This 7mm Belgian needle fire breech loading pistol would have been used for target shooting in one’s parlor, presumably on rainy days.
This particular example has the ‘needle’ like long narrow metal firing pin is broken, a common problem in needle fire designs.
It would have used a low power cartridge for the purpose of indoor shooting. This design is one of many that enabled the historical fad.
Royal Armouries Video: [13:27]
That’s a wacky pistol! Thanks for sharing. I learned something new today.