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
Yep, saw one at the backend of a cement kiln in Oklahoma. It was tripod mounted and impressive.
Friend of mine worked for a pipeline co. They had an 8 and a 10 they used for clearing tree limbs from power lines in remote locations.
Two lead balls connected together by a piece of cable.
3 inch limb wasn’t any problem.
That would cut a man right in half.
My grandfather born circa 1870-1876(No one was sure)told of using similar guns. The gun in question had about a two inch wide barrel and was planted in the ground pointing straight up as no one could put it to the shoulder. When the birds flew over the gun it was fired by a string. If my memory serves me well the gun helped eliminate the passenger pigeon.
I remember seeing a brass 4 ga. shell when I was a kid in Upper Michigan, probably around 1955 or there abouts. 8’s were fairly common.
ping
With the right loads and composite materials there could be a resurgence of punt guns to counter drones.
I’ve been thinking about counter-drones or rockets with nets. Drones aren’t very sturdy, and nylon net should foul the propeller(s) and bring one down like a brick. I figure $50 to knock out a $20,000 drone should even things up pretty quick!
Jeeze, just wait until pipeline corporate lawyers hear about this.
Hearing this would sure give you a start sitting in a tree stand!
Where can I get a concealed-carry holster for one of those things?
Can I get a concealed carry permit for one of these?
** Punt Gun Bookmark! **
Them’s ostrich plumes.
Oh boy, I can just hear it now...
“Is that a punt gun in your pocket or are you REALLY happy to see me?”
And that’s some good readin’, too. I hope I run into another copy on my used book forays...ready to read that again.
I believe it would be easier to make a multi barrel cannon like the pipe organ launchers, either the projectile is fired by powder propellants of by propane. For a shotgun that is some schedule 80 pvc pipe could work with a slower burning powder or gas.
They have propane cannons to bring down snow in avalanche areas, the projectiles could indeed be nothing more complicated than shooting a pair of lead balls connected by steel cable of spectra line, multiple rounds in each barrel would send a wide pattern out to cripple a drone.
But a person would need some form of long range noise detection, like out of the pages of WW2 Britain? Large megaphones narrowing down to sensitive microphones?
I have seen plans of a huge air tank evolved from a large propane tank that fed a rotating gatling gun device but fired simple round .22 balls. Sort of a redneck close in ship defense gun that we see capable of downing missiles.
Or one could make it steam driven, Mythbusters essentially tried to build one based upon a Civil War legend or rumor, with some refinements it could be an outstanding anti-drone device. Maybe the cryogenic bullets could work...nothing to retrieve since they either melted or gassed off in flight after a certain distance.
I think that was the punt gun from Tremors 4?
Ummm...both of the above?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.