Matchlock pistol with plaque

[Tengu1957]

I just bought a late Edo matchlock pistol. It's unusual and pretty ornate. It has this plaque on the side of the stock. Can anyone help with the translation or a general idea of what it's about. Thank you in advance. 

[Brian]

Was watching that one carefully on Gunbroker. I think it went a little high. Certainly interesting. I think there is something missing in the trigger mechanism.
I had already asked 2 members here about it. A regular language expert here could read the kanji, but they didn't come together as anything he could interpret. Most likely a poem in the Chinese style.
The other member, a matchlock expert said he thinks it is very late Edo or newer than that.
I thought it intriguing. Didn't want to post it here in case members were already having a go. I like it...auto opening pan too. Let's see what the members think.

[Bugyotsuji]

That was my feeling about the writing too. Some kind of four-character per line verse, Chinese originally, but written in a funky Japanese hand. Not confident enough to say anything, I kept schtum.

 

As to the pistol itself, certainly unusual, but I objected to some of the seller's wording. My immediate feeling is that the wooden stock and butt look 'new'. The barrel could well be original, but just that one side view is not enough for me to judge. 

[Tengu1957]

I won't get it in hand until next week. Like most things it's necessary to see it in your hand before judging it. I'm a collector , not an expert so that is part of the process at times to take a chance and see how it proves out. I had a friend who once had a osuriage sword that had been submitted 3 times to the NHK and was deemed an osuriage shinto sword , a osuriage sue koto sword , and lastly a gendai. A mutual friend of ours who had a relationship with the NBTHK submitted it for him and it was awarded Tokubetsu Hozon to a Kamakura Jidai school and invited to challenge for Juyo which it eventually received. If you eliminate nefarious intent it seems it's not always apparent even to experts what something is so I look forward to the process of finding out. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Please let us know what you discover, Gary. There seems to be plenty on offer to examine. 

[Tengu1957]

What looks like a trigger is for the cord , it feeds back into the handle and out the side. To shoot the gun you have to cock the Hibasami and while holding the handle in your right hand....take your left which is supporting it and pull the Rabbit. It then flips the pan open and touches the cord to the priming powder. It's all old and quite unusual. I've never see this kind of semi automated firing mechanism. 

[Tengu1957]