Making a punt gun

[Mike Louca]

Hello all, I have recently joined this forum. We are building a punt gun,
1 1/2” bore 9’ barrel with standard breech opening with a proper stock. I am still researching how this is going to look. We have built 4 bore doubles in the past but this is on another level. I wondered if it is possible to see images of this type or better still to handle one.
The other big thing is before we start making it, I need to go out in one for the experience and wondered if anyone here in the uk can oblige?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards MikeLouca Watson bros gunmaker's
Email ml@watsonbrosgunmakers.com

 

[William Reinicke]

 

[Dani]

Hello all, I have recently joined this forum. We are building a punt gun,
1 1/2” bore 9’ barrel with standard breech opening with a proper stock. I am still researching how this is going to look. We have built 4 bore doubles in the past but this is on another level. I wondered if it is possible to see images of this type or better still to handle one.
The other big thing is before we start making it, I need to go out in one for the experience and wondered if anyone here in the uk can oblige?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards MikeLouca Watson bros gunmaker's
Email ml@watsonbrosgunmakers.com

Since you are in the UK, I really can't help much. But you might have some luck for dimensions and such by contacting someone at the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum

EXHIBITS

HAVRE DE GRACE DECOY MUSEUM EXHIBITS WHAT IS A DECOY The Museum’s main gallery exhibit “What is a Decoy?” tells the story of an American folk art tradition, recounts how talented men carve “floating sculpture”, and contains examples of working decoys from various flyway regions and why the public

decoymuseum.com

I also recall seeing punt guns in the behind the scenes firearms collection at the Smithsonian but I don't recall if any are on display or if any curators there would be willing to talk to you about them.

I do recall there was a punt gun and boat for sale here on the site a little ways back, but I do not know if it sold.

Out of curiosity, why are you building a punt gun?

 

[Richard Lathrop]

Have you contacted Royal Armories?

 

[jode hillman]

Hello all, I have recently joined this forum. We are building a punt gun,
1 1/2” bore 9’ barrel with standard breech opening with a proper stock. I am still researching how this is going to look. We have built 4 bore doubles in the past but this is on another level. I wondered if it is possible to see images of this type or better still to handle one.
The other big thing is before we start making it, I need to go out in one for the experience and wondered if anyone here in the uk can oblige?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards MikeLouca Watson bros gunmaker's
Email ml@watsonbrosgunmakers.com

Worth Matthewson Is the one person on here I know who has first-hand experience with Punts and Punt guns. Perhaps you can reach out to him

 

[Ian Watts]

Hello all, I have recently joined this forum. We are building a punt gun,
1 1/2” bore 9’ barrel with standard breech opening with a proper stock. I am still researching how this is going to look. We have built 4 bore doubles in the past but this is on another level. I wondered if it is possible to see images of this type or better still to handle one.
The other big thing is before we start making it, I need to go out in one for the experience and wondered if anyone here in the uk can oblige?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards MikeLouca Watson bros gunmaker's
Email ml@watsonbrosgunmakers.com

I’ve emailed you as may be able to help here if you still need assistance.

 

[Kevin Layne]

I hunted Scotland last year and saw one on a trailer. Going to see my Scotland buddy tomorrow and I'll ask if he knows anyone with one.

 

[Ian Watts]

I hunted Scotland last year and saw one on a trailer. Going to see my Scotland buddy tomorrow and I'll ask if he knows anyone with one.

It’s a very small community of us! What part of Scotland did you visit?

 

[Kevin Layne]

These are from a guy in Scotland who still hunts with with a punt.

 

[Kevin Layne]

I hunted pigeons, ducks, geese, and Roe deer on a mix of private property and foreshore from Edinburgh to parts unknown. Cant give more details or be drawn and quartered.

 

[Ian Watts]

I hunted pigeons, ducks, geese, and Roe deer on a mix of private property and foreshore from Edinburgh to parts unknown. Cant give more details or be drawn and quartered.

Sounds like a great trip - I hope you enjoyed what Scotland has to offer!

 

[Ian Watts]

These are from a guy in Scotland who still hunts with with a punt.

Bob!

 

[Eric Patterson]

Mike

Have you come across this book in your research? It has a ton of information on Irish punt gunning. The second half of the book shows several designs.

https://archive.org/details/fowlerinirelando00paynrich/page/n3/mode/2up?view=theater

 

[Ian Watts]

Mike

Have you come across this book in your research? It has a ton of information on Irish punt gunning. The second half of the book shows several designs.

https://archive.org/details/fowlerinirelando00paynrich/page/n3/mode/2up?view=theater

That is an excellent book!
I based my punt off the plans within this book!

 

[Eric Patterson]

Ian

Worth Mathewson originally told me about that book. It might be the best out there on the subject.

 

[Ian Watts]

Ian

Worth Mathewson originally told me about that book. It might be the best out there on the subject.

‘Letters to young shooters’ by Payne Gallwey is also excellent, as is ‘Wildfowling’ by CT Dalgety.
The punt design in the latter book is much better and what my next punt is based on.

 

[William Reinicke]

I want to go to scotland for some of those eurasian wigeons and a gray lag one day. Dream trip of mine.

 

[Ian Watts]

I want to go to scotland for some of those eurasian wigeons and a gray lag one day. Dream trip of mine.

Both great shooting!
Pink foot geese are also pervasive up there (tens of thousands) and are excellent shooting and eating!

Eurasian teal are still my favourite though!
We get a huge variety of duck here. Gadwall, shoveler, goldeneye, pintail, tufted, pochard and of course Mallard!
It’s well worth a trip for hunting!

 

[Eric Patterson]

Ian

I did a very quick search and found these. A quick scan showed more detailed drawings of punts and punt guns.

The complete wildfowler; 1911 : Stanley Duncan (1878-1954) and C. Ranger Gull (1875-1923) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

The complete wildfowler (1911) by Stanley Duncan (1878-1954) and C. Ranger Gull (1875-1923)Published in 1911 in London by Grant Richards LtdNotes:Includes...

archive.org

Wildfowling : Abel Chapman : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Chapman, Abel (1896) First Lessons in the Art of Wildfowling. London: Horace Cox.

archive.org

Practical wild-fowling; 1895 : Henry Sharp : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Practical wild-fowling (1895) by Henry SharpTable of Contents: Section 1: Outfit and accessories: Introductory -- Guns -- Ammunition -- Punts, boats, and...

archive.org

WILDFOWLING : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

archive.org

 

[William Reinicke]

Both great shooting!
Pink foot geese are also pervasive up there (tens of thousands) and are excellent shooting and eating!

Eurasian teal are still my favourite though!
We get a huge variety of duck here. Gadwall, shoveler, goldeneye, pintail, tufted, pochard and of course Mallard!
It’s well worth a trip for hunting!

I had a group of like 6 ready to rock and roll that way and then Covid hit and its been a disaster trying to make it happen since then. Its on the bucket list and before I give up this sport of fowl, I want to make it there one day. I also want to hunt Alaska for eiders and harlequin and the Gulf of California for Brant. Those 3 are probably my biggest bucket list hunts for fowl.

Ive shot pretty much every bird in north america.
The only ones I have not connected with are:
Cinammon teal, mottled duck, black duck, brewers duck, eiders of every kind, harlequin, whistling ducks of every variety and the eurasian wigeon.

If I went to Scotland, im targeting species to go on my wall that we dont have here. A tufted would be awesome and didnt even know about porchard. The porchard looks like a canvasback but with some blue in its bill? Pretty cool looking. Do you all get the red crested porchard as well? Also does scotland get emporer geese or barnacle? I want each of those one day as well.