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 any size 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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