# 1850s Hodges catapult gun



## robbo (Jun 8, 2019)

g,day everyone has anyone in any part of the world got a hodges rubbered powered gun the one without the limbs straight barrel. Larry Hannusch whos into airguns is supposed to have one they shoot 11mm or 7/16 lead balls at 350fps. but i am trying to find someone who could chrony one they where supposed to take down boar sized game, and sailers used them on islands because they were quit. there rubber powered history any input welcome.


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## Konrad (May 2, 2020)

Courtacey of *BONHAMS.COM*
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24657/lot/206/
A RARE HODGES PATENT CATAPULT GUN
UNSIGNED BUT ALMOST CERTAINLY BY RICHARD EDWARD HODGES, NO. 56, CIRCA 1850
With octagonal barrel open over nearly its entire length on each side to accept an india-rubber cord (missing) secured at the muzzle by a brass mount cast and chased as draped figures of Britannia, white-metal action and tang engraved with scrolling foliage, pivoting white-metal access cover engraved en suite and incorporating the rear-sight, figured full stock (old bruising) with hand rest carved as a scrolled leaf, chequered grip, scroll engraved iron mounts including scrolled trigger-guard, white-metal butt-trap (hinged circular cover replaced), and vacant white-metal escutcheon (steel parts pitted overall)
76.2 cm.

Footnotes

Richard Edward Hodges was granted English Patent No. 12623 in 1849 for 'application of india-rubber to projectiles' and also manufactured projectors, accumulators and door springs all of india-rubber. For more information see Howard L. Blackmore, _Hunting Weapons_, 1971, pp. 171, 209, pls. 83-84

The other version:



I think you know more about it than me Robbo.

Maybe trying to contact pyramid air and Larry Hannusch might be a idea if you get no leads here.

Salutations Konrad.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

WOW! Never saw or heard of one of those. So Cool!


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## Xring11 (Jun 27, 2020)

Ribbon and Konrad
Thanks for sharing such fascinating info!


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## robbo (Jun 8, 2019)

Flatband said:


> WOW! Never saw or heard of one of those. So Cool!


yes Flatband there cool allright . trying to find out the specs so i can compare it to my 45 inch draw ott slingshot rifle, when i get my chrony.


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## Tobor8Man (Nov 19, 2020)

Interesting article here:

https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2007/02/hodges-catapult-gun/

and also here:

http://hodgesgunmakers.yolasite.com/unrelated-hodges.php (scroll down)

I wonder if Hodges designed a slingshot?


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## Cass (Nov 16, 2020)

That is cool enough to put on my things to make list!


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## robertappleyard66 (12 mo ago)

been a while, anyone got any new information on the catapult gun cheers.


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## Lou G. (29 d ago)

Besides the Hodges gun(s), there is reportedly another of this type, made by a Paris gunmaker named Alphonse Caron at about the same time.. Both Hodges and Caron had displays at the great Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1851, but it looks like Caron had only percussion pistols on his table. The search for more info continues.


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## Lou G. (29 d ago)

Robert: You may want to check out my new post about the Hodges in the "General Slingshot Discussion" Forum.

Reed: I finally found the Alphonse Caron patent, on a French website. I can't print out the drawing, but I did photograph it on my computer screen with my little flip phone (not a great photo, but decent enough). So---I'm not computer-savvy enough to upload the photo directly to a website, but I CAN send it to another phone. Will the website phone (416-341-8950) work for this, or should I use another number?.


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