Were punt guns repurposed firearms of bygone giants. The punt guns barrel was so long and heavy that some required help. William doyle has written or cowritten seven books, including pt 109. Greener 1910 says that the usual punt gun of that day weighed about 100 pounds and was 1 12 bore firing a brass shell seven inches long, loaded with a pound and a half of shot. This ad is for the pictured antique westley richards 4 bore punt gun. A puntgun should never be discharged unless you are absolutely certain, right up to the very moment of firing, that it is correct so to do. Kyle wintersteen offers a few ways to combat it, with these five mustread books for the duck hunter. Burton in wirral published in 1984 and neston 18401940 in 1996 are now out of print, but are available in neston library. This leads me to wonder the coincidence of early 1800s napoleonic wars, war of 1812, year without a summer, etc being the era when punt guns are said to enter usage. A very large flintlock shotguncalled a punt gun because it was mounted to a punt, or small boatused for hunting flocks of waterfowl. This gun has remained in very good condition considering all the use it has seen over the years as a working market gun.
A punt gun, used for duck hunting but were banned because they depleted stocks of wild fowl, 19101920. Of the three bland was the only firm who persevered with the design and produced the gun in all sizes up to a massive 4 bore which saw use in india and africa. Aug 28, 2017 the ridiculously oversized punt gun today i found out. An illustrated history of military, sporting, and antique firearms. Wildfowl and wildfowl shooting with shotgun and punt gun. The market hunting era that started in the early 1800s was big business for the chesapeake bay region of maryland. The adventure and social history of puntgunning began around 1814, when lt. The punt gun s barrel was so long and heavy that some required help. The gun had been so powerful it decimated duck populations, and the government was trying to rectify the problem. A punt gun as illustrated in science and mechanics magazine in october 1911. Cochybonddu books are leading international dealers in new and outofprint books on angling, game shooting, sporting dogs and falconry. The official history of the punt gun leads to questions corresponding to. Field guns were also made by greener of birmingham and green of cheltenham.
Possible books, weapons and musical instruments of. Wild fowl punt gun decoy ducks acknowledged expert country books field sport decoys engravings treatise fowler daylight sailing. Joint exhibition with the contemporary in baltimore. The official history of the punt gun leads to questions corresponding to other topics discussed here. Instead, they were usually mounted to small, often flat bottomed, boats known as punts. There were certainly early muzzleloading punt guns, but they were eventually made with one or another breechloading action. The geezer in the hat and the little green boat is norfolk boatyard proprieter nigel royall.
It provides practical tips on buying the right gun for restoration, and gives an honest. Mar 17, 2008 at the back of many a gun cabinet lurks a neglected old shotgun. I also have an original sign that is in some of the photos and tells the info of the gun. During its long history, the shotgun has been favored by bird hunters, guards, and law enforcement officials. They hunted in the spring and in the fall, there were no bag limits, they used live decoys ducks and fed ducks grain. American hunter five mustread books for the duck hunter. Our prime purpose is to study and research local history, and our research work has resulted in a number of books, smaller publications and exhibitions.
It could kill over 50 birds at once and was banned in the late 1860s. The book by the same name, by john richards and artist julian novorol, is a history of puntgunning and bigbore shooting over the uks rivers and estuaries in the 19th and 20th centuries. Used, rare 1988 reprint of 1958 the gun punt adven. A punt gun should never be discharged unless you are absolutely certain, right up to the very moment of firing, that it is correct so to do. The punt gun was a custombuilt, enormous shotgun used in the 19th and 20th centuries. This leads me to wonder the coincidence of early 1800s napoleonic wars, war of 1812, year without a summer, etc being the era when punt guns are. From the invention of gunpowder more than 1,000 years ago in china to the latest metal storm firing system with electronic ignition, the great book of guns presents a historical approach to the development of firearms and their place in world events. It is this time every year when the struggle with duck depression beginsa battle wingshooters will wage until falls glorious return ushers in a new waterfowl season. Recently, rgc was contracted to build a replica punt gun what is a punt gun you aska punt gun is essentially a large percussion shotgun used to commercially harvest ducks and geese. Hunting waterfowl became the answer for many trying to make a living and this.
A punt gun, used for duck hunting but were banned because. It is in fact remarkably easy to miss with a punt gun, as chronicled in many books on the sport, although perhaps hard to understand by those who have not tried their hand at it. An illustrated history of military, sporting, and antique firearms mcnab, chris on. Aside from its meat, they hunt ducks to supply the demand for feathers, which they used to adorn womens hats.
Chivers about the ak47 rifle and its variants, and the impact they have had on the world. These weapons are characteristically too large for an individual to fire from the shoulder or often carry by themselves, but unlike artillery pieces, punt guns are able to be aimed and fired by a single man from a mount. Wildfowl and wildfowl shooting with shotgun and punt gun by. This entry was posted in airgun design, airgun history project, big bore airguns, collecting. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. Milgates punt is built with just three sheets of 10mm 38. A punt gun, used for duck hunting but were banned because they.
A punt gun, in essence, was an exceptionally large muzzleloading shotgun, weighing as. A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl for commercial harvesting operations and private sport. Punt gun, as named by market hunters for game birds in the chesapeake area. May 08, 2018 between 1900 and 1918, a series of federal laws were enacted that effectively outlawed the punt gun, along with punt boats. Thomas bland punt gun measures this is a scarce pair of original thomas bland fixed measures for a punt gun, they are huge.
