The Punt Gun

[B.Habermehl]

There is a interesting book that touches on the use of punt and battery guns on the Chesapeake. The title is The outlaw gunner, by Walsh. It tells the tales of the market gunning years on the bay. BJH

 

[demonwolf444]

http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/758

Really interesting 20 minute film of punt gunning in the UK from beginnings to recent times. Allow time for it to load but these archive films are a real insight.

 

[Artie Peltier]

That is a great book! I’ve had a copy for years. It’s an excellent history on market hunting and the photos of the guns and equipment are fantastic! After knowing how they hunted it’s amazing there are any ducks left.

 

[DickS]

Not true punt guns, but the large single shot smoothbores used in Newfoundland (aka Sealing guns)were used in a punt gun like manner. These were made in flint as well as percussion, plain work guns, often with a dog catch. Bore about 7/8". Often a hole was drilled laterally through the butt, and a loop worked though it. This was secured by a line to the gunwale of the dory, would help control recoil. Seals and seabirds were the quarry. Chap I worked with years ago had seen them used. Loading procedure was simple. A fired 12 ga. shell was used as a measure. Shell full of powder, oakum for wadding, shell measure full of shot, more oakum.
Perhaps the last use of these guns was firing salutes at outport weddings.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Good morning ****,
Very interesting you know about these "Sealing guns".
Can you show or send me photos of any.
(If you PM me, I can give you my email)
I have a lock that Joe P. thinks is from a sealing gun. I picked it up back in the UK, and it is Rough!
It is about 9 " long and a dog-lock, but with a brazed on bridle for the pan, as if updated.
I can just make out a "W" on the lock plate, so may be a Ketland but Very old and Very pitted.
I had thought about stocking it up, but wondered what it should look like.
Can you tell me if shot was also used for seals? For some reason. I'd thought that seals would be killed with a ball, and that a large calibre wouldn't be needed. (More like the Finnish sealing guns)
Thanks for your post, and look forward to hearing more. I found very little info doing internet searches.

Very best,
Richard.

 

[DickS]

I do not have a photo of one, but they turn up from time to time on the collector's market. Surviving specimens are often in rough condition - hard use and salt spray take a toll. Some look like big shotguns, others are more purpose built and quite rudimentary, no trigger guard, etc. Offhand, the only photo I can think of is in The Museum of the Fur Trade's trade gun book.
Shot would have been used. Only a seal's head is visible - think about hitting a bobbing grapefruit while shooting from a moving boat.
A friend's favorite gun for sealing from a boat was a 12 bore single with a 36" barrel and a magnum load of AAA buckshot. Rifles are used successfully, of course. Seals aren't hard to kill, but the shooting can be challenging.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

Thank you for the informative reply, ****.
I believe the Finns shot seals on the ice often, so a different way would dictate a different arrangement.

Thanks again,
Richard.

 

[DickS]

Seal hunting on the ice is very different. Sometimes the seal is approached using a tiluaq, a white screen, not unlike a square kite. Hole in the center, rifle can be rested using the crossed sticks. A seal will be lying very close to its hole. If it is not killed outright, it will be down the hole and lost.

 

[BrownBear]

Lotta seal hunting on the water up here among the native folks. Some pretty astounding shots, all of them. Head shots only from boats with modern rifles, but with a knack to it. Wanna hit them from the side at least or better yet from behind, and never from the front. Evidently a front shot throws their head back and expels the air from their lungs and they sink quicker than you can get there with a gaff to retrieve them. Distance for recovery determines shooting distance, though from what I've seen they could hit them lots further than they do.