From our family to yours we want to wish you guys a very happy and blessed holiday season!!! Today we have a quick history lesson for all of you wacky shooters out there! As you get knee deep in your turkey and dressing, lets take a look at one of the most impressive firearms that was prevalent during the times of the first Thanksgiving Day celebration! The Blunderbuss was one of the most interesting firearms ever made…
The Blunderbuss, first seen in large numbers around the late 1600’s, is quite the interesting muzzle-loader that has a short, but large caliber barrel. The barrel of Blunderbuss was flared at the business end (while many models had the entire bore flared). The good thing about the Blunderbuss was that operators could use both shot and other projectiles of relevant quantity and/or caliber. Generals in battle would often be quoted telling their soldiers to stuff anything they could find down the bore including watches, silverware, and the like!! The Blunderbuss is most affectionately considered to be an early predecessor to modern shotgun (which was often adapted to military and defensive use akin to shotguns). The Blunderbuss was most effective at short ranges, and truly lacked accuracy for targets at long range.
Although mostly used for military applications, the Blunderbuss will forever be associated with its use by privateers and those nasty pirates that plagued the high seas. Due to its form and function, the Blunderbuss was the ideal weapon in the close-fighting environment involved with the plundering action between rival ships. The spread shot could be put to lethal use in such quarters as could its portability, particularly in fighting below deck on ships. Once this monster of a gun was fired, the user could then close in on his enemy by way of blade (or bayonet if equipped as such) or use the butt-end of the Blunderbuss as an effective club. Use of the Blunderbuss even extended into land-based protection of convoys and mail service for dedicated coachmen operating between destinations where bandits tended to roam. Early Americans also kept Blunderbusses for protection of life, limb, and property!!
One thing is for sure….with the Blunderbuss, turkey’s of early America didn’t stand a chance!! Enjoy your holiday season guys!!
*** If you are unfamiliar with firearms and/or their accessories, and want to learn more, PSA strongly suggests that you find, enroll, and attend a comprehensive and reputable firearms safety course. Firearms safety is all of OUR responsibility.
We want to thank you for taking out the time to stop by our lane at the shooting range!! We hope that you enjoyed your stay and hope that you stop back by early and often to catch up on all PSA updates! We truly hope that we were able to hit the target, and if you ever have any questions please don’t hesitate to shoot them our way!! We look forward to shooting the breeze with you soon again!!
And as always….remember to watch your six and stay low!!!