Strange Muzzleloaders (part 3)

[musketman]

Look what I dug up while digging around the WORLD WIDE cobWEB...

The Grave Robber Trap Gun... circa 1800

These trap guns were very unpopular with the intended victims, poachers and grave robbers. The guns were rented for a day or two, to protect the grave of a family member after the funeral from grave robbers. In the early 1800's, early Doctors (anatomists) would buy fresh bodies and there were many resurrection-men willing to steal the bodies. The gun was set up on a wooden base in a loose fitting hole allowing the gun to rotate. Three trip wires were spread out to encompass a rather small arc of a circle. The tightening of a line when a poacher tripped on it would swing the gun on target and then fire it.

The gun is 20.5 inches over all and is mounted on a drift wood base...

Lock is 6.25 inches long and markings not readable...

The .75 diameter bore barrel is wood covered to protect from weather... The barrel is 12.5 inches long with a .75 diameter bore and has a blunderbuss barrel end that is 1.75 inches in diameter.

In England, law was passed in 1827 forbidding the setting of these trap guns.

 

Been a long time since I've seen pictures of "That" piece. Thanks for beinging it back to memory. I can't even remember the book I saw them in - back in the late 60's or early 70's is when I sas it, I think.
: Set Guns, or Trap guns - That's when poaching was REALLY against the law - HA!- In those days, shot or ball through the legs was pretty much a death penalty.
Daryl

 

[Stumpkiller]

That's why Igor earns the big bucks.

You sure it wasn't rented by son-in-laws just in case "Ma" might'a dug her way out? Can't be too careful.

 

[AgesofDays]

having the barrel flared out like that ...what does that do or why is it made like that??

 

Looks horriblely deadly, but really only helps ease hitting the bore when loading. Belled muzzles(blunderbus') were very popular for a time for horsemen loading on the fly or for loading inside a rough riding carriage. It is easier to throw a ball into a large hole than a small one.
: They didn't flare the shot nor add innacuracy to a round ball. The flare was usually very shallow and didn't go far down the bore.
Daryl

 

[musketman]

The belled muzzle also looks intimidating, this makes the firearm look bigger than it really is...
:winking:
"Psychological warfare"