Though comically large, the punt gun was no laughing matter. The 10-foot, 100-pound weapon was so deadly to North America’s waterfowl that it was outlawed by 1918, as just a single shot from the ...

For instance, the standard 12-gauge is equal to a 0.72-inch caliber, but is a small fry compared to the giant 2-gauge punt guns used in the 19th century.

Male's Max Gainey is back to return a punt, but he has a hard time getting ahold of the ball.

I used to hunt with a single-barrel Stevens 12-gauge shotgun, or alternately a double barrel Ithaca 10-gauge. I never had, or felt the need for, a self-loading long gun.