Double Barrel

The Double Barrel, manufactured by Bally in 1947, is a fascinating example of the pre-flipper era of pinball. This flipperless, single-player electro-mechanical game offered five balls for five cents, and it could be operated in either novelty or replay mode. Bally documentation indicates the game was released to engineering in January 1946, though the earliest advertisements found in Billboard and Cash Box date to February 1947.

The Double Barrel's design features a hunting theme, with red and green passive bumpers on either side of the playfield, each set numbered from 1 to 6 from top to bottom. Thirteen passive bumpers, seven kick-out holes, and a time clock make up the scoring landscape. Bally also briefly described a "Super Field" feature involving a semi-captive ball kicked between six vertical numbered holes, though the exact mechanics remain unclear from surviving documentation.

There is no clear information available on the Double Barrel's designer, and its place within Bally's history remains somewhat obscure. Nevertheless, as a late flipperless game released on the very eve of the flipper revolution, it offers a glimpse into the final days of pinball's original form.