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Punt Gun
Posted on 12/23/15 at 4:56 pm
Posted on 12/23/15 at 4:56 pm
I've always heard of them, and just ran across this picture.
I'm not sure about it though. I thought they were mounted on boats.
quote:
This is a “Punt Gun”- used for duck hunting, it had the potential to kill 50 birds in one fell swoop- it was banned it the late 1860’s.
I'm not sure about it though. I thought they were mounted on boats.
11
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:01 pm to Clyde Tipton
Videos of punt gun firing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwEwF7VAaEA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7FeeamC4qk
12 Gauge shell on top
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwEwF7VAaEA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7FeeamC4qk
12 Gauge shell on top
This post was edited on 12/23/15 at 5:04 pm
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:01 pm to Clyde Tipton
They were on boats too
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:02 pm to Clyde Tipton
I have one mounted on our pit blind. Does a number on snow geese
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:05 pm to Clyde Tipton
quote:
I'm not sure about it though. I thought they were mounted on boats.
They were. They were not shoulder-fired. The term "punt" comes from the small boats that they were mounted onto.
If you have any interest in this, I highly recommend the book by Harry Walsh.
The Outlaw Gunner by Harry Walsh
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:08 pm to Clyde Tipton
There was an exhibit several years ago at the Brooks Museum up here in Memphis. There were several examples of punt guns. Pretty cool stuff. 
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:10 pm to Shexter
Middle picture looks like a 10 gauge
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:11 pm to KingRanch
quote:
Middle picture looks like a 10 gauge
The top shell reads "12 GA"
Side view of punt gun shell
This post was edited on 12/23/15 at 5:13 pm
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:13 pm to webstew
correct, they were mounted on "punts" back during the market hunting days
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:15 pm to cgrand
Bastards
Posted on 12/23/15 at 5:18 pm to Clyde Tipton
If you are ever near Chesapeake Bay, there is a Decoy Museum in Havre de Grace, Maryland. There are several punt guns and battery guns in there as well as a sinkbox with the iron skirt decoys. Pretty cool museum.
Decoy Museum; Havre de Grace, MD
Decoy Museum; Havre de Grace, MD
Posted on 12/23/15 at 6:02 pm to webstew
The new Bass Pro in the Pyramid in Memphis has one.
Posted on 12/23/15 at 9:08 pm to Shexter
So were these punt gun shells commercially available, or were they homemade?
I always thought of punt guns kind of like old artillery, black powder and loaded from the muzzle.
LC
I always thought of punt guns kind of like old artillery, black powder and loaded from the muzzle.
LC
Posted on 12/23/15 at 9:12 pm to cgrand
Old timers ruined our chance at killing ducks
Posted on 12/23/15 at 9:29 pm to Clyde Tipton
Makes you wonder how many of those guys got mauled when the mount failed.
Posted on 12/23/15 at 10:02 pm to Clyde Tipton
I think some folks still use these on Catahoula Lake..... 
Posted on 12/23/15 at 11:10 pm to LongueCarabine
There's an old shell for sale on Gunbroker.
LINK https://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=532693168
LINK https://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=532693168
Posted on 12/24/15 at 11:03 am to Clyde Tipton
This article was published in Field and Stream in 1902 and describes a hunt that might have been for the market on Lake Bistineau. Even back then there was outrage at the degree of wanton waste. It does show how much more plentiful ducks were back in those days.
Murder in the Marsh - Lake Bistineau 1902
Murder in the Marsh - Lake Bistineau 1902
Posted on 12/24/15 at 12:22 pm to webstew
Looks like they shot them while on the water? Thing would do damage.
Posted on 12/24/15 at 1:48 pm to Nodust
quote:
Looks like they shot them while on the water
Yes. They would sneak up upon large rafts of them in the open water and would shoot them on the water. I read that some of the gunners would slap the gunwale of the boat an instant before they pulled the trigger to have as many ducks as possible lift their heads to enhance the effectiveness of the shot.
There is also some description of punt gunning in James A. Michner's novel "Chesapeake".
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