Punt gun build

7

7n6

New member
I've tried to look it up on my own but I need help.
Ide like to build my own punt gun. But I cant find enough information specifically on the build for them. So my question is ,has anyone here put one together or can I be pointed in the direction of instructions for this specific gun.
 
There are pictures here and there, I think you are going to have to eyeball and maybe scale off of them.
Muzzleloader or breechloader?
Target? Not legal for migratory game in USA or much else by state regulation. Feral pigs, maybe.
 
Muzzle loader. Preferably 1 1/2-2 inch bore. Really my biggest concern is the specs for the barrel. It wouldn't be for hunting or anything but I want to be able to actually shoot it every now and then.
 
I doubt if you are going to find instructions or measured drawings. In essence, the "build" would be like any other "build" of a muzzleloader - but the barrel, stock, etc. are going to be much heavier - which goes without saying.

The best thing would be to do searches and find photos - possibly do a scaled drawing based on the photos and go from there. All that I have seen over the years were of varying gauges and you'[d have to find a barrel maker who could accommodate the dimensions that you decide on as far as barrel gauge, length, etc. and it would be a "custom job.

I owned a 4 gauge "market gun" at one time - probably made in the 1850 era. I would not consider it a "punt gun" though as they were often "mounted" on the boats for shooting in to large numbers of fowl. The gun I owned was a half stock - walnut and was percussion. It was very "heavy duty" - ramrod was iron with large fat button on end to fit the 4 gauge bore. Poured pewter nose cap and iron furniture. Well built but nothing fancy as the job it was built for was to shoot quantities of fowl for the market sales. Barrel was round with just a front bead sight. The gun was built like any other half stock only with large parts, thicker stock, etc. It was also just a single trigger.

I am not aware if thee are any punt guns in museums anywhere - I would imagine there might be but the trick is in finding out where. If you found one close to you, you might be able to make arrangements to take photos and measurements? There might be a photo or two in books on hunting water fowl. I seem to remember seeing a couple of photos of punt guns in just such a book but it was probably 50 years ago at least and I have no idea of the title of the book.

Good luck - sounds like a nice and unique project!
 
Here is a treatise on building a punt gun. Including the punt itself.
https://sites.google.com/site/puntgunning/building-a-punt-gun
The gun is a breechloader and can be greatly simplified by making it a muzzleloader, but the scale will be the same.
The maximum legal punt gun bore in England is 1.75" with a light load of 13 oz and a standard load of a pound of shot.

There is a lot to google but much of it is idle chit chat.
There are old books available from back in the day, there might be enough information to get you a start.
 
That's neat Jim.

My concern would be getting the barrel and making a breechplug. Of course, the latter is easier if you have a lathe.
 
WOW !!!

I have witnessed a mini-punt gun being dry fired and it was on a wheeled carriage. The fella shooting it was a machinist. Punt gun barrels were purposely made with long barrels for mounting for and aft, on a skull boat. This one was about four foot long with a 2" bore. The breach end was plugged with a welded ball-hitch. He loaded it with a full pound of BP and wadded it with a crush soda can. Obviously this was on a public range. He had a smaller Golf-ball Cannon and on his second shot, cracked another fellas car window. …… :eek:

I know you state that you want a Punt-Gun but as an option, you may want to look into a Shot-Line cannon. These were used in lighthouse work and I have see a few of these along the Greatlakes. …. :)

There are a umber of folks who collect and make some big cannons, to order and they are expensive. ….. :rolleyes:

Be Safe !!!
 
"...getting the barrel and making a breech plug..." ML cannons have been made out of steel pipes for eons. That and a threaded plug with a replica swivel gun lock. I think.
Kind of suspect it'd attract a lot of unwanted attention from the CO's if you tried to shoot it like its historical ancestors though. Unless it was at a demonstration.
 
Back in the 80s I made a 8ga O/U sidehammer. My brother in law made the barrels for two, I made the rest. He used seamless tubing. All you'd need is a tap and a pipe plug. Good luck. Paul
 
Let the fun begin

Kind of suspect it'd attract a lot of unwanted attention from the CO's
Click to expand...
If you are referring to military CO's, then I'll add that I once had a machinist buddy of nine, make me a cannon barrel. It was a replica of and eight-pounder. Our Division officer was passing through the machine shop and noticed the barrel. He asked to see my print and then "suggested" that he liked it he had one. I did not get to shoot it until we were in Mayport and he shot his as well. I still have mine and try to shoot it on July-4th and New Years. You better believe I only shoot BP, in my cannons. ….. :)

Be Safe !!!
 
Amusettes (wall guns) were rifled for long range shooting. Some were mounted on two wheel carriages so it could be pulled about instead of carried by hand. Considering they could weigh 20 lbs., that's not a bad idea.
 
Its not my intent to discourage or encourage you with this project. You do what makes you happy.
I'm in favor of no one getting hurt.
For some perspective,I suggest you use the formula Area = pi x (radius squared) .Figure the difference in surface area between a 50 caliber breech plug and a 2 inch breech plug. Now multiply that times whatever breech pressure you will achieve.
The loads get impressive as the area goes up. I'm not engineer enough to give you any guidance.

I'd be careful about the steel I used.I've turned thin sleeves out of bar stock for a barrel band,etc,.They were very susceptible to splitting.The same part made of seamless drawn over mandrel aircraft tubing worked fine.

I don't have my old Ryreson and Jorgensen steel books anymore,but I recall products such as Holobar,and Seamless drawn over mandrel aircraft tubing,and also a thicker walled DOM seamless tubing with a precision finished bore intended for manufacturing hydraulic cylinders.

I'm not saying these will be a good answer,but they give you something to look at.
 
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