Thanks, you pretty much confirmed my thoughts; although having just watched "Ghost..." I can confirm it was percussion not flintlock. Yeah the folding bayonet did make me scratch my head to its true link to a purpose built Howdah pistol.

That being said, Im more of the opinion that few such guns were actually built specifically as Howdah pistols, over say, general self defense guns, that might have been pressed into the Howdah role.

I suspect the later guns (as in well in to the age of cartridge guns), which continued to be built as double/multiple barreled large (really large) caliber guns were likely less for self defense against two legged animals and more for four legged dangers.

Awhile back, I passed on a percussion smooth bore double barrel pistol in 45cal because I thought it too small to be a Howdah. Now Im looking at a 50+ caliber gun and Im feeling the same way and yet Im reminded of a poster repeatedly seen in the X Files TV show with the caption "I want to believe..."