The Bunny. A Steampunk Garter Pistol.

Here is another little Steampunk project I've put together to compliment my first Instructable.

This is the delicate little sister of the Admiral's Sidearm I posted a couple of weeks ago. Very similar in style, and construction, this is a dainty little prop for the lady in your life.

As you'll see from the photos this is a tiny piece, designed to be concealed on the leg in a Garter.

I wanted this to be a very feminine design, to appeal to the Steampunk Time Travelling Adventuress!

The name "The Bunny" comes from the twin "hammers" and adds to the "cutsie" nature of the project.

I hope you enjoy,

Pete.

Step 1: Planning

It's a tricky thing to try and plan a project that's made from, on the whole, found objects. To try and find continuity between elements and the right sense of scale and style can take a very long time, sometimes however, the whole thing fits together first time.

This little project was planned mainly around the brass vase I used as the barrels. I found a little image of an old "Garter" pistol, and used this to try and scale the pistol to fit with the candlestick trigger and barrel. The photo shows my quick concept sketch and the main pieces before I started construction.

The upper barrel as it's layed out in the photo wasn't used in the end. It's important to be flexible with ideas, designs need to be able to evolve.

Comments

[gmjhowe]

Thats some great work there, I love the shape of the main body.

The only thing I would change in making my own, is to make the handle longer, but not lower, so the handle would basically be more angled, and go back further. Like Mal's gun from firefly.

[sonofstone]

i'm building a sortof revolver flintlock, the stock is made of wood, the revolver drum is a weed grinder, which a gave a better purpose, i will have to fabricate my hammer and trigger out of steel, do you have advises on how to make it really jump out amidst a steampunk group?

[sonofstone]

this looks really great, do you use tabletop sanding machines?

[HappyHeadCase]

In older style guns with barrels, two hammers were often used. However, I have personally never seen anything smaller than a shotgun with two hammers. (But I am not an expert in the art of firearms! Feel free to correct me.) ANYway, steampunk is so alternate universe, I'm sure you could get away with a three-barreled, three-hammered derringer without a squeak. Anyone arguing for historical accuracy in a steampunk ensemble is arguing a moot point.

[doubleshockz]

oops i just posted and irelivent reply to your comment. and i had forgotten but actually i went to a gun show last summer that had tri and quad barreled pistols and shotguns. double barrel flintlocks, gattling guns, dual barrel rifles and a shotgun/rifle that was used to fire .410 shotgun shells and .22 rifle rounds

[doubleshockz]

i also have never seen anything other than a double barrel shotgun with two hammers. however those are almost always flintlock guns from the 18th century, due to the fact that the projectile was a muzzle loaded ball and not a shell. (basically each shot/gunpowder charge and projectile/ball needed its own barrel.

[cave man smash!!]

if you come to birmingam england, there is a museum called the 'think tank' and there, there are several tri-barreled pistols.

[HappyHeadCase]

If I'm ever in that area I'll be sure to check it out! Do you know what they were called, so I can Wikipedia it? I love adding to my trove of diverse knowledge.

[The Chive]

I was just talking to my dad about it cause i'm wanting to make this, but with 3 barreles. It's called a Duck's foot lol

[knexbuilder12345]

do the hammers on the gun work(can they be pulled down) by the way great gun

[ItzMeLogo]

Does this shoot anything and/or work?

[One.]

 this sort of thing makes me sigh with wanting-ness

[steampunkbutterfly]

Victorian PeaShooter! Dude, that rocks!!!!!!!!!!!

[probablepossible]

Do the hammers spring forward after they're cocked? :D

[probablepossible]

I'm a wood lover, and i feel like its a shame to hide that pretty burl behind the leather.  other than that, I love the way you set up your components!

[pumpkinman]

Nice instructable, here is mine:

[bounty1012]

Reminds me of a luger.

[DEADMAU5FTW]

is this a real gun?

[bounty1012]

ROFL FAIL.

[cowscankill]

ROFTLOL

[bounty1012]

I noe right? Some people ask the dumbest questions. Its like asking a cow if it can talk.

[corey_caffeine]

yep, and no messy bullets needed.

[corey_caffeine]

here's your sign...

[Branman]

it is jusst a prop but i think i can make it fire

[Hellchild]

DO IT

[Deutschmann]

I notice most double-barreled guns have side-by-side barrels; however, the Le Mat grapeshot revolver had a small-caliber barrel firing nine pistol rounds on top of a larger barrel firing a single shotgun cartridge (although it utilized a single hammer with a movable firing pin instead of twin hammers; this was not however, a well-liked feature). It looked a lot like this gun. The sky pirates had better not attack you; you're accumulating quite a steampunk arsenal! Great instructable!

[mr. cool 384]

remindes me of the cricket gun in men in black 1&2

[REESE BOBBY]

hey thats a nice prop and i like the way you display your props just have one question what kind of watches are those in your displays?

[kellykell]

oh and were can u find the peices to it

[kellykell]

does it shoot

[NYPA]

dumb. it doesn't shoot.

[A good name]

NYPA, it's not supposed to shoot, it's a prop. Still, it would be cool if you could make it shoot (or at least make a big bang)

[avwos]

There is a steam punk pistol on here somewhere that fires potato using steam... But it takes like 3 minutes to charge up, because the steam has to boil :L

[NYPA]

then whats the point of it?

[A good name]

Showing off your craftsmanship for one (alot of steampunk is like that) and movies, I suppose.

[Mercenary Wubby]

NYPA... It's a prop dude... don't be dumb, of COURSE it doesn't shoot.

[Vampirium]

I think it was a great tutorial and ill have to try it some time

[Madrias357]

I voted for you! I just like guns, and steampunk, cyberpunk, or creative designs catch my eye. Now that I've said that, I'll go back to trying to build myself a different design, not for this contest, but for fun.

[blackhawksg7leader]

Very nice Piece. Excellent workmanship. One question, How would you load it?(if it really worked)

[bluesquirrel]

Same way everything else back then was loaded when it didn't have external chambers; shove the bullet down the barrel with a plunger :D