Beware The Early 19thC Night Watchman

[Pukka Bundook]

An interesting subject!
I think most of these spring guns were used by gamekeepers.
Someone sneaking through the coverts at night might get a nasty surprise.
The trip wire of course, swivels the gun into the direction of the trespasser before it goes off. They were also used against animals, to protect game.

Laws of 1824 forbade their use against humans and also banned the use of man-traps. An old pal at home still had two man-traps. One with overlapping teeth about 2 inches long, and the other the later "Humane " version, that merely broke your leg. :-)

Best,
Richard.

[Rick]

The first one (probably newer than the others) is used by an operator; in the dark I would guess.
The second two are essentially booby-traps for the unwitting to set off inadvertently.

Anyway, it's a clever piece of iron work.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

An interesting subject!
I think most of these spring guns were used by gamekeepers...

Game keepers, game (boar) hunters, fruit keepers, you name it. They were still sold at the ironmonger during my youth, in the 'standard' type. I realize users would keep them legal when placing warning boards in their land entrance. Usually 12 gauge, to resource available shot ammunition, at times only loaded with blanks, when not for hunting but for scaring.

On the other hand, the two 'customized' specimens posted are reputed to be grave keepers ... whether they are or not .
(The whole link i saw about it is a little sordid and partly off track).

PS
Good note abut the swiveling part, Richard; the standard type, though, is to be spiked on the ground and will not efficiently provide such effect.


.