GH 8 Guage

[Kevin McCormack]

Just returned from the Easton, MD prelude to the Waterfowl Festival ("Decoy Swap & Sell Meet" held in the parking lot of the Talbot County MD Community Center). Just like Woodstock; 3 days of decoys and gunning paraphernalia instead of peace and music; where the big 8's scarcely cause an uproar any more. The big Guyette & Schmidt auction held yesterday and today featured 4 or 5 documented and provenanced punt guns, which went for big bucks. These babies make an 8 ga. look like flavor straws next to large diameter PVC plumbing pipes. The best of the lot was a behemoth 2 1/2 -inch bore gun with a barrel about 6 ft. long and a stock fitting for securing into the stern of the punt that reminded me of the ship cannon's cradle and mount for the standard Royal Navy 12-pound gun (watch "Master and Commander; The Far Side of The World"). Complete with hand-forged hinge loops, turnbuckles and restraining rope harness anchors, it was truly awesome! I've been thinking about building one for years; put me back thinking about the hunt for a 37 or 40MM Bofors or Lhatvi anti aircraft cannon barrel, recommended to me years ago by the late Alfred Gallifent of Warminster PA, who in his apprenticeship began service by cleaning and "tightening" many of the still-legal punt guns in use in Great Britain. Makes me want to smoke a fine imported cigar, just thinking about it.......