Have you picked up / seen ...fired a Punt Gun?

TXAZ · June 11, 2016, 12:28 AM

I'm reading about punt guns which were apparently an 1860-1920's weapon used wo drop a a large number of birds at once. The barrel was up to 2" diameter.
Has anyone here ever held one? I understand most were mounted on small boats ("punts") but apparently there were some that were shoulder fired.

Blindstitch · June 11, 2016, 12:43 AM

I thought they used one on a show like Mythbusters but i'm not sure. Big guns, lots of shot and if you done your job right lots of whatever was in the way.

Virginian · June 11, 2016, 07:00 AM

Used to see them at East Coast waterfowl shows regularly. They were black powder guns. There is a group in England that still builds and shoots them - they are still legal there. One guy had a YouTube video about building one.

dahermit · June 11, 2016, 07:22 AM

Used by market hunters to shoot into waterfowl floating in large flocks (rafting), resting on the water. Many would be killed, many only wounded would escape. I have never seen one in person, but have seen many photos of them over the years.

aarondhgraham · June 11, 2016, 08:15 AM

There are a few at the J. M. Davis gun museum.

Just a big clunky black powder shotgun,,,
Nothing elegant or pretty about them at all.

Aarond

.

T. O'Heir · June 11, 2016, 12:38 PM

"...an 1860-1920's weapon..." No market hunting in the 1920's. Banned in 1918.
A punt gun was basically a swivel cannon fired off the front of a row boat(a punt boat). Joe Salter is listing a flinter, 73" long, punt gun at $2395.

Pahoo · June 12, 2016, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Has anyone here ever held one?

Have seen one and not likely that you or I want to hold it. Ones of my wife's relatives has on, in his garage as well as pictures of his relatives in a boat with this big bore. The boat has a cutout at the nose of the bow, where it was mounted. It was used in the back-waters of the Mississippi river. .....

Now, don't forget the older large gauge SxS. .....

Be Safe !!!

JWT · June 12, 2016, 01:08 PM

Have seen several of them. All too big to shoulder. Not sure I'd want to 'ignite' one of them. The recoil and muzzle blast would have to be very strong.

Deja vu · July 4, 2016, 04:52 PM

I shot a black powder version that was pretty common inside forts in the old west. It was mounted on a swivel and stuck into the ground. I believe it was a 4 bore. The shells where very impressive.

It was very fun but too heavy to carry into the field... I Would guess it weighed close to 40-50 LBS.

natman · July 4, 2016, 07:19 PM

A real punt gun is more of a small cannon than a shotgun and is far too heavy to shoot from the shoulder. Here's an example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7FeeamC4qk

CaptainChaos · July 5, 2016, 01:21 AM

There was a facinating thread on a UK forum, several years ago. The chap built his own punt *and* punt gun.

If you intend to read the whole thread, make a cup of tea first; the thread is very long.

Here's a link but the photos seemed to have "disappeared" (at least for *me*):

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/foru...t-and-punt-gun

Regards,

Mark.

FITASC · July 5, 2016, 07:03 AM

Like these examples?

Arizona Fusilier · July 5, 2016, 06:58 PM

I was starting to think"swivel gun" as I read this thread.

June 11, 2016, 12:28 AM	#1
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	Have you picked up / seen ...fired a Punt Gun? I'm reading about punt guns which were apparently an 1860-1920's weapon used wo drop a a large number of birds at once. The barrel was up to 2" diameter. Has anyone here ever held one? I understand most were mounted on small boats ("punts") but apparently there were some that were shoulder fired. __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

June 11, 2016, 07:00 AM	#3
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	Used to see them at East Coast waterfowl shows regularly. They were black powder guns. There is a group in England that still builds and shoots them - they are still legal there. One guy had a YouTube video about building one. __________________ What could have happened... did.

June 11, 2016, 08:15 AM	#5
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	There are a few at the J. M. Davis gun museum,,, There are a few at the J. M. Davis gun museum. Just a big clunky black powder shotgun,,, Nothing elegant or pretty about them at all. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

June 11, 2016, 12:38 PM	#6
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...an 1860-1920's weapon..." No market hunting in the 1920's. Banned in 1918. A punt gun was basically a swivel cannon fired off the front of a row boat(a punt boat). Joe Salter is listing a flinter, 73" long, punt gun at $2395. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

July 4, 2016, 04:52 PM	#9
Deja vu Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2010 Location: Border of Idaho & Montana Posts: 2,584	I shot a black powder version that was pretty common inside forts in the old west. It was mounted on a swivel and stuck into the ground. I believe it was a 4 bore. The shells where very impressive. It was very fun but too heavy to carry into the field... I Would guess it weighed close to 40-50 LBS. __________________ Shot placement is everything! I would rather take a round of 50BMG to the foot than a 22short to the base of the skull. all 26 of my guns are 45/70 govt, 357 mag, 22 or 12 ga... I believe in keeping it simple. Wish my wife did as well...

June 11, 2016, 12:43 AM	#2
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,693	I thought they used one on a show like Mythbusters but i'm not sure. Big guns, lots of shot and if you done your job right lots of whatever was in the way.

June 11, 2016, 07:22 AM	#4
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	Used by market hunters to shoot into waterfowl floating in large flocks (rafting), resting on the water. Many would be killed, many only wounded would escape. I have never seen one in person, but have seen many photos of them over the years.

June 12, 2016, 01:08 PM	#8
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Southern Arizona Posts: 3,888	Have seen several of them. All too big to shoulder. Not sure I'd want to 'ignite' one of them. The recoil and muzzle blast would have to be very strong.

July 4, 2016, 07:19 PM	#10
natman Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2008 Posts: 2,607	A real punt gun is more of a small cannon than a shotgun and is far too heavy to shoot from the shoulder. Here's an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7FeeamC4qk

July 5, 2016, 01:21 AM	#11
CaptainChaos Member Join Date: November 8, 2011 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 49	There was a facinating thread on a UK forum, several years ago. The chap built his own punt and punt gun. If you intend to read the whole thread, make a cup of tea first; the thread is very long. Here's a link but the photos seemed to have "disappeared" (at least for me): http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/foru...t-and-punt-gun Regards, Mark.

July 5, 2016, 07:03 AM	#12
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	Like these examples? __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

July 5, 2016, 06:58 PM	#13
Arizona Fusilier Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2000 Posts: 1,082	I was starting to think"swivel gun" as I read this thread.