Caution: The Coolest Gun I’ve Shot

by
posted on May 2, 2012
20125283917-keefenockphoto_m.jpg

This is the view through the “American Rifleman Television” remote camera as we fired the most impressive gun of the season for the third quarter of 2012. Thanks to Jim Supica, Phil Schreier, Doug Wicklund and Matt Sharpe of the National Firearms Museum, I can now say I have shot what I regard as undoubtedly the coolest 18th century gun extant. The Nock Volley Gun is one of the most unusual service firearms of the Napoleonic era. It was a flintlock with seven barrels, one central barrel with six more surrounding the latter, sort of like a pepperbox. The difference, of course, is that all seven barrels fire at once with the Nock—it only happens to the extremely unlucky (or careless) with a Pepperbox. Think of a Nock as a deliberate chain fire waiting to happen.

The gun, devised by Britain’s James Wilson and built under contract for the British Royal Navy by gunmaker Henry Nock of London, was intended to be used to clear the enemy’s rigging and quarterdeck. A contract was set by the Board of Ordnance in 1780 for 500 guns, and there was said to be another for 100 in 1787. The gun was a great idea, until you caught your own ship on fire, which, together with excessive recoil, led to the Nock Volley Guns being withdrawn from service or conveniently dropped overboard and listed as “lost to enemy action.”

The National Firearms Museum has one (the same one used by Richard Widmark in John Wayne’s “The Alamo”), and the Museum staff allowed us to shoot it for “American Rifleman Television.” We are trying some new things this season, including using a forehead-mounted GoPro, and shooting some very interesting guns from the museum collection.

Loading this thing was a team effort, and we used undersized, patched .44-cal. round balls, 21 grains of FFF and FFFF for a primer. Honestly, it wasn’t too hard on the shoulder. Turkey loads out of a lightweight 12 gauge, 3 1/2-inch shotgun are far more punishing. Just lots of flash, smoke, bang and then a moderate push. Jim, Doug, Matt, NRA Publications’ Christopher Olsen and I all shot it, and we have behind-the-scenes video thanks to Christopher’s iPhone.

Look for the Nock Volley Gun as the “I Have This Old Gun” for the season opener when new episodes of American Rifleman TV make their debut on Wednesday July 4 on the Outdoor Channel.

Latest

heavy machine gun crew with DShK on tripod pointing in air above trees
heavy machine gun crew with DShK on tripod pointing in air above trees

Red Fifty: The Soviet 12.7 mm DShK Heavy Machine Gun

While the Browning .50-cal. M2 machine gun has been unequaled for more than a century, John Moses Browning’s genius design has had one significant 12.7 mm competitor: the Soviet DShK.

Support The NRA Youth Education Summit (YES) On Giving Tuesday

With more than 1,200 students having graduated from the program and over $700,000 in scholarships awarded since 1996, NRA's YES is an immersive leadership program for high school students eager to learn about the foundations of our nation, the importance of civic engagement and the role of the Second Amendment.

Rifleman Review: Remington 360 Buckhammer

Remington Ammunition's 360 Buckhammer is a straight-wall hunting cartridge that's designed to give deer hunters an ideal round for their Midwestern hunt.

New For 2025: EAA Girsan Witness2311 Brat, Match and MatchX

European American Armory Corp. (EAA) introduced an affordable variation of the double-stack 1911 design with their Girsan Witness2311 in 2023, continually adding additional chamberings and slide length options. New for 2025, the company is adding three new versions of the Witness2311 with the Match, MatchX and Brat models.

Review: Citadel Trakr

At less than 4 lbs., this repeating rifle is easy on the back while also being extraordinarily easy on the budget.

Freedom Munitions To Move Ammo Component Production To Idaho

Freedom Munitions has announced it will be consolidating its projectile component production from X-Treme Bullets out of Nevada into its Lewiston, Idaho, facilities.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.