Preacherman
Member
I found this site, which gives details on shoulder-fired harpoon guns for the whaling industry in the 19th century. Talk about stompers!
A couple of examples:
"The powder charge was limited to approximately three drams, and the projectile was limited to approximately three lbs., otherwise recoil would be excessive." I'll say!!!
Wonder if one could still get such a gun in working order - with an explosive harpoon? Might be just the thing for gator hunting...
A couple of examples:
In 1846 Oliver Allen of New London, Connecticut received a U.S. Patent for a gun-fired bomb lance (U.S. Patent No. 4,764, Sept. 19, 1846). In 1848 he received another patent for a harpoon fired from the same gun (U.S. Patent No. 5,949, Dec. 5, 1848). The gun itself was not patented because its features were common to many muzzle-loaded percussion shoulder guns at that time. However, it was introduced at the time of his gun harpoon and bomb lance, 1846. The gun was cast iron and weighed 23 lbs. The weight was necessary to absorb some of the recoil experienced when discharging a large projectile. The powder charge was limited to approximately three drams, and the projectile was limited to approximately three lbs., otherwise recoil would be excessive.
Early Allen shoulder gun with hollow brass stock. No. 1 gun, length is 35-1/2", bore is 7/8". Note the ring for attaching a lanyard.
"The powder charge was limited to approximately three drams, and the projectile was limited to approximately three lbs., otherwise recoil would be excessive." I'll say!!!
The Cunningham & Cogan shoulder gun was designed to fire a combined bomb lance and cartridge patented by Patrick Cunningham in 1875 (U.S. Patent No. 171,553, Dec. 28, 1875). The gun had a one-inch bore and was cast in one piece of cast iron, except the barrel and breechblock. In his patent Chapman stated:
Owing to the conditions under which weapons of this class are used, it is particularly desirable that they be of simple construction, of great strength and durability, and at the same time so arranged as to be readily handled. To effect these resultsis the object of the invention, which is accomplished by casting the breech, a breech-frame, trigger-guard, and other parts of the stock in a single piece.
The barrel was steel (cast iron barrels would fracture from the explosive pressure of discharge) and screwed into the casting. The iron breech block contained the firing pin and swung up and to the left to expose the breech. The hammer was manually cocked so that it lay down flat to admit the combined bomb lance and cartridge into the breech from the rear. The breech block was then closed and locked in place by a heavy iron latch.
Wonder if one could still get such a gun in working order - with an explosive harpoon? Might be just the thing for gator hunting...
