• Winner! Quick Shot Challenge: What’s the dumbest shooting myth you’ve heard?

    View thread

Next project...have to start a "go fund me"

buffalowinter

buffalowinter

Freer of the Oppressed
Full Member
Minuteman
Supporter
    • Mar 17, 2014
    3,954
    14,595
    107
    Llano, TX
    #1

    Great project gun...cut the barrels and add a stock. :)​

    Lot 3410: Thomas Bland & Sons Backaction Double Barrel Hammer Punt Gun Estimated Price: $12,000 - $18,000​

    Extremely Rare Thomas Bland 4 Bore Double Barrel Lightweight Punt Gun with Original Transit Case​

    Manufacturer: Bland Thomas & Sons
    Model: Double Barrel
    Type: Shotgun
    Gauge: 4 bore
    Barrel: 60 inch solid rib
    Finish: blue/bright
    Grip:
    Stock: walnut
    Item Views: 282
    Item Interest: Average
    Serial Number:
    1649367692304.png


    Catalog Page: 221
    Class: Curio & Relic Long Gun
    Description:
    The maker’s records confirm that this lightweight (a relative term when discussing punt guns!) was sold on 21 July, 1909. Very few of these distinctive Bland punt guns survive. This example is notable as it retains its original full length wooden transit case with two piece cleaning rod. With blued barrels with broad rib with a large bead front sight, signed “THOMAS BLAND & SONS. 2 KING WILLIAM STREET, WEST STRAND. LONDON” and with extension at the breech end and an import mark below the forearm. Giant treble grip action with blued sidelever and rebounding locks each signed “T. BLAND & SONS”. The blued hammers and triggers each have lanyard loops. The barrel flats and water table are marked “T. BLAND & SONS” and are also struck with Birmingham nitro proof marks. Blued furniture including serial numbered trigger guard and mounting fixture for attachment to a punt. Very short walnut tiller and stub forearm. Weight 28 lbs. 2 oz.
    Rating Definition:
    Fine as partially professionally refinished. The barrels, hammers, sidelever and furniture retain 98% reblued finish. The action is bright with some age related surface staining. Some age related staining and storage and handling marks to the wooden tiller and forearm. Transit case in good condition with some age wear. Mechanically excellent.

    1649367633824.png


    1649367659495.png
     
    • Like
    Reactions: sandwarrior, canman and sirhrmechanic
    #7
    My esteemed and honourable colleague Byron:
    Well, since you asked: The gun is old, hence "Vintage". The Snipe is a cunning waterfowl that took great skill to hunt, hence the term "Sniper" for those adept in the procurement of this dangerous species. The "Punt Gun" was used to hunt waterfowl. Therfore, ergo, i.e., hence, the punt gun is one of the earliest "Sniper" weapons. QED

    Etymology. The name "sniper" comes from the verb "to snipe", which originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India in reference to shooting snipes, a wader that was considered an extremely challenging game bird for hunters due to its alertness, camouflaging color and erratic flight behavior. Why kill two birds with one stone when you can bag 50 in a single shot? Enter the punt gun, a 19th-century megafowler designed by the market hunting industry to take down birds on a massive scale. The first punt guns were hand-made in the early 1800s when enterprising commercial hunters along the major flyways in the United Kingdom wondered if a bigger gun could increase their kill counts. The resulting punt gun was a tremendous success and quickly caught on in the United States as well. So, arguably, the "Punt Gun" was one of the earliest "Sniper" weapons.
    1649370614887.jpeg
    1649370821043.jpeg
     
    Last edited:
    • Like
    • Haha
    • Love
    Reactions: b6graham, sandwarrior, S12A and 17 others
    #9
    The pictures didn't link. I found the listing. So would that be considered a "pistol" by the atf? 4 bore would kick like a sumbitch I'm guessing.
    Post pictures when you complete it!
     
    #11
    camocorvette said:
    The pictures didn't link. I found the listing. So would that be considered a "pistol" by the atf? 4 bore would kick like a sumbitch I'm guessing.
    Post pictures when you complete it!
    Click to expand...
    Working on getting a second mortgage right now. Maybe I'll go new school and put a collapsible M4 stock on it and a nice Trijicon RMR.
     
    • Haha
    • Like
    Reactions: sandwarrior, Average guy and camocorvette
    #12
    By definition:

    "A punt gun is a type of extremely large shotgun used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for shooting large numbers of waterfowl for commercial harvesting operations."

    "A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long-range rifle. Requirements include accuracy, reliability, mobility, concealment and optics for anti-personnel, anti-materiel and surveillance uses of the military sniper."

    I don't know of any reference of a punt gun being used in a military context.
     
    • Haha
    Reactions: b6graham
    #16
    Military Wall gun 1” smoothbore adapted to Amusette cart. Used with a ball to sink Bateaux. Often set up at river narrows such as Fort Ticonderoga. Also used as mobile light artillery, including firing ‘canister’ type loads of shot into troops. Several captured wall guns were used at Saratoga by Gates. Wall guns were also adapted to bateaux as Defensive and offensive light artillery and were sometimes cut down by 18th century marines to use as anti-boarding weapons.

    E4FCF8EF-878F-4E42-9C65-A49AF1CF481F.jpeg


    39C27FE0-F566-470F-AEDB-746D857C3A97.jpeg


    And I dare say discussions of them belong in Vintage far more than those questioning the discussions of them.

    Sirhr
     
    • Like
    Reactions: sandwarrior, VJJPunisher, DIBBS and 13 others
    You must log in or register to reply here.

    Similar threads

    buffalowinter
    Next Project 1000yd Wimbledon Cup .300 H&H Bull Gun Ca. 1935
    Replies
    13
    Views
    2K
    Calfed
    C
    Glassaholic
    Rifle Scopes Alpha Class Long Range Scope Review - TT, ZCO, Schmidt, March, Vortex
    Replies
    205
    Views
    43K
    Dutch308
    D
    zfk55sr
    A long range Garand
    Replies
    32
    Views
    4K
    Greg Langelius *
    Greg Langelius *
    Just Macca
    Anschutz 1727F Review - By Steve Boelter
    Replies
    39
    Views
    12K
    steve123
    S
    c1steve
    Stopping a bear attack with a pistol, a compilation of events.
    Replies
    100
    Views
    12K
    Mike Casselton
    Mike Casselton
    Top Bottom
    Back
    Home
    Forums
    Merch
    Alerts