An Early American Squirt Gun: A Fascinating History

[@joshuataft5541]

Love this channel

[@TheWoodlandEscape]

You gotta love the obscure tidbits . As usual, Anthony, you never disappoint!

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you sir!

[@stephenfields6236]

I’ve read the story of Squire’s “squirt gun” several times and it was interesting to see you actually make and demonstrate how it worked. Good video.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you! I appreciate the support.

[@gaoutdooradventures]

Awesome educational material. It's very commendable that you make and fabricate the things you demonstrate in your videos the way they were constructed, and/or fabricated, during the time period from which they were used. Two thumbs up!

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you so much for the support and kind words!

[@IvanIvanoIvanovich]

Thanks for sharing, I'm impressed how effective that turned out. The British Indian Departments officer at Boonesborough was a Lieutenant Antoine Dagneau de Quindre from Detroit. His son of the same name would go on to lead a company of riflemen against the British in the War of 1812.

[@thedeerskindiary]

The frontier was a wild and fascinating place. What a strange mix of famous and not so famous people.

[@jeffs5093]

Great video, I had never heard of the frontier squirt guns

[@thedeerskindiary]

I hadn’t either until the Boonesborough story.

[@DaveCollierCamping]

Great content, have an awesome day

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thanks! You too!

[@timber123doddle]

Very interesting and enjoyable video, great job! So who did you squirt over the weekend other than that arrow? 😂

[@thedeerskindiary]

There were many potential victims but all remained safe. 😂

[@bushcraftbasics2036]

Very cool

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you!

[@Hidetannerslife]

Awesome video 😊 Love the early fire squirts. Never knew about them. There is an original syringe from the Whydah shipwreck. Could a squirter gun be made out of river cane?

[@thedeerskindiary]

I would imagine that they could if you got the inside smooth enough. Any hollow tube would work once you got the nozzle, plunger, and gasket right.

[@WBrownIII]

Another informative video.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you!

[@markhill8276]

great video like always. so much information Quick question i have a double-barrel smooth bore percussion cap shotgun. roughly 12 ga. Do you think i can shoot round ball out of it? Barrel thickness doesn't seem as thick as a normal muzzleloader barrel.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Man I don’t know. I am not an expert on that subject. I would advise taking it to a gunsmith that specializes in that sort of thing and asking them.

[@agoogleaccount2861]

If it's barrel walls are thinner than a dime at the muzzle. Definitely Nope. .. Besides . It Better be an undersized ball with thick patch they aren't meant for tight fit balls

[@redtobertshateshandles]

No. A shot load is compressible. A ball isn't. Don't fool with ammunition as any explosion is right near your head and limbs.

[@ashleyanderson2859]

Very interesting and something I knew nothing about.

[@thedeerskindiary]

Thank you!

[@agoogleaccount2861]

"Old gun barrel " in that era would likely be a brown bess or french musket barrel both smooth and of large bore

[@thedeerskindiary]

It’s what I wanted to use but couldn’t source one in time.

[@agoogleaccount2861]

@@thedeerskindiary the plunger would have been made of a wood button covered in greased leather like a bag . And tied at the back with string

[@thedeerskindiary]

@@agoogleaccount2861 do you know where I can find that reference?

[@agoogleaccount2861]

@@thedeerskindiary not exactly. But it stands to reason that junk gun Barrels would probably be flintlock musket barrels in that age. .brown Bess Potsdam and french were the most common foreign import guns of revolutionary era that'd break something and be junked for parts. And be of large smooth bore ideal for a fire syringe as caplock guns and early cartridge guns would be"modern arms" in those days

[@redtobertshateshandles]

You clean a blackpowder gun using water. Water would shoot out the vent hole. No need for a dedicated water pistol.

[@thedeerskindiary]

It would work but the touch hole is too small to be effective used that way.