California Arms Co 20ga "Defiance" Pistol-Shotgun
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
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Made to compete with guns like the Ithaca Auto & Burglar, the “Defiance” form the California Arms Company is a side by side double barreled 20 gauge pistol. Only about 300 were made in the late 1920s - note that this was before the NFA introduced regulation of shot barreled shotguns. Unlike the Ithaca and most other guns of this type, the Defiance is not simply a standard side-by-side shotgun cut down in length. Instead, it uses a cast aluminum grip assembly with two manually cocked strikers (and storage for two spare shells in the grip) and a barrel assembly with an integrated aluminum fore-end. The Defiance is nothing if note robust, despite perhaps being a bit slower to use than an Ithaca. Interestingly, the marketing for the Defiance also included a strong focus on the use of tear gas ammunition in addition to standard buckshot - the Lake Erie Chemical Company developed a 20ga tear gas cartridge in partnership with the California Arms Company. It was almost certainly too small to really be effective, though, and was not able to induce enough sales to keep the Defiance on the market long.
“Eh man, I wanna shoot bandits with a shotgun but look kinda weird doin’ it”
“Lad, have I got the gun for you!”
😂😂😂
Lolled.
@@КаренМакарян-ъ1б does that mean getting buggered by a man?
Aluminum was the 20s polymer
Stuff then was like carbonfibre today
My Grandfather has a bunch of aluminum drills and tools.. they are so cool
Thats so accutate, and actually aluminum was considered a precious metal until 1916 when they figured out how to extract it really cheaply and the price dropped to make it one of the cheaper metals
@@willtipton100 a small aluminum pyramid is on top of the Washington Monument... at the time it was worth much more than Gold
@@rchristianwooley4870 didnt know that, imagine what they would think back then to learn we drink soda out of aluminum cans
They came already sawn-off, that's so considerate of them.
Zoidberg so good to see you again hows your travels been ??
Whenever I see something like this I like to imagine one engineer explaining to another the 473 reasons this is a bad idea, and the other one responds "If we made it, would YOU buy one?" and after a brief pause the first guy has no choice but to concede.
That made me laugh, I've had those meetings... I've been that person to concede, too. Great comment.
That's roughly how I got to cast my first bronze cannon.:-D
@@tammysilverwolf1085 Thanks!
Sounds like a story there! @@mortisCZ
"another the 473 reasons this is a bad idea" i think you confusing it with an automatic revolver -> gun that have limited magazine size just like standard revolver but without standard revolver reliability...
"Often preferrred by people who look at them a lot and don't shoot them that often". Ian is so polite.
Well, I'm one of these people. It fills me with great joy to know that I own a tool or item that perfectly executes the purpose it was created for or is in a other way unique or beautiful. I guess, guys like me sometimes make it possible that relicts of ancient time are still viewable today.
"Hello. I´m looking a gun for home defense."
"Why we do have guns here. Pistol or shotgun?"
"Yes."
This is gonna top comment.
Kjeh kjeh 😂
Lmao
Time for InRange redo their PGO video to add literal shotgun pistols as a third point of comparison.
For home defense, I would recommend a Mossberg M500 Cruiser. It's a pump action, 12ga, short barrel shotgun with a pistol grip, holds 5 rounds, 6 if you're brave enough to keep an extra one in the chamber. It's easy to handle in close quarters combat should you ever need to defend your home. Here's mine in action.
th-cam.com/video/e2gy57e4QbM/w-d-xo.html
Add a bayonet and you got something straight out of Borderlands.
Duble Killin Stabby Shoota
Except it would be a 4 gauge, not a 20gauge.
@@iolithblue And don't forget the other two barrels on that Jakobs Quad...
Menacing dubble barrels
Kinda like a Luck Cannon.
What a nice description "anti bandit gun"
Along those same lines "Rudeness neutralizer spray" could be a nice name for pepperspray... Or "compliance in a can"
I like to refer to pepper spray as "spicy sunscreen"
I'm digging "Compliance in a can"
@@Rixoli Thanks, has a nice ring to it right?
'Cause sawn off shotguns aren't at all known as the weapon of choice for criminals.
Funny enough, compliance in a can already exists. Though it's a harness for use in aerial man-lifts, that's the minimum compliance for OSHA
Looks like the missing link between old west and space age.
