Guns of Sherlock Holmes: Watson's Bullpup?

[Jim McArthur]

In the first Sherlock Holmes story, A STUDY IN SCARLET, Holmes and Watson are discussing their habits and quirks that might complicate their plans to share quarters. Dr. Watson volunteers that he "keeps a bullpup".

While many readers take that to mean a canine companion, I do not: as evidenced by the fact that the dog never is mentioned again, and that Watson is recently returned from Army service in Afghanistan, and is planning to move out of his hotel: neither being places that would likely welcome dogs. (For that matter, Mrs. Hudson probably wouldn't, either).

My "deduction" is that he's referring to a bulldog revolver, such as the Webley RIC, which would be a likely carry gun for a non-combatant medical officer like himself to have carried while on duty. He's also likely to have now acquired the habit of "keeping" it loaded and ready for action: indeed, he seems to be more the gun toter than Holmes.

But I've not found any references to "bullpup" being an accepted term for referring to such pistol in this era: in the sense that someone might say a "snubbie" when referring to a short-barrelled, small-frame revolver designed for concealed carry.

Does anyone here have any light to shed on the matter?

Jim

[greasemonkey]

hi jim,i am with you ,i think watson is referring to a gun.bullpup to bulldog is much the same thing.the early webley .455 service revolvers had a birds head grip and a short barrel,i am not sure of the timescale is correct but perhaps it is one of these as watson had been a military surgeon..could have been an ,RIC.a friend of mine has a continental RIC lookalike in .50cal.its lovely ,has no remaining finish and a few rust pits but when you have held it you do not want to give it back..cheers ..greasemonkey

[Jim McArthur]

I'll bet Watson carried a small Webley RIC Bulldog. I have one that's .32: it would make a smaller and neater pocket pistol than a modern J-frame Smith or D-frame Colt.

Pockets being bigger in those days, and Watson being required to (or being smart enough to) carry an Army sidearm that used the heavier military caliber, his was probably a .450.

Jim