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Gunnery, Reimagined

One of the most popular objects of “steampunk-ing” (that is, the craft of those skilled artisans and inventors amongst us) are undoubtedly guns. Not the typical, cold and cruel weapons in use nowadays, of course! No, these extraordinary engineers restore grace and dignity to the lost art of building rifles, revolvers, ray-guns, and lightning projection contraptions!

If you’re quite as unfamiliar with the precise operation of a “lightning projection gun” as yours truly, let us further scrutinize this depiction of Mr Danny Ashby’s creation. Apparently, the larger device, painted of course in a handsome shade of brass, co-operates with the glowing blue tank situated above it, which produces bolts of lightning to be fired toward one’s adversaries and what offworldly perils with the gun itself.

The aforementioned Mr Ashby, who created these lovely devices, including the steam-powered revolver visible in this picture but still under construction, goes by the name of Vladislaus Dantes and has much more photographs of his work on display in his Profile. Those interested in all kinds of steampunk-styled firearms definitely ought to check it out! For even more sabre-rattling, might we suggest the “Collective Thread for All Them Guns” over at the forums?

This entry was posted on Monday, May 12th, 2008 at 11:25 pm by Ottens and is filed under Steampunk Images.

Danny Ashby

Re: Loboguara

That Swiss rifle is gorgeous! Thank you for the photo reference and the ideas.

While I would love to work with such guns as bases for my designs, I am a college student and an art major. Thus, I have a very tight budget to work with. The shotgun we used cost around $10. As for the Colt, using the iconic gun was intentional, to make it look like an obvious upgrade to the famous revolver. Incidentally, we have a LeMat replica and are working on a mod for it.

Since working on these, I have begun carving my own wooden stocks and building the guns from scratch.

Gabriel

That revolver.. I LOVE IT.

Loboguara

When creating steampunk weapons, there are already pre-existing period weapons that would make a great basis...as they already have "The Look".

Here, for example, is an 1878 Vetterli, a Swiss rifle that uses intricate almost-clockwork internals to raise a cartridge from a tube magazine, push it into the chamber and then lower the elevator as the bolt comes forward. Just look at that double-curve on the trigger guard, and the elegant metal curved buttplate. You're already there!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/2660902951_...

These, while the work is nice, the underlying gun sort of spoils it. The top one is quite obviously a modern pump-action shotgun. The bottom is an iconic Colt Single Action. The modern origins glare through, unfortunately.

Might I suggest that you use a flat-sided antique semiauto hunting shotgun instead (less recognizeable), and for a revolver, to base it on something like the rather unusual-looking LeMat? Denix makes inert replicas of the latter, good for building on.

Danny Ashby

Upon rereading the blog, I noticed that I was given credit for the creation of the revolver. Mr. Silva deserves all of the credit for the design and the creation of this piece, as I merely provided advice for the project.

Danny Ashby

I would like to add a few things, if I may ^_Q.

Though my deviantART account bears the name Vladislaus, I am better known as Vincent Dantes here on Brass Goggles. It is my stage name and the name of my steampunk skypirate character, the Captain of the H.M.S. Amaranth.

Many of the creations on my deviantART are products of the joint effort of everyone in my company, Outland Armor, and I would like all of them to receive credit for the excellent work they contribute.

In particular, please add Mr. Matt Silva (a.k.a. Jack Valentine) to the credits for this photo. He did a lion's share of the work that went into the construction of these particular items.

Additionally, our prop making division consists of Craig Carlson, Adam Foote (a.k.a. Hieronymus Drott), Jeff Brumbeloe (a.k.a. Reginald Noisewater), Joe Hernandez (a.k.a. Josef Antony), Adam Jones (a.k.a. Hans Cookmeister), and Ryan Kightlinger (a.k.a. Magnus Thunaer). The weapons and armor you see us sporting are born of the blood and sweat of these fine gentlemen and myself.

Our sewing division consists of Laura Vaughn (a.k.a. Laurilye Hutchinson), Erin Bushko (a.k.a. Nicholina Tarasovich), Sasha Katz (a.k.a. Pandora Swift), Katharine Kuzia, Nichole Absher, Samantha Boylan, and Michelle Luby. They are all very talented and we would be much less sharply dressed, as well as rather chilly without them.