Post by zimmerstutzen on Sept 18, 2022 16:00:28 GMT
We have cannons and thunder mugs in the US, but in Europe there are heavy barreled salute pistols called Handboller, heavy barreled guns stocked with long gun stocks, called Shaftboller, prangerstutzen, and pistonieri (depending on location) and then the truly massive Trombini of Northern Italy that weigh 50 to 100 pounds. Like here in the US they are fired as salutes to start events, or just to make some celebratory noise at holidays. In Germany holiday salutes can be quite regimented, with a leader shouting commands. In Northern Italy the pistonieri are a combination marching band and drill team with actual firing as part of the show at sporting events like a half time show in the US. These groups even travel to competition/conventions across borders. There are Youtube videos of German Boller shooting groups firing along side the Trombini club in the village of San Bartolomeo.
For all we here about firearm danger in the US, the fact that the pistonieri march and fire their guns during parades and in crowded sports stadiums, seems an odd practice. I can't imagine such a thing here. Imagine something like this at a football game: www.bing.com/videos/search?&q=youtube+pistonieri&docid=607990648868445846&mid=48E5479B2A5AC266AC6A48E5479B2A5AC266AC6A&view=detail&form=VDRVSR&ajaxhist=0
At one time about 20 years ago, there was a salute group here in America in the Upper MidWest, complete with costumes and equipped with German made salute guns. (Perhaps in Wisconsin or Minnesota) I saw one group of pictures with a write up about them at a festival, and when I went back to find more about them, the link was broken. If anyone knows anything about them, please send a message to zimmerstutzen.
In years past, an orchestra met in a park in Lancaster PA, and the former Mayor of Lancaster brought his muzzle loader cannons to fire as they played Tschaikovski's 1812 Overture. That stopped with the Pandemic in 2020 and the Mayor is no longer as healthy as he once was and can no longer do it.
In some German states, salute guns must be proof fired every 5 years at a government laboratory. The date and proof symbol is then stamped on the barrel. Shooters are required to have a permit from police to have black powder and are required to take an 8 hour safety course about salute guns and firearm safety before they may fire one.
For all we here about firearm danger in the US, the fact that the pistonieri march and fire their guns during parades and in crowded sports stadiums, seems an odd practice. I can't imagine such a thing here. Imagine something like this at a football game: www.bing.com/videos/search?&q=youtube+pistonieri&docid=607990648868445846&mid=48E5479B2A5AC266AC6A48E5479B2A5AC266AC6A&view=detail&form=VDRVSR&ajaxhist=0
At one time about 20 years ago, there was a salute group here in America in the Upper MidWest, complete with costumes and equipped with German made salute guns. (Perhaps in Wisconsin or Minnesota) I saw one group of pictures with a write up about them at a festival, and when I went back to find more about them, the link was broken. If anyone knows anything about them, please send a message to zimmerstutzen.
In years past, an orchestra met in a park in Lancaster PA, and the former Mayor of Lancaster brought his muzzle loader cannons to fire as they played Tschaikovski's 1812 Overture. That stopped with the Pandemic in 2020 and the Mayor is no longer as healthy as he once was and can no longer do it.
In some German states, salute guns must be proof fired every 5 years at a government laboratory. The date and proof symbol is then stamped on the barrel. Shooters are required to have a permit from police to have black powder and are required to take an 8 hour safety course about salute guns and firearm safety before they may fire one.