Pawomp! Pawomp! The lazers blasted from his double barrel blaster.
cowboys and aliens plus the Gun Messiah
See you, Space Cowboy
Firefly?
Seeing this gun reminds me of the retro Nintendo Blaster
Never knew these existed. It's completely stupid and ridiculous.
God I want one.
Thinking the same thing just wish it had auto eject
If money were no object..... super cool
It really sucks that stupid and ridiculous tends to result in so few being made. I keep getting excited about terrible guns and would love to collect them, but wow are they expensive to get ahold of!
You'd need both for the full cool effect !
@@GOLDENzBULLETS I am not sure. You would have to manipulate the pistol grip and those short barrels to load the springs for the ejectors which might slow you down more than fiddling with the cases. But I am not sure.
California Arms is a thing I thought I'd never hear, but then I read it was a 1920's production and the world made sense again.
Armalite was based in Los Angeles, California. Hollywood, of all places.
They closed in the 1980s and the revived brand's HQ is in Illinois, but before all the shit in the streets and in people's minds, California was a very Proudly American place.
Also, the degenerates concentrate in the larger cities. The outskirts, especially the more inland ones, are still sane, but sparsely populated. San Francisco and LA concentrate something like 70% of the entire state's population.
They even wanted to split it in half, creating the state of New California. Perhaps even giving the Coastal region independence.
@@jimb1117 and Bush Sr's gun control measures and bans in the early 90's. all politicians want our guns no matter how "nice" they seem, corruption will inevitably take hold of them in Washington
@@jimb1117 exactly, Im of the "common sense" party, take the bits of logical and sensible aspects from both left and right wings and make my own logic system out of it, founded in reality, not based along a parties "rules" basically a tailored version, made out of pure common sense....Thomas Paine party? who wants in?
@@jimb1117 i presume you mean 14th which is the anchor baby one, many students and experts of law over the years have questioned that one and the us is one of very few who allow illegals babies automatic citizens, and most of the parents countries actually claim those children as that countries. citizens
jim b machine guns for everybody
"I really want a double-barreled shotgun... That's a pistol."
"Why? That sounds terrible."
"I'm gonna level with you, I didn't want one until I said it out loud but now I really want one."
"...Damnit, you're right."
Andre the Giant's pocket gun.
That comment really made me laugh. Nice.
Andre the giant's pocket Derringer!
Love your comment.
He'd have to chop the trigger guard off. My random trivia brain remembers that at the time of his death, his ring would fit around an egg.
@@joshclingermayer6091 Obviously. : )
I hope Ian will be duel wielding Defiance shotguns in the next InRangeTV match video....
I would love to see that
Everyone loves a good wrist sprain (:
*dual
Ian - since that the "Defiance" did not originate as a shotgun as defined under the NFA (as amended), it would be a "Any Other Weapon" - and the transfer would be $5 (same procedure).
I agree. The Ithaca is definitely classified under AOW. I've also seen it argued that the correct designation of both of these weapons is 'smooth-bored pistol'. They are not cut-down shotguns: they were designed as pistols from the outset.
AOW fees weren't always $5.
it's so cute. That ammo compartment on the bottom is just adorable!
Ye olde mossberg shockwave.
Though I'd argue that 20 gauge is a far more suitable cartridge for a pistol grip shotgun.
“I possess a dubious inquiry of you taking that action”
Ye olde dumpster defender
@@felixh2786 I own a 20 guage Shockwave. :)
Back in 1967 I had an opportunity to fire one of these. I
was only 13 and it was a real hoot. I do not recall it hurting my hand after 10
or 12 rounds. But was a two handed hold for a small kid. Breaking clays was a challenge
and I was not too good at it. The owner would sit in a chair and bust almost
all the clays he had me throw for him. I have kept my eyes open for information
on this gun over the years and you hit on about all I have ever found on this
gun.
Shopkeeper:so do you want a shotgun or pistol for self defence?
Customer: YES
And I wouldn't be afraid to take it rabbit hunting either
@@charlesmiller6826 rabbit hunting w/ 20 gauge?
