Purpose of a traditions blunderbuss

[Howie1968]

I've been looking at these for awhile..in all honestly what. Purpose would the have? It's only 54 caliber. Would it be ok for buckshot? A short range hunter? Or just something to shoot. I've seen a couple kits that people done and they turned out great any advice will be appreciated

 

[Zonie]

You should be able to shoot shot, buckshot or a solid ball out of it.
Of course, being able to aim it might be a bit of a problem because of the flared muzzle so it's more of a point and shoot gun.

As they say, there's different strokes for different folks but I really don't see any good reason to own one of them. There's nothing it can do that a more normal smoothbore can't do better and it's not a very good reproduction of an actual blunderbuss.

In case you didn't know, that flared muzzle does not spread the shot when the gun fires so it's pattern will be about the same as a regular cylinder bore shotgun.

 

[Howie1968]

Thank you Mr. Zone the way I understand the flared b a real acts as a funnel

 

[Dave Marsh]

Jeez, I guess I did not realize but probably should have that the pattern would be the same as a regular cylinder bore shotgun!!! So what is the purpose of the flared muzzle. Scare someone to death. I have not had a desire to own one and for sure now I will never.

Dave

 

[denster]

Jeez, I guess I did not realize but probably should have that the pattern would be the same as a regular cylinder bore shotgun!!! So what is the purpose of the flared muzzle. Scare someone to death. I have not had a desire to own one and for sure now I will never.

Dave

They were originally used as coach guns and on board ships. The funneled muzzle was to facilitate loading under less than ideal conditions.

 

[jdw276]

They were originally used as coach guns and on board ships. The funneled muzzle was to facilitate loading under less than ideal conditions.

And castle gate guards firearms. Hurt mutiple attackers. I believe.

 

[Zonie]

I agree that the reason for the flared muzzle was to help in loading the gun. Especially under unfavorable conditions like traveling down a road in a bouncing coach or wagon or while sitting high in the rigging or on a yardarm of a ship but I am also sure there was a psychological reason of causing people to think the shot pattern would be wide. This would be especially useful for someone who was on guard duty.
I've seen photos of some blunderbuss that have an elliptical muzzle with the small dimension of the ellipse in the top to bottom direction and the wide dimension in the side to side direction. Obviously they were made to give the idea that the shot pattern would follow the shape of the muzzle making a very wide but not tall spread of the shot. An elliptical muzzle also gives a person who the gun is being pointed at the idea that the thing is aimed at you even though you might be standing to the side of where the gun was pointed.

 

[Coot]

I have seen an original with a barrel thick enough at the muzzle to be engraved on the end - it read "SEE ME AND FLEE" Ease of loading and intimidation were the purpose of the flared muzzle.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

If you want a bunderbluss, there are other ways. .54 is too small for a real blunderbuss, and the Traditions looks very little like a real one. It’s going to cost you though, so if you absolutely have to have a bunderbluss, and don’t so much care for historical authentitude, and don’t mind a small bore, it is an option.

A smoothbore fowler is more useful for sure.

 

[rickystl]

Although this 11 gauge custom is a blast to shoot with 10 .32 caliber balls, it's short barrel will not pattern out past about 15 yards. But patterns well at 7 yards. So as mentioned above, there is no real practical use for one today.
Historically, along with the coaching and ship boarding mentioned above, they remained popular in areas of Europe as a personal protection weapon they could hide under a cloak. Especially in Spain where they continued to make them well into the percussion period.

Rick

 

[tenngun]

The ballad Willy Brennan from Irish lore tells.Brennan was an outlaw but was arrested. Taken to town he sees his wife . He ask her for money to have while in jail.
‘Now Brennan’s wife had went to town
Provisions for to buy
And when she saw he Willy she commenced to weep and cry
He said ‘hand to me a ten penny’
As soon as Willy spoke
She handed him a blunderbuss
Form underneath her cloak’
With he he relieved the sheriff of his gold and could escape to the hills.

 

[Zonie]

You forgot to add:

"
Oh it's Brennan on the Moor, Brennan on the Moor
Oh brave and undaunted was young Brennan on the Moor "

One of my favorite folk songs.

 

[Howie1968]

thank you men, I think ill save my money to utilize anoher shotgun. ill have my second sxs shotgun next week

 

[Mad Michael]

Couldn't pass this one up. In today's world you don't own one to go out and shoot ducks with, or to go hunting, or even for home defense. You own it because it looks neat and is fun to shoot and wow your hiverano's with. That being said. They were used as coach guns and deck gun and probably poaching. Not all of them had belled muzzle's, the bell was so they could be reloaded rapidly on a bouncing coach or heaving deck. toss in the powder, throw in some wadding then what every you are using for projectile(s), prime, fire. I have read that, while they could be used after you had been boarded, the main nautical use was in the event of unrest among the crew and the threat of mutiny. Don't know if it's true. Again, allegedly they could use anything for projectiles. I have shot pennys, dimes, rivet burrs out of mine. have avoided things like screws, horseshoe nails, anything with a sharp edge. Put a round ball in one and well, I'm pretty sure that's where the idea for the congreave rocket came from, seems like I always end up in a different place than I started from whenever I've been foolish enough to do such......Yea, that's all tongue in cheek. Why dimes you ask? Blast them out over a field and it gives young kids at rendezvous and other shooting events something to look for, kind of an easter egg hunt.
yea they call me Mad for a reason.
sorry Denster and Zonie didn't notice you'd already covered this.

 

[kingsax26]

"Not all of them had belled muzzle's"

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the flared muzzle the defining characteristic of a BlunderBuss??? So if a blunderbuss doesn't have a flared muzzle, then what is it? a canoe gun?

 

[Mad Michael]

Strictly speaking you are correct, I have seen them in Naval Museums with a straight tube and something resembling a giant hex nut on the front. No, not screwed on, just the shape. This not unlike the one found on this pistol picture give some reference to what I mean:

I tried to find the pictures I took, but since these wanderings predated digital, I haven't. Don't know if I came up with the idea it was used as a counter weight and a club on my own of it it was from some docent. Some versions of blunderbuss shaped guns were also identified as musketoon's