Peter hawkers book instructions to young sportsmen gave the first detailed advice on wildfowling. 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. The official history of the punt gun leads to questions corresponding to other topics discussed here. This ad is for the pictured antique westley richards 4 bore punt gun. Rare 1988 reprint of 1958the gun punt adventure contents are very clean with a tight bindingwe all like a tight binding. During its long history, the shotgun has been favored by bird hunters, guards, and law enforcement officials. An illustrated history of military, sporting, and antique firearms. 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. 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. A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for.
If utilizing a punt gun sounds like a dangerous propositionfiring an. Designed to be fired from a punt a small skiff boat, punt guns were intended to kill large. 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. Wildfowl and wildfowl shooting with shotgun and punt gun. Between 1900 and 1918, a series of federal laws were enacted that effectively outlawed the punt gun, along with punt boats. There were certainly early muzzleloading punt guns, but they were eventually made with one or another breechloading action. 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. American hunter five mustread books for the duck hunter. Aug 28, 2017 the ridiculously oversized punt gun today i found out. Mar 18, 2017 the market hunting era that started in the early 1800s was big business for the chesapeake bay region of maryland. Most of the old punt guns were black powder firearms which usually arent subject to current gun laws. Instead, they were usually mounted to small, often flat bottomed, boats known as punts. 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.
A man with a punt gun, a type of large shotgun used for duck hunting. Burton in wirral published in 1984 and neston 18401940 in 1996 are now out of print, but are available in neston library. 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. This absurdly long punt gun could discharge a pound of shot each time it was fired. A punt gun, in essence, was an exceptionally large muzzleloading shotgun, weighing as. Today, punt guns are a novelty item, with less than 100 in use around the world. 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. 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. The gun is a nonfiction book written by journalist c. The worlds largest shotgun aka punt gun measures long, has a barrel and can fire.
Shotguns and similar weapons are simpler than longrange rifles, and were developed earlier. Professional hunters designed these weapons to shoot large numbers of waterfowl. 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. It could kill over 50 birds at once and was banned in the late 1860s. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Aside from its meat, they hunt ducks to supply the demand for feathers, which they used to adorn womens hats. Mar 17, 2008 at the back of many a gun cabinet lurks a neglected old shotgun. A single shot from a punt gun could annihilate as many as 50 birds. 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. The club existed in the golden age of waterfowling 1875 to 1945. 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.
As you would expect the powder measure is larger than the shot. They were also responsible for the manufacturing of the field patent gun. An american epic of war, survival, and the destiny of john f. 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. Read country books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. The gun had been so powerful it decimated duck populations, and the government was trying to rectify the problem. Possible books, weapons and musical instruments of. They hunted in the spring and in the fall, there were no bag limits, they used live decoys ducks and fed ducks grain. 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 punt gun, used for duck hunting but were banned because.
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. Michener details the historical use of a punt gun, called the twombly, to. It covers the origins of the design, its invention and distribution, and the consequences of the patterns spread around the world. The official history of the punt gun leads to questions corresponding to. Hunting waterfowl became the answer for many trying to make a living and this. From flintlocks through yellowboy leveractions, this collection includes early american fort guns, market guns, military guns, and the great sixshooter equalizers of the west.
A beautiful, fullyillustrated volume, vintage guns offers expert advice on collecting guns and restoring them to firing conditionon a reasonable budget. These large sized punt guns are rare in this kind of condition. 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. An illustrated history of military, sporting, and antique firearms mcnab, chris on. The famous red baron, who was a feared fighter pilot in wwi is seen here with his dog in 1916. Milgates punt is built with just three sheets of 10mm 38. First of all what do punt guns have to do with airguns. It provides practical tips on buying the right gun for restoration, and gives an honest. The punt gun was a custombuilt, enormous shotgun used in the 19th and 20th centuries. The ridiculously oversized punt gun today i found out. Hunters aimed the gun by maneuvering the boat into. 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. This gun has remained in very good condition considering all the use it has seen over the years as a working market gun.
At the back of many a gun cabinet lurks a neglected old shotgun. A very large flintlock shotguncalled a punt gun because it was mounted to a punt, or small boatused for hunting flocks of waterfowl. Cochybonddu books are leading international dealers in new and outofprint books on angling, game shooting, sporting dogs and falconry. A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl. The shotgun has fallen in and out of favor with military forces several times in its long history. The punt gun was so powerful, it was banned for being too. I also have an original sign that is in some of the photos and tells the info of the gun.
A punt gun as illustrated in science and mechanics magazine in october 1911. The guns were especially favored by market hunters. 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. Punt gun, as named by market hunters for game birds in the chesapeake area.
We carry a wide range of fishing, sporting and countryside books, and try to supply any book that you need, in or outofprint. 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. Chivers about the ak47 rifle and its variants, and the impact they have had on the world. 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. This book is a wonderful read packed with anecdotes and is the first indepth history of wildfowling in the 19th and 20th centuries. The geezer in the hat and the little green boat is norfolk boatyard proprieter nigel royall. Used, rare 1988 reprint of 1958 the gun punt adven. May 08, 2018 between 1900 and 1918, a series of federal laws were enacted that effectively outlawed the punt gun, along with punt boats. 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. All episodes from the ten series of bbcs radio show punt pi. 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. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. William doyle has written or cowritten seven books, including pt 109. The adventure and social history of puntgunning began around 1814, when lt.
Search the history of over 411 billion web pages on the internet. This entry was posted in airgun design, airgun history project, big bore airguns, collecting. Kyle wintersteen offers a few ways to combat it, with these five mustread books for the duck hunter. Manufacturers include henry, sharps, spencer, winchester, volcanic, remingtion and more. The market hunting era that started in the early 1800s was big business for the chesapeake bay region of maryland. The punt guns barrel was so long and heavy that some required help. Joint exhibition with the contemporary in baltimore. Were punt guns repurposed firearms of bygone giants. Thomas bland punt gun measures this is a scarce pair of original thomas bland fixed measures for a punt gun, they are huge. Wildfowl and wildfowl shooting with shotgun and punt gun by. A punt gun, used for duck hunting but were banned because they. There is even a record of one shot that killed 90 birds simultaneously.
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. Wild fowl punt gun decoy ducks acknowledged expert country books field sport decoys engravings treatise fowler daylight sailing. Field guns were also made by greener of birmingham and green of cheltenham. The punt gun was a large, heavy handgun made to shoot ducks. Horrifying old gun killed 90 birds at once mashable.
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. 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. It could only be fired from a punt, a type of small boat. Obviously the weapon was too large to handwield and instead was mounted on a long, narrow flatbottomed boat called a punt. 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.
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