Trivia 8-22-16 Identify

[Legion Para]

Harmonica Pistol

An attempt to create a multi-shot pistol by adding a horizontal magazine—some variations held up to 10 percussion cap or pinfire cartridges—the harmonica gun was probably invented and certainly patented by a Frenchman, J. Jarre of Paris, between 1859-1862. No musical instruments were involved. The name came from the shape of the magazine, and the weapon was also called the "slide gun." An early manufacturer in the US was Jonathan Browning, father of firearms designer John Moses Browning. While looking like the sort of weapon a steampunk James Bond might carry, the harmonica gun proved too impractical for wide adoption. The user had to manually adjust the sliding magazine to center each cartridge under the hammer for every shot. Like VHS vs. Betamax, the much easier and faster shooting revolver finally won the day. The mechanism wasn't limited to pistols—famed Texas Senator Sam Houston owned a percussion rifle (by Henry Gross) using a harmonica slide which is on display at the National Museum of American History.

 

[Littlestown]

"Harmonica Pistol

A percussion lock 'Harmonica pistol' developed in the 1830s, these unusual guns by-passed the burgeoning revolver concept and opted for a horizontal mounted manual sliding magazine. Really rather cumbersome weapons, difficult to use and carry comfortably." http://www.historicalfirearms.info/post/42357030987/harmonica-pistol-a-percussion-lock-harmonica


"Harmonica Pistol ... An attempt to create a multi-shot pistol by adding a horizontal magazine—some variations held up to 10 percussion cap or pinfire cartridges—the harmonica gun was probably invented and certainly patented by a Frenchman, J. Jarre of Paris, between 1859-1862. No musical instruments were involved. The name came from the shape of the magazine, and the weapon was also called the "slide gun." An early manufacturer in the US was Jonathan Browning, father of firearms designer John Moses Browning. While looking like the sort of weapon a steampunk James Bond might carry, the harmonica gun proved too impractical for wide adoption. The user had to manually adjust the sliding magazine to center each cartridge under the hammer for every shot. Like VHS vs. Betamax, the much easier and faster shooting revolver finally won the day. The mechanism wasn't limited to pistols—famed Texas Senator Sam Houston owned a percussion rifle (by Henry Gross) using a harmonica slide which is on display at the National Museum of American History." http://listverse.com/2013/05/02/10-strange-civil-war-weapons/

 

[ami]

Answer:
Harmonica pistol, harmonica slide, or slide gun

http://firearmshistory.blogspot.com/
http://listverse.com/2013/05/02/10-strange-civil-war-weapons/
http://civilwartalk.com/threads/unique-and-innovative-weapons-of-the-civil-war.75079/

Edit - I am also going to accept "harmonica gun" as a correct answer, since that is supported by one of the sources given.

A number of players gave answers based on the similarity between the appearance of this weapon and a harmonica, but I am only going to accept answers based on names that were actually applied to the weapon, i. e., "harmonica pistol," "harmonica slide," "slide gun," or "harmonica gun."

Hoosier