The question is ambiguous so the answer isnt actually nonsensical since its very easy to parse the question as asking if the firearm is desired for the purpose of self defense as opposed to asking which firearm they would desire
You meant it as an exclusive or but it could very easily be read as an inclusive or
every video i've had suggested from this channel should not have been called "forgotten weapons," but rather "weapons most likely to explode in your hand"
1920's, huh? This thing has some elements of styling I'd expect out of the 50's or so. Vague undertones of the Gyrojet come to mind. What a neat little design, however dubiously practical (Looks like it'd suck to shoot. Even 20 ga.)
Great video, Ian!
I wish i lived in the great USA and could start my own gun collection. Many of them are beautiful works if art. I think this gun is ingenious and thought i was looking at something brand new and modern.
A fascinating weapon with a kind of modern sci-fi aesthetic. I can see something very similar, with non-lethal rounds, being actually useful in some situations.
A shotgun pistol.
They _exist._
I made one up once for a fictional superhero character. One with super toughness and super strength (you might think someone with those powers wouldn't need guns, but guns add ranged capability that can be invaluable in a fight). I did that because I thought a superhero would be able to take the recoil of such a thing even on one hand. I had no idea someone was crazy enough to build something like this in real life, for real humans to fire.
That's _crazy._
The quality of manufacturing looks top notch!
If it wasn’t such an important historical piece, about 5 minutes with 350 “wet and dry”sand paper will fix that issue with the forging and save your hands.
Amazing little piece, and probably very effective for it’s intended purpose.
That would kick like a mule.
Bloody hell.
"Seems I missed. Now my hand is broken. Just take what you want but please call an ambulance."
"Sure, np."
Great comment!
Its a 20ga though?
"I suspect not terribly pleasant" to fire.
20ga don't kick that much.
Ypu can fire 20 guage 1 handed no issue
classic 1920's reproduction of a year 3000 lazer pistol
And if you miss with both barrels, it makes a great club
Worked in the superman TV series. He always ducked the thrown gun, even though the bullets bounced off him.
@@MrDmitriRavenoff Just because you're indestructible doesn't mean you can't have finesse!
I fired an A version of this about ten years ago. It was pretty cool. The one I shot didn't have the ridge that is on your C here. Not sure if it was not on the A or if someone had ground it down. I definitely wanted one. It looks cool and super fun.
Keeping history alive thank you so much for your work
What a wonderfully impractical but historically significant firearm. Great video as usual Ian. Thanks.
Doomguy's concealed carry
Just needs the leaf work and engraving
*Heavy Metal Mayhem Commences*
Yep, this gun looks like it came straight from a FPS
vague shades of quake 2's super shotgun come to mind, yeah! @@thelegendaryklobb2879
exactly my thoughts xD
Looks like a well built way to destroy not only the burgler but also your shooting hand.
That is still really a cool gun, and 20 gauges about all I would ever want to try to shoot holding it pistol style. And it's still pretty powerful enough to drop a person especially with modern ammo or modern defensive shotgun ammo.
That's so awesome I would love one for possum shooting in nz but we are not aloud to have those
Id say it was ahead of its time for the 1920's. I have a single shot 20ga with a stock (junior size) and it kicks like you wouldnt believe. I cant imagine this thing kicking on your wrist.👍
Sure beats the effects of having to beat down a robber, especially if they have a knife. ( just had a flashback to ‘Crocodile Dundee’.
“Oh Mick, he’s got a knife!”
“This’s NOT a knife” - pulls out 20gauge ‘pistol’).
Colt Defender Mark 1
8 barrel police shotgun!
If anyone can find one, it's you Ian! The world needs to see that gun.
I'm surprised this didn't end up in Fallout.
Another great video Ian I love your channel I live in the U.K. and this is the only chance I get to see rare an unusual guns like the ones you show.
I really enjoy watching your videos every day. You never fail to show something interesting and uncommon. It truly is a great thing you do for us by sharing these finds with everyone.
The videos you put out are always very informative regardless of how common or uncommon the weapon in question happens to be, but I keep discovering things like this little beast that (as a gamer who enjoys shooters every now and then) I can't help but wish were well known enough to make their way into a game. Just the idea of running around with a pair of theses merrily blasting bad guys in the face would be fantastic :D
I kind of surprised other gun manufacturers didn’t take this design and run with it. I would buy this in a heartbeat.
Certainly an interesting piece. You have brought a lot of interesting equipmemt to the camera recently, I thank you for answering my prayers to the ammo god!
1920's era.... I am thinking that it's playing itself off the "Flash Gordon " styling.
