory to build the now quite rare turret rifle and pistol. Cochran went on to patent many other firearm-related inventions. Is this firing model cannon the one originally built and exhibited by Cochran? It has a 6" smooth bore barrel that is fed by a 5 1/2" diameter six-shot turret. Each chamber would be muzzle-loaded and fired by percussion caps. The hammer is mounted on top. Although the mechanism is not complete, it appears that turning a crank at the rear causes the turret to rotate and somehow trip the hammer. The horizontal field of fire is set by a lever that engages a rack under the turret. Elevation is controlled by a brass knob on the trail. Cannon shows very fine workmanship with cast and machined parts. Other parts are hand-forged. CONDITION: cannon presently does not fire. All the metal is dark brown patina, but the carriage and wheels show a considerable amount of original gray paint. An intriguing small cannon worthy of considerable further study. The consignor states that this very cannon is pictured in the "Stagecoach Museum Gun Collection" catalog on page 204. (01-24663/MGM). ANTIQUE. $2,000-3,000.