The Rupertus Patent Pistol Manufacturing Company was founded in Philadelphia by Bavarian-born Jacob Rupertus. The company made a variety of derringers, pepperboxes, and revolvers and today we are looking at an 8-shot, .22 rimfire pepperbox patented by Rupertus in 1864. It’s a tiny civilian pocket gun, and one that seems to be well made and cleverly designed. The loading port is a rotary piece that prevents any accidental firing during the loading process and also ensures that the loading port cannot come open and let a loose cartridge jam the action when in use. About 3,000 of these guns were made in the mid to late 1860s.