"Punt guns?...Speculation knows no bounds."
Jim, there's an old expression, "When you hear hoof beats, think horses and not zebras."
That means that the simplest explanation is probably the correct one.
The reason I thought 'punt guns' is that they were probably made by the bushel basket full as a cheap way to hunt waterfowl. Further, a punt gun needed to be mounted, it was not a hand weapon (that I know of.)
Besides, speculation in a forum is fun!