Original Punt Gun

[Feltwad]

To be sold at Holts December auction this original punt gun  a flintlock converted to percussion with a 10 inch lock   a 100 inch barrel  and a 1.3/8 bore .Several decades ago it was used on Grafham water  at East Perry 

Feltwad

[Centrepin]

That would make an amazing display come talking piece

[samboy]

I was at a show once and they fired one of these. The little girl who was stood in front of me her feet come of the ground.😂

[Old farrier]

2 hours ago, Feltwad said:

To be sold at Holts December auction this original punt gun  a flintlock converted to percussion with a 10 inch lock   a 100 inch barrel  and a 1.3/8 bore .Several decades ago it was used on Grafham water  at East Perry 

Feltwad

Very nice 

is this one of your collection 🤔

[Feltwad]

1 hour ago, Old farrier said:

Very nice 

is this one of your collection 🤔

That's correct punt guns are  now too heavy for me to handle and keep in good condition 

Feltwad

[Old farrier]

14 minutes ago, Feltwad said:

That's correct punt guns are  now too heavy for me to handle and keep in good condition 

Feltwad

Very nice thing to have owned wishing you all the best in the sale 😊👍

[Pushandpull]

That's a grand old bit of kit. Surely though, nobody was allowed to launch with it on Grafham Water, which was built and then started being developed for fishing etc. only in the mid or late 60s. (I recall a one-time colleague getting a job as fishery biologist there in about 1968 or 9).

There was some puntgunning on the Great Ouse, which is where water is pumped from for the reservoir. The Metcalfe family at Holywell have been well documented and no doubt there were others.

[Feltwad]

46 minutes ago, Pushandpull said:

That's a grand old bit of kit. Surely though, nobody was allowed to launch with it on Grafham Water, which was built and then started being developed for fishing etc. only in the mid or late 60s. (I recall a one-time colleague getting a job as fishery biologist there in about 1968 or 9).

There was some puntgunning on the Great Ouse, which is where water is pumped from for the reservoir. The Metcalfe family at Holywell have been well documented and no doubt there were others.

May be I mis under stood  when I bought it  in the late 70,s or early 80,s was this land before the dam was built  fen land but maybe it was the Great Ouse 

Feltwad

[Pushandpull]

I think that is a likelier explanation. It's not an area I have much personal knowledge of but use on flood water seems very probable.

Some these old pieces come with their history but it's not always true. Back in the day a friend of mine was at a BASC Roadshow (remember them) where a chap was proudly displaying a small BL gun. On being questioned he rattled off very romantic back story of where it had come from etc. When he paused my mate suggested that there were a few errors in the tale. "How could you possibly know ?"     His reply "Because I xxxxing built it !"

[Feltwad]

52 minutes ago, Pushandpull said:

I think that is a likelier explanation. It's not an area I have much personal knowledge of but use on flood water seems very probable.

Some these old pieces come with their history but it's not always true. Back in the day a friend of mine was at a BASC Roadshow (remember them) where a chap was proudly displaying a small BL gun. On being questioned he rattled off very romantic back story of where it had come from etc. When he paused my mate suggested that there were a few errors in the tale. "How could you possibly know ?"     His reply "Because I xxxxing built it !"

I lie it I know exactly what you mean 

Feltwad

[Feltwad]

1 hour ago, Feltwad said:

I lie it I know exactly what you mean 

Feltwad

My answer should have read     I like it  I know exactly  what you mean

Feltwad

[Pushandpull]

Feltwad, thanks for posting this. It shows how little we know of he history of our way of life !

I dd hope you do well at auction and that this piece goes to someone who appreciates it.

[Rob85]

A thing of beauty. I love the punt gun displays at the game fairs, the noise really is something else.

 

[Feltwad]

Same gun but a different angle showing the lock size which is 10inches flintlock converted to percussion 

Feltwad

[Old farrier]

Very interesting 

could you tell us what loads it fired 😊

[Feltwad]

A gun like this in its heyday would have fired a powder known has cannon powder which was coarse powder also known has kernel powder , wading  would have been a ball of oakum  and shot could have been any size from 3/4 lb up to 1.1/2 lb  of large  such has BB   for geese and swans  down to 7 for shooting  small waders and starlings in the reed beds . We must remember that these guns were known has {Tools Of The Trade }from which these old fowlers made a living with surplus wildfowl sold at the city markets when  wildfowl were  in season Today loads are different with the improvement of  black powder.

Feltwad

A Fowlers Flask  throws  12-15 drms Black Powder

 

[Feltwad]

On 18/10/2021 at 11:38, Feltwad said:

Same gun but a different angle showing the lock size which is 10inches flintlock converted to percussion 

Feltwad

To be sold at Holts  Sealed Bid auction 6th January 2022  Lot 2062A 

Feltwad

[Rookandrabbit]

Wow that’s a lot of gun and workmanship for very little money! It always amazes me the time and effort spent to produce such behemoth guns but if it had a London name on it you could add a few zeros onto the price. But that is a beautiful piece. Good luck in the sale.

[Feltwad]

On 03/12/2021 at 17:52, Rookandrabbit said:

Wow that’s a lot of gun and workmanship for very little money! It always amazes me the time and effort spent to produce such behemoth guns but if it had a London name on it you could add a few zeros onto the price. But that is a beautiful piece. Good luck in the sale.

Yes  Holts surprized me when they valued it at that price  because a gun that size is now a one off has there are vey few left.

Feltwad

[Rookandrabbit]

On 04/12/2021 at 18:08, Feltwad said:

Yes  Holts surprized me when they valued it at that price  because a gun that size is now a one off has there are vey few left.

Yes there can’t be many left out there but very surprised when it’s estimated in the range of a secondhand O/U from Italian makers, But if it had a magical London makers name then much more …….but some of their guns were subcontracted out to Birmingham. However a punt gun of age and no doubt history and nostalgia I still think it’s a bargain and I hope it makes a lot more for you…..it will need a big cabinet or wall as section 58 (2). Bargain!!

 

[nic]

On 18/10/2021 at 10:00, Rob85 said:

A thing of beauty. I love the punt gun displays at the game fairs, the noise really is something else.

 

A gentleman from my wildfowling club fire a blank charge from a punt gun at the Frampton fair each year (4 times in the day) as part of his punt gunning demo...... each time has to be timed with the horse and dog displays in the main arena ... you should see people jump if not expecting it!

[Feltwad]

To those interested people  who have been in contact for information on this punt gun .My advice if possible  go and view yourself and make up your mind at Holts Sealed Bid Auction Lot2062A  closing date the 6th January 2022

Feltwad

[Pushandpull]

I can't find the estimate on Holt's site. What are they putting on it ?

[Big Mat]

51 minutes ago, Pushandpull said:

I can't find the estimate on Holt's site. What are they putting on it ?

https://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=S0122+++2062A&refno=++171729&saletype=

[Feltwad]

1 hour ago, Big Mat said:

https://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=S0122+++2062A&refno=++171729&saletype=

That's what Holts valued it at  which I thought was very low . The reason I have parted with it is for me now it is too heavy to handle  it is a true punt gun because it does not have  a trigger guard   not like some which are  more bank guns  or large shoulder guns  that sell for four figure sums  but at the end  it is worth what it makes 

Feltwad