Original Item: One-of-a-Kind. This is an absolutely fantastic original English four-barrel “Duck’s Foot” flintlock volley pistol signed GOODWIN & CO.  LONDON, a spectacular early 19th century defensive firearm designed to discharge all four barrels simultaneously in a broad fan-shaped pattern. Even more notably, this very pistol was featured and test fired in the IMA YouTube series The Cache with Alex Cranmer, giving it a direct connection to the series in addition to its considerable historical and collector appeal. Checkout the episode below:

The pistol is a high quality example of the distinctive multi-barrel firearms generally known today as Duck’s Foot pistols, named for the way their splayed barrels resemble the webbed toes of a duck’s foot. These weapons were intended to deliver several projectiles across a wide area with a single pull of the trigger, making them particularly suitable for close-range defensive situations where a single shooter might face several opponents at once.

The left side of the action is engraved GOODWIN & CO on a decorative scroll set within a stand of arms. The opposite side is similarly engraved LONDON.

An important period gunmaker reference for this pistol is A. Merwin Cary’s 1954 publication ENGLISH, IRISH AND SCOTTISH FIREARMS MAKERS. On page 40, Cary lists George Goodwin as working between 1780 and 1820 and states exactly:

“Shops at London and Birmingham. Made double barrel, over under, box lock flintlock pocket pistols and brass barrel flintlock blunderbuss type pistol with top spring bayonet. Also made flintlock "duck foot" pistol with four barrels spread like the four fingers of the hand. One lock and hammer and the four barrels fired at once.”

This period reference is particularly significant because it specifically attributes four-barrel Duck’s Foot pistols to George Goodwin and describes their operation as all four barrels firing simultaneously.

George Goodwin and his associates were active in the Birmingham and London gun trade during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and produced a variety of quality flintlock pistols, including multi-barrel and Duck’s Foot forms. Surviving Goodwin & Co. pistols marked LONDON are known, including examples with closely comparable multi-barrel configurations.

The four iron barrels each bear English proof marks.

The barrels are individually numbered 1 through 4, with corresponding numbers on their respective chambers.

This was an important practical feature because each barrel is individually threaded and can be removed for loading, maintenance, and cleaning. Since the barrels and chambers were individually hand fitted, the numbering allowed the owner to return each barrel to its properly fitted position.

All four barrels are smoothbore and measure approximately 4.75 inches from muzzle to breech, with a bore diameter of approximately .65 caliber.

The barrels spread outward from the central action, creating the characteristic Duck’s Foot profile.

Rather than firing sequentially like a later pepperbox or revolver, the pistol is a true volley weapon, intended to fire all four loaded barrels at once.

The action is finely engraved with martial decoration and displays the level of workmanship expected from a quality privately purchased English pistol of the period.

The walnut grip is fitted with a fine German silver wrist escutcheon, which remains blank and therefore offers no surviving owner identification.

At the base is a particularly attractive silver grotesque butt cap, formed as the face of a smiling lion or predatory cat. This decorative treatment gives the pistol considerably more character than a plain utilitarian defensive weapon and reinforces its likely status as a bespoke privately purchased arm.

The overall condition is very good.

The iron surfaces display a pleasing aged patina appropriate to a firearm more than two centuries old, while the engraved decoration, barrel numbering, proof marks, and Goodwin & Co. signature remain readily identifiable.

Duck’s Foot pistols have long been associated with naval officers, shipboard defense, travelers, coachmen, prison personnel, and others who might conceivably have to confront several attackers at extremely close range.

They are particularly evocative in a maritime setting. A naval officer facing a boarding party or mutinous group could potentially cover several men with a single discharge, and the compact form made the pistol practical in the confined spaces aboard ship.

However, without provenance to a specific officer or vessel, we cannot state that this particular pistol was made for naval service.

The broader social context of the late 18th and early 19th centuries also contributed to the popularity of unusual multi-shot defensive firearms. Britain experienced considerable political anxiety during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods, while robbery, civil disturbance, mutiny, and personal security were genuine concerns for wealthy travelers and officers.

A weapon capable of delivering four projectiles simultaneously offered obvious psychological as well as practical appeal.

What makes this example particularly compelling is that it is not simply another antique Duck’s Foot pistol. It is a high quality English proofed Goodwin & Co. example with four numbered removable barrels, decorative silver mounts, strong engraving, and a highly recognizable configuration, and it has also been prominently featured and fired in The Cache with Alex Cranmer.

For the advanced collector of early English firearms, flintlock pistols, volley guns, naval arms, unusual defensive weapons, or featured IMA historical pieces, this is an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the most visually dramatic handgun designs of the flintlock era.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1780-1800
Maker: Goodwin & Co. London
Caliber: Approximately .65"
Ammunition Type: Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 4.75 Inches Each
Overall Length: 11.125 Inches
Action: Flintlock
Feed System: Four-Barrel Single Shot Volley System
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.