Punt guns

kowloon

Do i see a ...skateboard??

Double Barrel

:D:D:D:D:D

That's the son's toy punt.

Pj!

I believe I seen one of these punt guns while visiting the Irish Fishing and Shooting Museum near Durrow in Laois.

Neo Researcher

johngalway wrote: »

I'd put the remains in a box for ya Neo and print out a picture of a fox to stick on the lid, be just like a jigsaw!

Actually, I've been greycrow bashing mostly this last while and read about punt guns on another site. Be handy over some bait :cool: Was never a runner, just a mad notion.

Make a change from roadkill fox rubix cubes :eek:

Double Barrel

Forky wrote: »

I believe I seen one of these punt guns while visiting the Irish Fishing and Shooting Museum near Durrow in Laois.

Forky,

The Museum is well worth stopping and taking a gander. Large display of fly's and fishing kit.

NeoR,

roadkill fox rubix cubes

:D
Never thought of it that way.:D

johngalway

This thread has developed really well, my thanks to all who have and continue to reply

meathstevie

Purely hypothetical now but it can't be impossible to get licenced for the necessary quantities of powder. In the end you're talking about a fairly low end explosive licenced fireworks artists would have in considerable quantities. If you took all the powder out of your cartridge and bullet allowance on your
licence(s) you'd have something a good bit more powerfull than one discharge of powder for a puntgun.

kowloon

I would imagine you wouldn't get many bangs for the amount of black powder you're allowed actually keep.
On the other hand, how many times would you shoot a cannon like that?


Think i'll add that museum to the list of places to bike to when the weathers good again.

CJhaughey

There is one in the Maritime museum in Greencastle Co. Donegal it mounted to a punt.
Quite the impressive piece of machinery.
But I saw an even more impressive piece of antiquarian firearms history during the week.
The Kongsberg Vapenfabbrik M52 Harpoon Gun apparently used for small Whales , Dolphins, Seals, Sharks, Tuna and Swordfish.
It uses 1.3 grams of ballistite to propel the harpoon and is based on a mauser action.
I think it was used in Jaws.

meathstevie

Also see line guns. Would have been very similar. Based on an ordinary rifle, Kar98, M1, Lee Enfield etc etc and modified to shoot a harpoon like contraption with light weight line attached from ship to ship.

2347

meathstevie wrote: »

you could start the Galway Light Artillery..

Why stop there? :D

astraboy

How were these actually fired? I mean, were they tied to the front of a small boat or what, because it looks like they pack an almighty punch!

CJhaughey

astraboy wrote: »

How were these actually fired? I mean, were they tied to the front of a small boat or what, because it looks like they pack an almighty punch!

Not tied to a punt, these cannons were actually built on to a punt, the recoil would have been fairly substantial.
I read an account where one shot accounted for something like thirty six ducks and a fair few injured as well.

Double Barrel

From 'The New Wildfowler' by Nick Frearson.

"There are basically two methods of absorbing the recoil of punt-guns, the boot-jack system having now more or less been consigned to history."

"The simplest arrangement is the use of a breeching rope passed through a hole in the stem of the punt, laid along her foredeck and attached to trunnions on either side of the gun's barrel and positioned approximately 10-12in. behind its point of balance. Some guns have provision for the rope to be threaded through the stock itself."

Ch. 15, Punt Gunning ( pp127-135, )

There are more complicated recoil spring systems "....the barrel is mounted on a spring-loaded swivel stanchion which drops into a sliding block on the punt's floor, the block itself being attached to the punt's stem by a breeching rope led underneath the foredeck."


BTW the 4 bore is considered to be the smallest of the puntguns.

Double Barrel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the law I quotes,
For the flats where the sea-grass roots:-
"Where the tide flows .......I floats,
and where I floats..........I shoots".
Landed gentry may claim rights on the foreshore mud,
But ownership's all the same with a spring tide on the flood.
Mallard are reared under hens,
They guard the teal on the lake,
And it's all private ground in the fens,
But the wigion are mine to take.
Out of the dark I come towards the growing light,
The lanyard under my thumb the gun laid straight and right.
Bird watchers stretch their throats uttering dismal hoots,
But where the tide flows.......I floats,
And where I floats.........I shoots.
- Anon

Double Barrel

astraboy wrote: »

How were these actually fired? I mean, were they tied to the front of a small boat or what, because it looks like they pack an almighty punch!

A punt and gun secured to absorb recoil.

Double Barrel

Astraboy,
Take a look at the 'ears' -for want of a better word- which would be 'trunnions' on the side of the gun, the rope is slung over the trunnions securing the gun when fired.

A new puntgun built by Alan Myers, proofed for 32 ozs of shot.



Photo courtesy of the internet.

Auldloon

Great thread.Double barrel your a mine of info, please keep it coming:)

Double Barrel

Chuileog,

Great thread for sure.

At one time I had 'the fever' to build one and in the process did quite a bit if research. I have not abandoned the idea and will probably give it a go when time permits. I have the wherewithal (timber, equipment & some knowledge) to build the punt but the gun will have to be farmed out to the tune of 3 - 8 thousand and powder is still an obstacle.

revan23

i dont get how you can kill a dozen birds in one shot tho unless you line them all up neatly in a row

Rovi

revan23 wrote: »

i dont get how you can kill a dozen birds in one shot tho unless you line them all up neatly in a row

It's not firing a single projectile like a rifle, it's a VERY BIG shotgun.

revan23

i know but still... must have a massive spread
edit - this says it all -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUiTBC0AfVE