German SS Belt Buckle Gun (Koppelschlosspistole)
While interned in a POW camp during WWI Louis Marquis designed a .22 belt buckle gun. He later received a patent the design and during WWII was commissioned by Himmler to produce prototypes. It is thought that about 12 were made.
A 7.65mm version (probably a post-war copy).
During the 50s and 60s many copies were made in German machine shops, possibly to cash in on the rarity of the originals.
Phoenix Investment Arms has photos of an original valued at $15,000. Photos of clones can be seen at the Axis History Forum.
[ Many thanks to Sven (Defense and Freedom) for emailing me the the info. ]
All of the photos of bringbacks that I recall seeing in the early 1960s (photos taken in the ’40s and ’50s) had four barrels. This is the first I’ve ever seen that only had two.
Apparently you released a latch and the buckle face flipped up and spring loaded barrels flipped forward. There was a lever for each barrel that acted as the trigger.
I imagine that if you were standing close to your opponent the results would be not only surprising but spectacular. A 7.65 (.32acp) in the below the belt area would rain on your parade a bit.
Maryanne, I’d like to see your photos.
My Father, now siblings, has one but it’s a 4 barrel.
My dad personally got it from Louis Marquis when he was in WWII,
and brought it back home. It is sooooooo cool.
I have pictures if anyone wants to see it. I had it photographed
and had my dad write down his story on how he got it.
@ Mu
That is too true! I guess it’s not the sort of thing for a running gun battle.
That is just TOO cool! What an interesting gadget. Not very practical at all since it’s such a small caliber and has no aiming apparatus. Still a very interesting bit of firearm history, though.
That looks like you need two hands to operate while holding up your pants with the third…
Gun Mit Uns.
Almost as good as this thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVVmNcqVqWI