Thank you very much for your opinion, PM.
I've met with mentions of three such guns in African books. The suggested use was life protection in case of a lion or leopard charge. I haven't met a description of an actual use of such a handgun in a life-threatening situation, though.
5 drams seem to be a bit too much for a single-hand weapon; besides, wouldn't such charge of black powder not burn completely in such a short barrel?
I also wonder whether the velocity, provided the charge is light enough to ensure accurate shooting, was high enough to make the gun powerful enough for intended purpose.
