Sorta OT - Nath Game keeper re: Punt Guns

[Doc Hudson]

I remember reading an old article that stated punt guns with bores up to 1.75-inches were still legal in Britain.

Is this still true?

Are these massive scatterguns loaded from the muzzle or with cartridges? Blackpowder or smokeless? Flintlock or percussion?

[6pt-sika]

I've seen some fine old english made punt guns in variouse museums on the eastern shore of Virginia and Maryland .

And to say I wouldn't like to have a nice original one would be a bald faced lie

[6pt-sika]

As to the loading of all I've ever seen , well as I can remmember they were all muzzle loaders . And again as well as I can remmember they were all percussion . Thats not to say they hadn't been converted at some point !
Well atleast the single barrel guns .

I've seen a couple multi barrel homemade jobs at the same places that appearred to be loaded from the muzzle and set off with a covered BP trench and a fuse .

I got intrested in them thru reading James Michners novel "Chesapeake" of all places

[hfcable]

watch the first two of the videos. shows what you could do with one of those, also an idea of the recoil.....could propel the boat quite well!

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... t+gun&aq=f

[gamekeeper]

I work with a guy who is secretary to a Wildfowlers Association on the south coast, they still occasionally use punt guns when not wildfowling with their little 10Ga and 8GA shotguns.

Some of the guys have great collections of old punt guns, mainly muzzle loaders with percussion locks.
I will ask him if I can post some photos when I see him next.

[rjohns94]

there is one beautiful minty 4 bore punt gun for sale on guns america. $49,500 for those with deep pockets. If I had the money, It would be a must have!!

[Modoc ED]

This area is right on the migratory route for ducks and geese. Our local museum has several punt guns on display that were used locally by commercial duck and goose hunters back around the turn of the century.

[Nath]

Check this out, check the pictures of Wigtown bay. We frequent that area every year

http://www.puntgunner.co.uk/index.htm

Nath.