Posted on 02/16/2013 7:29:35 AM PST by DogByte6RER
A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
A single shot could kill over 50 waterfowl resting on the water’s surface. The hunter would maneuver the entire boat in order to aim the gun.
In the United States, this practice depleted stocks of wild waterfowl and by the 1860s most states had banned the practice.
“Since Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 there has been a punt gun salute every Coronation and Jubilee in Cowbit, Lincolnshire, England”
- Wikipedia
More background ...
Punt guns:
http://iaaforum.org/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2988
Wildfowlers bring out the big guns for celebration:
Clever gif...: )
Some were used as anti-tank guns in the later part of The Great War (WWI)
There is a back country highway south of Salinas CA that has an 8 gauge shotgun hanging on the wall, the gal behind the counter says it prevents trouble, and then I asked her when was the last time she bought ammo for it, because from what I recall the last 8 gauge shells were sold around the 1920’s.
With the right loads and composite materials there could be a resurgence of punt guns to counter drones.
ping
That gif is SO stolen!
It makes for a nice side trip from travels in the Baltimore/DC area, and while you're there you can also check out the Concord Point Lighthouse, one of the oldest lighthouses in continuous use on the east coast, situated right at the point where (based on salinity), the Susquehanna River technically turns into the Chesapeake Bay. Lots of good crab restaurants there too!
These were also used on the Chesapeake Bay to provide the waterfowl for the resturants in NY and DC
/johnny
Well I don't know if a mag-fed 20mm could be called a punt gun, but I bet it could knock some things down:
Re the 1st image. Where the heck are they? Looks like DC.
To make women's HATS!
Michener’s “Chesapeake” has a good section about punt gun hunting geese on the Bay.
I think they still make 8gauge shells.
They use them, or at least did use them, for breaking up balls of cement in the kilns.
Could there be anything left of the bird? Who would want to buy a bunch of feathers and gore?
First thing I thought when I saw those pictures.
Yep, saw one at the backend of a cement kiln in Oklahoma. It was tripod mounted and impressive.
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