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Author Topic: Wundermug  (Read 1313 times)

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Offline cannonmn

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Wundermug
« on: January 19, 2008, 06:05:30 AM »
That's a name I made up.  No one seems to know the what/why of this thing.  Thanks to the marks, we do know the who/where for once.  This weighs 28 lbs., I got it at a gun show maybe 25 years ago. 

I've fired it once.  We put a couple of ounces of FG black powder down the hole in the top and fired it.  I can't really describe the sound except maybe something like a sizeable rocket taking off from the top of your head.  A neighbor ran outside his house and yelled "is anybody hurt, call 911!"

I should mention that it has a sizeable cavity inside as a chamber, and the exit at the top is designed a bit like a rocket nozzle.  They've left quite a bit of metal around the chamber on all sides, it appears.

So what is this thing, you tell me, I've given up.






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Offline lance

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2008, 08:18:43 AM »
I don't know either, but it reminds me of some of those strange contraptions people used to scare crows out of the crops. The crow guns are still in use today, but they run on propane :'(
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Offline Terry C.

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2008, 02:11:36 PM »
My scare gun was inspired by the old crow guns. They used to get a lot of use in the pecan orchards here but have fell out of favor. Probably because of noise complaints.

The first scare gun I ever saw was powered by a large screw-top lantern battery, and fired powdered calcium carbide like the 'BIG BANG' cannons. It could reload itself and fire at a set time interval. It looked like a large electric lantern, with a horn in place of the light.

Oh, to find one of those at a yard sale or flea market...


The new propane guns look nothing like the old scare guns. No romance to them at all.


Back on topic, I have doubts about that this being a bird scare gun. Scare guns were used outdoors and had to be somewhat weatherproof. This looks like it would be a water trap (unless there's more to it than what we have here). But then I've been wrong before.

Maybe it's an alarm gun of some sort?
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Offline lance

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2008, 02:32:48 PM »
 my favorite all time scare gun held a box of 12ga shells, in a disk that was wound up like an alarm clock. it could be set to fire a shell every half hour. very strange looking contraption! i've seen the wildlife rangers up here shoot rockets at the birds, no bang just rocket noise. i really don't know what this is, but it's fun to look and figure.
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PALADIN had a gun.....I have guns, mortars, and cannons!

Offline Ex 49'er

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2008, 03:12:50 PM »
What is the writing down in the lower corner? Kinda looks like German.
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Offline cannonmn

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2008, 03:36:49 PM »
Maker and where it was made

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Offline Artilleryman

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2008, 04:14:59 PM »
Haven't a clue as to what this is, but here are some ideas to think about.  Maybe it was used to launch fireworks, maybe it was a burglar alarm, or maybe it was a noise maker for celebrations.

How is it fastened to the base?
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Offline cannonmn

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2008, 04:28:45 PM »
It is fastened to the base by what looks like swedging of about a 1-inch circle of the bottom of the cylinder into a hole in the base plate. 

I looked on the web and found a man also named Stossier, also in Klagenfurt, Austria, who might be a descendent.  I sent him an email and asked if he knew anything about this thing or the company.
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Offline cannonmn

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2008, 02:20:41 PM »
All I've found out so far was facts about Klagenfurt, Austria the town where it was made.  90,000 people, 23 castles, 1 dragon.

http://austria.europe-cities.com/klagenfurt/klagenfurt.aspx
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Offline Terry C.

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #9 on: January 20, 2008, 02:25:37 PM »
A dragon alarm?
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Offline cannonmn

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2008, 02:37:37 PM »
Quote
A dragon alarm?

Possible.  I sure wouldn't want that thing sneakin' up on me.
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Offline cannonmn

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2009, 07:22:22 AM »
Still haven't positively ID's this
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Offline dan610324

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2009, 02:22:20 PM »
dont you have dragons in usa ??   ;D
sure its a dragon alarm , they are very common in europe  ;D
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Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #13 on: June 20, 2009, 02:43:57 PM »
Quote from: dan610324 on June 20, 2009, 02:22:20 PM
dont you have dragons in usa ??   ;D
sure its a dragon alarm , they are very common in europe  ;D

Dragons?   USA?   Probably an alarm for lawyers!   ;D
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Offline wvdad

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #14 on: June 20, 2009, 04:57:07 PM »
I dont know but looks like it could be fitted inside a cylinder to launch a bowling ball ;D
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Offline Victor3

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #15 on: June 20, 2009, 10:16:15 PM »
Quote from: dan610324 on June 20, 2009, 02:22:20 PM
dont you have dragons in usa ??   ;D
sure its a dragon alarm , they are very common in europe  ;D

 No dragons, but we do have venomous monsters....

 Hila Monster...

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"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."

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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #16 on: June 21, 2009, 04:07:05 AM »
Quote from: Victor3 on June 20, 2009, 10:16:15 PM
Hila Monster...

Gila Monster! Victor, not to worry, I have it on good authority (GeorgeG & RichardC) that this is evidently just the outcome of watching too many inane television comedies as an improperly focused youth. :D
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline cannonmn

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #17 on: June 21, 2009, 04:30:11 AM »
Not to get too far afield, one of the dumber Sci-Fi "B" movies I remember is "Attack of the Giant Gila Monster."  None of the "class" of the greats like "Them!"  I keep trying to recall the curley-haired actor who had a lead role in "Them!" then wound up doing plant food (or was it bug killer?) commercials 50 years later.
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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #18 on: June 21, 2009, 04:57:02 AM »
Quote from: cannonmn on June 21, 2009, 04:30:11 AM
Not to get too far afield, one of the dumber Sci-Fi "B" movies I remember is "Attack of the Giant Gila Monster."  None of the "class" of the greats like "Them!"  I keep trying to recall the curley-haired actor who had a lead role in "Them!" then wound up doing plant food (or was it bug killer?) commercials 50 years later.

I've always thought that it was a shame that "Them" didn't have a bigger budget for special effects, because in my opinion it is a classic (maybe RC will quit mocking, now that were discussing flickers). The two leads in "Them" were played by James Whitmore, and a pre-"Gunsmoke" James Arness.
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline cannonmn

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #19 on: June 21, 2009, 05:16:45 AM »
yes, James Whitmore, along with Fess Parker, James Arness, and others...

Don't read this article if you don't want to know the ending.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Them!
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Offline 1Southpaw

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Re: Wundermug
« Reply #20 on: June 21, 2009, 10:21:29 AM »
Looks like an empry coffee can would fir over the top . give er a try !   ;D
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