Rare 1988 reprint of 1958the gun punt adventure contents are very clean with a tight bindingwe all like a tight binding. The punt gun was so powerful, it was banned for being too. A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl. From flintlocks through yellowboy leveractions, this collection includes early american fort guns, market guns, military guns, and the great sixshooter equalizers of the west. I scanned the article and also ordered sir ralph paynegallweys book on the punt gun. Read country books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Antique firearms from flintlocks through yellowboy leveractions, this collection includes early american fort guns, market guns, military guns, and the great sixshooter equalizers of the west. Recently, rgc was contracted to build a replica punt gunwhat is a punt gun you aska punt gun is essentially a large percussion shotgun used to commercially harvest ducks and geese. My cousin has a old 2 or 4 gauge punt gun in his garage. The punt gun could discharge over a pound of shot at a time that could kill as many as 50 birds. Shotguns and similar weapons are simpler than longrange rifles, and were developed earlier. According to eunan ohalpins book defending ireland, a local defence force unit of the irish army in co.
This absurdly long punt gun could discharge a pound of shot each time it was fired. A single shot from a punt gun could annihilate as many as 50 birds. Obviously the weapon was too large to handwield and instead was mounted on a long, narrow flatbottomed boat called a punt. A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for. Aug 14, 2019 the authors had access to paynegallweys diaries, which included descriptions of his expeditions and his role in building a 1. Mar 18, 2017 the market hunting era that started in the early 1800s was big business for the chesapeake bay region of maryland.
Between 1900 and 1918, a series of federal laws were enacted that effectively outlawed the punt gun, along with punt boats. Today, punt guns are a novelty item, with less than 100 in use around the world. Manufacturers include henry, sharps, spencer, winchester, volcanic, remingtion and more. A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl for commercial harvesting operations.
Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. There is even a record of one shot that killed 90 birds simultaneously. The punt gun emerged during this period as a commercial way to hunt waterfowl. This book will encourage its owner to bring it back into service. Gun timeline historical timeline of the development of modern weapons starting at 64 with the first recorded use of a firearm and ending in 1892 with. A punt gun, used for duck hunting but were banned because they depleted stocks of wild fowl, 19101920 a punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl for commercial harvesting operations. It could only be fired from a punt, a type of small boat. The book comprises a short natural history of british wildfowl and complete and comprehensive directions in shooting wildfowl on the coast and inland with shotgun and punt gun. The gun is a nonfiction book written by journalist c.
An american epic of war, survival, and the destiny of john f. The worlds largest shotgun aka punt gun measures long, has a barrel and can fire. The punt gun was a large, heavy handgun made to shoot ducks. The guns were especially favored by market hunters. All episodes from the ten series of bbcs radio show punt pi. We carry a wide range of fishing, sporting and countryside books, and try to supply any book that you need, in or outofprint.
Hunters aimed the gun by maneuvering the boat into. This book is a wonderful read packed with anecdotes and is the first indepth history of wildfowling in the 19th and 20th centuries. Legislated out of existence in 1918, these guns were used to blast sitting ducks, and get a whole passel of them in one shot. The famous red baron, who was a feared fighter pilot in wwi is seen here with his dog in 1916. The ridiculously oversized punt gun today i found out. These large sized punt guns are rare in this kind of condition.
If utilizing a punt gun sounds like a dangerous propositionfiring an. The club existed in the golden age of waterfowling 1875 to 1945. Following is a bit about the rifle which is being produced entirely in england and has british proof. It is in fact remarkably easy to miss with a puntgun, as chronicled in many books on the sport, although perhaps hard to understand by those who have not tried their hand at it. Peter hawkers book instructions to young sportsmen gave the first detailed advice on wildfowling. Michener details the historical use of a punt gun, called the twombly, to. When you search the military artifacts for sale on and find something that interests you, you can click on the item of interest and get plenty of detailed information about the antique militaria. Before i started and throughout the punt build i had been looking out for a punt gun that i could purchase and use on my punt.
First of all what do punt guns have to do with airguns. The shotgun has fallen in and out of favor with military forces several times in its long history. Designed to be fired from a punt a small skiff boat, punt guns were intended to kill large. A beautiful, fullyillustrated volume, vintage guns offers expert advice on collecting guns and restoring them to firing conditionon a reasonable budget. A man with a punt gun, a type of large shotgun used for duck hunting. Gun timeline historical timeline of the development of modern weapons starting at 64 with the first recorded use of a firearm and ending in 1892 with the introduction of automatic handguns. It covers the origins of the design, its invention and distribution, and the consequences of the patterns spread around the world. Horrifying old gun killed 90 birds at once mashable. Professional hunters designed these weapons to shoot large numbers of waterfowl. Search the history of over 411 billion web pages on the internet.
The shooting field with holland and holland by peter king london gun firearms maker trade by king, peter noye by d j penn, keeper of weapons in the imperial war museum holland and holland related and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. They were also responsible for the manufacturing of the field patent gun. This photo shows one of the most unusual inventions of the 19th century, an extremely large shotgun which was designed for mass hunting waterfowl, known as a punt gun. As you would expect the powder measure is larger than the shot. Most of the old punt guns were black powder firearms which usually arent subject to current gun laws.
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