Giant Guns...!

[Martin Antonenko]

Dear Planeteers!

Those giant guns - like on the photos in this thread - arte NO fake, they were real!





All photos were taken in the year 1923 and are arvivated at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

However, those things where not hold as of the two men in the first picture above, the are only posing so for the photographer: the recoil of such a weapon (lead shot!) would have blown the two probably a few blocks away!

These rifles were called "Punt Guns". They were mounted in a flat-bottomed rowboat ("punt") firmly on the bow, the attack and the targeting was carried out by the shooter on his belly in the boat ...:









And they did not shoot with such a Punt Gun on any sea monsters, but on waterfowl!

There was so much lead shot in the rifle barrel that you could shoot a whole swarm with one shot!

I'm just trying to imagine how fast and how far a boat made the ride over the stern after the shot because of the recoil ...

Anyway - a nice idea of a figure - or a good template for a Diorama, I think ...




Cheers

 

[valiant]

My uncle had one of these guns - it was a one-shot deal. Lie in the punt all day until the ducks came in to roost, then fire!

 

[billyturnip]

That really winds me up, 1/72 figures with 1/16 weapons!

 

[billyturnip]

My uncle had one of these guns - it was a one-shot deal. Lie in the punt all day until the ducks came in to roost, then fire!

And hope the punt doesn't sink.

 

[Helm]

"All photos were taken in the year 1293 and are arvivated at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C."

 

[billyturnip]

"All photos were taken in the year 1293 and are arvivated at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C."

It quite clearly says 1923, there must be something wrong with your eyesight.

 

[Helm]

It quite clearly says 1923, there must be something wrong with your eyesight.

Oh no it doesn't

 

[valiant]

Mine says 1392......

 

[swralph]

These are why Iraq was F!"£$d up......................wait for it.

 

[1969]

Would have thought you would be spitting lead shot every mouthful eating whatever this gun shot.
Does it come with a sling

 

[billyturnip]

Oh no it doesn't

What a silly punt.

 

[Helm]

Would have thought you would be spitting lead shot every mouthful eating whatever this gun shot.
Does it come with a sling

Found the pull through

 

[OldTaff]

Reminds me of an old limerick, that goes as follows ( lots of asterisks...fill in your own words !)

There was a young man from Uppingham,
Who went for a boat ride at Buckingham,
He was watching the stunts of the c**** in the punts,
And the tricks of the pr**** that were f****** 'em !

Sorry, guys, couldn't resist it

Alan

 

[Wayneb]

Alan....you should be ashamed of yourself...

 

[OldTaff]

Yes, I am, but at the same time I'm happy that I can still remember such ditties


Alan

 

[Red Five]

My grandfather had a side by side rifled .45 calibre elephant gun made for him in London. When most people tried to fire it the recoil knocked them down.

Yes he did shoot elephants and all other endangered species in India. Different times in the 20s and 30s. Quite horrific by today’s standards.




Andrew.

 

[Jim]

Firing something that size in a boat brings to mind an image of a Warner Brothers' cartoon of Elmer Fudd taking a shot at Bugs Bunny - and the resulting chaos.

 

[arj]

Reminds me of an old limerick, that goes as follows ( lots of asterisks...fill in your own words !)

There was a young man from Uppingham,
Who went for a boat ride at Buckingham,
He was watching the stunts of the c**** in the punts,
And the tricks of the pr**** that were f****** 'em !

Sorry, guys, couldn't resist it

Alan

Alan....you should be ashamed of yourself...

I must disagree with you Wayne.
In the words of my Physics teacher, many moons ago ...
'There are only two types of joke ..... Clean ones and GOOD ONES!'

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[Wayneb]

Lighten up Andrew......Are you one of those members that it takes so little to offend?.....

Wayne

 

[arj]

Lighten up Andrew......Are you one of those members that it takes so little to offend?.....

Wayne

Oh dear, oh dear!

Cheers,
Andrew