Flintlock elephant gun...

[brighamr]

One of my friends has a family heirloom. This gun is literally 8 feet long, single barrel (appeared to be .60 cal or better... the action was HUGE, much bigger than a regular flintlock rifle), shoulder fired, and a flintlock mechanism.

The story I got from my friend was that somewhere in his family line, someone served in India for the army. The Indian army had aquired these elephant guns to use as a way to blow through attacker's shields. (ie. ancient armor piercing). Anyway, his distant relative had brought the gun back from the war, and his family has had it ever since.

I dont have a pic or markings, but maybe someone here has seen this type of gun before I'm probably wrong, but I can't fathom there being many types of 8' flintlock .60's around

 

[SDC]

What you're describing sounds like a "jingal", a Chinese "wall gun" used for defending fortresses at one time. It would definitely be interesting to see pictures.

 

[brighamr]

SDC, I'll probably get pics in Early september (when I'm visiting again).

I checked out some photos of jingals, it does look very similar.

 

[Shear_stress]

Found these pictures on the internet. Sort of the Barrett of its day. I love the fella with his finger in his ear. Yeah, that oughta do it.

 

[xd45gaper]

ROFL that last picture cracked me up!

what about the old duck guns they used to shoot like 100 ducks out of the sky at a time? those where usually mounted to a boat of some sort and where not very little shotguns.

 

[Vaarok]

Punt guns, also pretty common, used for commercial waterfowling, but the practice only became popular at the turn of the century, so almost certainly would not be a flintlock.

 

[rcmodel]

they used to shoot like 100 ducks out of the sky at a time?

They didn't shoot ducks out of the sky with punt guns.

They sneaked the punt boat up on a flock resting on the water and lit'm up.

Ever hear the term "Like Setting Ducks"?

Well, there you go then!

rcmodel

 

[Jim Watson]

I saw a picture of a double barrelled punt gun. One barrel was caplock, the other was flint.
The thinking was, trip both barrels together, the caplock barrel shoots them on the water, the longer lock time of the flintlock and the recoil means it catches some more as they flush.

You have to be careful about these monster muzzleloaders. Stoeger's had one they sold, roughly made and largely a wallhanger.

 

[Jst1mr]

The trick with a punt gun was to get close, startle the flock, then shoot as they were lifting off...that would drop many more than a low-angle shot at a resting flock. Ever try and finish off a crippled duck lying flat on the water with a shotgun? Not easy!!

 

[Archie]

You might actually measure the bore diameter and the actual barrel length.

.600" as a blackpowder musket is not all that big. The standard flintlock in the Revolutionary War was .69 caliber - about the same as a 12 gauge shotgun.

Punt Guns were normally eight or four gauge.

 

[Jim K]

The picture is funny, but did anyone notice that the "bipod mount" has his finger in the wrong ear? The noise would be coming from his right, not his left!

Jim

 

[woodfiend]

Well, the noise from the flint and ignition would be a little loud but the business end would be unbearable. Either way I would not want to be the "bipod".

 

[Shear_stress]

More like "biped" mount. Bet he never signed up for that.