How many more years can this channel keep going before Gun Jesus has unforgotten all the forgotten weapons! I think a PHD could be given to the person who makes that calculation!
Man....looks like a shotgun you'd find in the Post Apocalypse or in a Dystonia setting....I LIKE IT
It looks very similar to to double barrelled shotgun from fallout 3
The 'Facial Reconstruct-orr' like jesus the recoil on this thing must be immense when firing both barrels
Rock Island Staffs be like
"Welcome back, Ian! (Prep his chair with a grind smile) Where have you been?"
What's a grind smile?
This is as if a howdah pistol and Flash Gordon loved each other very much and had a baby.
2:10 That thing is *totally* metal!
Oh, wait, you meant construction. my bad.
Looks like something you'd see a prominent star wars character twirling around their finger.
I think a thicker, heavier steel block making up the forward "grip" (in addition to just giving it more of a forward grip) might make this slightly more feasible.
This is such an excellent channel. Thank you Ian
'they actually, remarkably, have a second one as well, from a different consigner'. is that a challenge for potential bidder to get both? *nudge nudge wink*
And what? Dual wheild?
@Sean Donovan I'd love to see this, but you'd better learn to reload with your mouth
I saw CA Arms in the thumbnail and knew it had to a long time ago. Saw the gun and knew it was obviously pre-NFA. There has not bern a handgun manufacturer here in Kalifornia that i know of since AMT folded up (late 90's i think). The new Automag manufacturing concern might be based here; i haven't confirmed that yet. But they will be making guns in very limited numbers. Ah, the good old days, when responsible citizens could be armed (and often were expected to be) without any licensure or permit system. This in some ways is better than a single shot 20 ga in a cane, although less discreet. I would think that 16 or 18 #4 buck pellets would do well. That is probably about what a 2.5" 20 ga shell would hold, if a 12 ga 2.75" holds 24-27. Anyway, great video as always. Thank you
you can buy pistol shotguns now...
The slots in the grip remind me of slots in the pistol grip of nerf blasters made to put a dart in
Its CA Arms or nothing
I'm not much of a gun person. But do I love seeing these weird, uncommon guns.
My postman would love that thang
Dude what does your postman have to deal with
The Warden He lives in Detroit or Chicago or Baltimore or L.A in the 90s etc etc.
Is that a reference to the courier from fallout nv lol
if your postman needs a shotgun in his pocket, tell him to go to the army navy surplus and get a russian flare gun
What kind of postman do you have?
Pistol shotguns were actually once quite popular in the UK for shooting virmin in confined spaces.
Especially in those large Victorian glasshouses where they'd usually opt for .410 or even 9mm Flobert, for obvious reasons.
In 1920 you could own this but now in 2018 in CA it's a deadly killing weapon. This thing could shoot thousands of rounds in a blink of an eye
Thanks to scaredy anti gun liberal politicians
Gary Allen, I think you’re stupid. That gun is only capable of firing 2 rounds at a time. Not thousands. It amazes how stupid some of y’all people can be🤦♂️
@@jmd_2319 You know that Cali's extreme gun-grabbing started under the states then-Republican government back in the 80s, right?
@@ToastyMozart yeah,sorry but I'm not from the States,so I don't know really
Y’all know this joke stopped being funny like 10 years ago, right?
I really like the design philosophy. Its functional, its beautiful, it is gorgeous!
Gun Jesus has blessed us again praise the sun
Yeah ! Revv up your solar compasses.
If only I could be so grossly in -candescent- tellectual
holes guns are convoluted in the land of forgotten weapons
Glyph "Ian blessed the rains down in Africa."
All Hail the Gun Jesus!!
The Defiance ShotGun Looks Like a sawed-off ShotGun.
RIP shinzo abe
Damn that is a really cool old gun. I love new guns...but so many times you guys come up with some really oddballs that blow the mind.
Am I the only one who thinks this screams "Fallout"?
If it was from Fallout 4, it would probably be bolt-action shotgun with pistol grip ;)
Wolf By Night Haven’t heard that name in a while, probably got assimilated into Caesars legion, as they should have been.
Yes
@@jerrell1169 probably got crucified in the name of the Caesar
Fixed it for you
For me IT screams:" MAKE ME A MOD!!!!"
