CHAPTER V 
PUNT-GUNS 
WE must first remark that guns strictly classed as punt-guns 
are those large fowling pieces which are mounted in the fore- 
part of a duck punt and fired either resting in a crutch swivel 
or by means of some other mechanical method. Even the 
heaviest shoulder guns cannot be classed as having any relation 
to punt or swivel guns. This latter name has, no doubt, been 
given to large fowling-guns, on account of the very usual 
plan of firing them supported on a pivot balance or swivel 
generally called the gun crutch. In the use of a gun crutch, 
breech ropes are employed to take the strain of the recoil 
when the gun is fired. Of course, there are many other 
methods by which punt-guns are fired. The various systems 
used in taking up the recoil of punt-guns we intend to deal 
with later. 
The bore of a punt-gun may be anysize ranging from one inch 
to two inches, or even larger. The choice of bore depends en- 
tirely on circumstances, such as the purse of the fowler and the 
number of fowl expected to be met with. Large punt-guns are 
wasteful where only small companies of fowl are encountered, 
whereas small guns answer at a great sacrifice where fowl are 
found in large flocks. It might be said, however, that the 
smaller swivel-guns are ever useful, where the large ones only 
speak well when circumstances suit. The meaning is that a 
fowler would not hesitate to send, say, 6 oz. or 8 oz. of lead at a 
small bunch of fowl in the hope of securing only three or four, 
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