What's this tool for?

[CLP]

Just browsing this site and ran across this "12 bore cartridge extractor and whistle".
What's the purpose of adding a whistle to this thing? Was this a manual cartridge extractor that was used in case the cartridge didn't extract? Is this a big game tool? Was the whistle used to alert other hunters of an emergent situation? It's used for a "12 bore"- is that a shotgun or an African game rifle?

 

[Goosey]

"Prior to plastic shotgun cases they were made of paper. With the addition of black powder fouling it was not uncommon for them to get stuck in the chamber or even break so the brass base was extracted leaving the paper case wall in the chamber. This is an extractor that would be carried by a shooter in the field."

 

[Mizar]

12 bore means 12 gauge - British used to call it that way and they still do in some occasions. The cartridge extractor is used to manually extract a struck case, especially in ejector shotguns. It lacks the broken shell extractor, but it has a neat whistle to call your dog - a must accessory for the discriminating gentleman practicing the fine sport of hunting.

 

[toivo]

I remember paper shotgun shells. I was just a kid, so I wasn't shooting them, but I remember seeing them and picking them up -- and getting yelled at for doing it!

I must be getting old.

 

[Crawdad1]

Yep, as Mizar states, 12 gauge or 12 bore it all means the same thing, 1/12th of a pounder.

 

[dfariswheel]

The whistle was for training and directing your dog while bird hunting.
One tool, two purposes.

 

[Kingcreek]

I still have some paper shells. They still work but they leave a lot of powder residue.

 

[kudu]

I haven't seen any for a while, but Federal still made 12 gauge paper target shells as of a few years ago 7-8. Trap shooters seem to use them mostly. I keep a few soaked in oil to leave in my chambers of some of my shotguns.

 

[1KPerDay]

I still have some paper shells. They still work but they leave a lot of powder residue.

They smell good though.

 

[toivo]

They smell good though.

Yes, they do. Come to think of it, I saw some paper shells in a Gander Mountain store a few years ago -- maybe Fiocchi?

 

[Sistema1927]

Not needed anymore, but strangely enough I want one.

 

[AlexanderA]

My guess is that the "whistle" part, besides being useful as a whistle, is also a chamber scraper, to get rid of the paper residue and fouling once the brass shell head is removed.

It's unlikely they would have two totally unrelated tools in one.

 

[Sistema1927]

My guess is that the "whistle" part, besides being useful as a whistle, is also a chamber scraper, to get rid of the paper residue and fouling once the brass shell head is removed.

It's unlikely they would have two totally unrelated tools in one.

Not unlikely in the least. I don't think that it would make a very good scraper, but it is probably a very good whistle.

Whistles used to be very common in the UK. When I was in the Boy Scouts (BSA, but living in England) all of us carried whistles on a chain attached to our shirt pocket. When we came back stateside none of the Scouts in my troop had a nice nickle whistle (or hardly any of any type) and mine was coveted by my fellow Scouts.

 

[AlexanderA]

Not unlikely in the least. I don't think that it would make a very good scraper, but it is probably a very good whistle.

It kinda resembles the BAR gas cylinder scraper, for example.
https://www.dupagetrading.com/product/bar-gas-cylinder-cleaning-tool/