[WilliamD]

I got these quite some time ago, my buddie broke his collar bone shooting the punt gun shoulder fire, and sold em to me.
Said it cost him 20k in medical bills to shoot it, he made some ammo with 3/4 copper plumbing cap, filled with 3 ball bearings, then a huge train ball bearing on top of them 3 bearigs. attached is a pic
The punt gun is from 1800s C.Ingram Glassgow on it
the other competition gun has 2 barrels both CRAZY thick and heavy its a 1950s , A.J Puff very good looking gun, and its undermount fire pin, I never seen that style before.
I have not shot them ( yet ) and am curious if I should be selling to a museum or saving im my collection to pass to my children, and well shoot them... lol

It wont let me add more pictures.

 

[Jim Bridger]

Punt guns were not intended as shoulder fire guns. They were mounted on row boats often. They were Banned across the World long ago.

 

[runfiverun]

I don't know too much about the guns but I do know I wouldn't be shooting steel/copper balls out of an old shot gun.
kind of surprised the gun survived that adventure.
I'd be more inclined to shoot something like 90grs of black powder and 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 oz's of shot on top of some paper type/cork wadding, with a thin cardboard over disc.

 

[Jim Bridger]

Why would you shoot brass balls in these shotguns? These guns were used by Market Hunters to collect water fowl. These old gun barrels were usually 3 iron laps soldered together around a mandrel. They can unwrap very fast and hurt the shooter.

 

[rando]

I have always wanted a punt gun for show myself. They should never be shot though. They were meant to be mounted on a pintel rod on a boat. They used black powder and a lot of BB shot. Not for copper pipe or bearings. When the market hunters shot these usually in a laying position they would push the boat backwards from recoil. I am not sure of the other firearms you have. Look to all be blackpowder.

 

[runfiverun]

the name on the side of it kind of indicates it could have been used on a castle wall for repelling attackers.
probably not a lot of that going on when the gun was made, but [shrug] I'm sure it was still a possibility.

 

[grizcty]

Welcome to G&G from Alaska.
Stop by the Introduction thread, and say "hello".

BTW - Nice looking old timers.

 

[grizcty]

Don't know if this helps.

https://www.caingram.info/Ingrams/htm/charles_ingram_1816.htm

 

[rando]

The one Blackpowder rifle to the left in the pic is not extremely old. It has an inter changeable barrel next to it. Looks like two different caliber barrels. Harrington & Richardson made one similar called the Huntsman Model. It has a more modern cheaper type of wood stock and a newer rubber recoil pad. Does it have the caliber or manufacturer on it? Should have writing on it.

 

[chris l2018]

Punt guns are usually 4 bore or larger. Breech or muzzle loading. Recoil absorbing rope lashings. A typical 2 bore load might be a pound of shot and coarse black powder at a ratio of 30-35% No1 shot
Motors were not used, just short bat like oars; stalking was the sport.100 birds art once for the butchers market the reward! The dogs didn't know whether to spit or go blind
My grandfather shot over the Somerset Levels, as did I once; all sanctuary now. He told me that if, lying in the punt, you didn't raise your knees from contact with the hull, firing would shatter your patellae!

 

[Jim Bridger]

https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/punt-gun-1910-1920/

 

[chris l2018]

Thay are still legal for use here, but The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 limits punt guns in England and Wales, and in Scotland, to a bore diameter of 1.75 inches (44 mm), a 1995 survey showed fewer than 50 active punt guns still in use