Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a firearm; also attrib.

1903		A. Adams Log of a Cowboy (1964) 33: The man on leaving had given me his gun for company, one of these old smoke-pole, cap-and-ball six-shooters.
1929		M.A. Gill Und. Sl. 11/1: Smoke pole, gun.
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 174: Smoke Pole. – A pistol or revolver.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1954		(con. 1940s) E. Lambert Veterans 163: ‘Here, lend us your smoke-pole.’ Robbie gave him his rifle.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 818: smoke pole – A pistol or revolver.
1979		E. Wigginton Ironmaking, Blacksmithing, Flintlock Rifles [etc.] 246: Most of this is released at the muzzle of a smoke pole in the form of powder smoke.
2006		G. Paulsen Rifle 105: Tilson read an article in a gun magazine, entitled ‘Don’t Shun That Old Smoke-pole,’ about shooting with black powder.

2. (N.Z.) a cigarette.

2003

McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl.