doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Now THIS Is A Big Bore

Drew posted a punt gun

but i figured the one Tunes posted was a wall gun. Used from fortifications in the 18th century

And still legal to hunt with in dear old England; that is if it's not over 1 3/4" bore. Lagopus.....

Oh, to touch off a charge from a punt gun pointed at a group of divers! Bucket list material right there!

Mergus

What do you have against divers? You want to ruin their wet suits?

Large punt next to a new set of Greener barrels thhe punt barrels are 9ft long.

WOW. Thanks Paul, and how are you going to get the barrel in your tank?!?

Any of these still around?

I have in my mind from long ago that there was also, probably in the mid 19th century, a type of gun of more 'normal' bore - perhaps 8, 10 or 12 - but with a very long (60" ??) single barrel. Muzzle loaders, 'normal' looking stock.

These were used for wildfowl rested on flood banks etc in areas like the Norfolk broads, carried into position, and rested on the bank (probably from a hide?) - a bit like a punt gun.

I have seen two examples, one long ago in a private collection now dissipated, the other as a wall hanger in Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Scotland.

Does anyone know anything more about these? Do they have a particular name?

Thanks,

John

John I think they were called 'Marsh Rails'. Wentworth-Day mentions them in some of his Fenland and Wildfowling books. I always regret missing one that I could have bought in 8 bore with percussion locks. Great collection of guns on display at Blair Castle; I shall be up there again this August. I used to shoot a two day rifle match there each June on the range owned by Blair Estate at Glen Tilt. The 1,000 yard range there was fun. It is the only range I have shot on where shooting can become suspended due to herds of red deer wanting to wander across or low flying jets coming down the Glen. They put their lights on at the top and shooting would cease until they had gone screaming past. From the firing point we could look down on them. Lagopus.....

Thank you for that. I don't believe the privately owned one was ever fired by the owner I knew. I do remember him saying it would be a real pig to clean!

I visited Atholl Estates every year for many years for a sporting holiday with friends staying at both Bruar Lodge and Kindrochet Lodge. I have travelled up Glen Tilt many many times and fished the upper part of the Tilt. Lovely part of the world.
John

Punt Gun and Bank Gun....punt is a 2 Gauge, 8 ft long, about 30 lbs, bank gun is 8 Gauge, 7 1/2 ft. long, 20 lbs. Can be shouldered but would certainly need to be rested on a bank when fired.
-Dean
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