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Punt Gun

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Feltwad,

When I still lived over there, both BAGBI and BASC were active, and I was a member of both.
Snowdon Sleights was something of a celebrity. Frank Southgate painted his picture, didn't he?
A book was written by Sidney H Smith in 1912 called Snowden Slights Wildfowler .I understand that the author and Snowden were good friends the author also did the photographs in the book
Feltwad
 
Gordie,If that Punt was Mikes at the Norfolk show where MGP & I Sold MLAGB Overseas fund raffle tickets the third down is my 10b Twigg.
No Selby Game Fair 2008 the third gun down is a 10 bore by Stevenson bought it at Nottingham Arms fair many moons ago
Feltwad
 
market hunting was a way of life along the Illinois river . most say it was outlawed because it decimated waterfowl . locals will tell you waterfowl numbers were fine , until they started to drain wetlands,for farming , and Chicago started dumping their industrial and raw sewage into the Illinois river . for a beautifull come back story , look up the emiquon on youtube .
 

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market hunting was a way of life along the Illinois river . most say it was outlawed because it decimated waterfowl . locals will tell you waterfowl numbers were fine , until they started to drain wetlands,for farming , and Chicago started dumping their industrial and raw sewage into the Illinois river . for a beautifull come back story , look up the emiquon on youtube .
It was just the same here in the UK mostly the draining of the fens for agriculture although there has been an improvement in the rivers most punt gunning today is done in the estuary's and certain area of the coast
Feltwad .
 
GOD those RELY GIGANTIC WEAPONES, were HUGE! can't imagine ever putting that BEAST up against my shoulder???
 
TOOTS, If you blow up the R/H image on WEITZFC'S post you will see there is a rope from the gun breach to the bow of the punt Called a breaching rope this side and usually well stretched hemp. Never New. All the stretch must have been taken out .This took the recoil Not the gunners shoulder. NEVER EVER TRY NYLON OR SYNTHETICS. QED..
OLD DOG..
 
GOD those RELY GIGANTIC WEAPONES, were HUGE! can't imagine ever putting that BEAST up against my shoulder???

If you put the gun to your shoulder you would have had a nasty headache the rope is fastened to the trunnions on the side of the barrel when fired on open water the recoil would move the punt back in the water for a good 7 to 10 yards
Feltwad
 
I think it may have been in his book Chesapeake, that James Michener described some youngsters getting a cheap boat and cheap punt gun to go into the market hunting business. When they propped the gun against the transom and fired the butt went through the dry rotted transome and left two young men to make a very cold swim home.
 
I believe that I posted up-thread, "Don't forget to take your step ladder." I can't image any other way to load them.
The gun is loaded when in the punt by a scoop which is screwed onto the end of the ramrod {see image} to load after a shot the punt is paddled to a shallow place or a bank or sand bar. The scoop which is shaped is filled with powder an entered down the barrel when it reaches the bottom it is then turned over and the opposite end is given a sharp knock with the palm of your hand this deposits the powder next to breech. The ramrod is then withdrawn and the scoop is dismantled from the ramrod the powder is rammed with the wads and the scoop is then filled with shot and entered the same has the powder and finished the load with a thick wad
Feltwad
Notice the copper scoop on the ramrod
 
Compare wall piece to goose gun. Same 6 bore, the goose is about 6" shorter in the barrel and horrible to shoot :confused:
6bore.jpg
 
I saw one somwhere near Rock Hall Maryland 7-8 years ago in a museum kinda place in a state park. That thing was huge. Person there said it would take out an entire flock of geese/ducks. I don't doubt it.
 
greenswalde, sorta like the stretch taken out of a hangman's rope! thanks for bringing it to my attention, didn't see the rope. know I know the rest of the story.
 
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