I saw one of those on display at the William S Hart ranch in Newhall Ca. probably 50 years ago. at the time I thought it was the coolest gun ever made, I was about 12 years old so that should tell you something.
Hey look, it's the NES Zapper! :D
I would love a recreation. 20ga AOW/SBS in this format is pure Jefe vibes.
I would love to see a mod for this in new Vegas, it seems like a very fallout style special weapon
I like the spare shots in the grip, nice detail.
That gun just screams zombie movie.
Is zombiecool a word. That's what the look of this makes me think.
Although I've been clean for years, but I used to be a speedball aficionado. This firearm looks exactly like something one of my former dealers pulled out of a drop ceiling tile while showing me his collection.
He broke the cardinal rule of getting high on his own supply. I was a heroin guy and he liked coke. One day he was cleaning some off-brand revolver. Cleaning a loaded revolver. Cleaning a loaded revolver with his hand over the end of the barrel. Needless to say that his hand ended up making a great improvised suppressor. He also failed to realize if you show up to the emergency room with a gunshot wound they tend to ask questions. Not sure how many years he got for that stunt.
Seems like it was designed to have a grip and trigger assembly that mimics a Colt 1911.
Exactly what I thought. I figured they probably bought unfinished blanks and built the striker housing and barrel attachment on top.
Give it a pearl grip
That's the coolest pistol I've ever seen. I need one.
Half Pistol, Half Super Shotgun, All Demon Slayer.
looks like bioshock concept art. actually every weird gun looks like bioshock concept art
i just wanted to tell you guys i had a dream tonight where i built a .22 blowback pistol out of paper. It worked 🤗 well in the dream at least...
Were there bad guys in 50's cafe racer outfits, one with a wrench, and someone screaming "Take on me!" in the background?
Look up tacome1942. He's made a few functional firearms (with light loads) out of paper and glue.
@@mfree80286 no it was just me and a lot of paper :D
Man has a right to dream.:-)
Do you have the blueprints?
"Heavy is good, heavy is reliable... If it does not work you can always hit them with it."
-Boris the Blade-
Wouldn't the recoil from firing a 20 Gauge shell from a stockless design be kinda rough? Why not 410 instead?
Because 20 gauge aint shit. It's a shotgun gauge literally made for children. A .45 has more recoil force than a 20 gauge
Oh my, what a ludicrous idea for a firearm.
I'll take ten!
I'm sure the sawed off shotgun was still more economical back in the day
another sweet weapon, ian. keep up the great vids. love your work.
Kevin should have used this one in the original home alone movie.
This is it, don't get scared now
*BLAM* *BLAM* "Keep the change ya filthy animal!"
"It's Santa Claus, and his elf!"
I love the 1920s California made a double barrel sawed-off shotgun that would make Texas proud. Never saw that one coming
It looks just like the channell's logo 😁
Ians absolute favorite: A pistol grip only shotgun.
Looks like something from Star Wars
Or a post-apocalyptic weapon from Mad Max
Sounds like a good thing for home-defense (I wouldn't shoot it often because it probably isn't great for that...but for stopping a burglar or two (next to a revolver as a backup)? Yeah, sounds great!), not to mention that it simply looks cool :)
Seems like the folks at Californian Arms have seen the future of what California would become, I supposed.
@MagicMachineGun Yea, much unique and very interesting that gun lovers want to flee that state.
It fires gas and bullets and matches the era: This belongs to a Dieselpunk-era vigiante!
Short barrel shotgun pistol. This thing is so illegal to own here in the state it was made in, it's ridiculous
These all metal guns look so good.
I have never understood the reasoning behind a down for safe safety switch/lever, makes no sense to me.
It's probably for mechanical simplicity on this gun.
It’s also a bit easier to toggle the safety off when up is the fire position.
No doubt,easy to design and manufacture a downward pivoting trigger block. Also, easy to accidentally put in “safe”. I grew up shooting 1911’s so my thumb “for a safety lever any time I shoot anything with a pistol grip.
Stunning and futuristic.
Anti bandit gun... in san fransisco... the jokes write themselves
Butt bandits
Arse bandit.
Thank you Ian.
It's Kurt Cobain's concealed carry gun.
did he shoot himself with one of these? 😰
Earnest Hemingway too
* wince *
only if it's available in a heart shaped box
LMMFAO
It's so art deco. I love it!