doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What is this puzzle

A screen to keep wasps from building nests in a gun barrel might be a good idea, but I don't think that's what these mystery items are. But I have no clue and haven't even submitted a wild ass guess.

I did once come very close to pulling the trigger on a 20 ga. shotgun that I leave in my garage when something told me to stop and check the bore. It was packed solid with a mud dauber wasp nest, and certainly would have blown up. The little bastards will nest in any small opening, and once did the same thing to the bore of a .177 cal. spring piston pellet rifle. I now cover the muzzle of my garage gun with an oiled rag to keep critters out.

Speaking of "Dirt Dobber" nests, I went through a whole day trying to get a weed eater to start and couldn't. I replaced plug, filter, primer ball, fuel line, new gas. I was getting fire to the plug, but it wouldn't hit a lick. Gave up in disgust and took it to a shop to be fixed. $40. later, found out it wouldn't start cause a d@#$%^ dirt dobber nest had been built in the muffler, and the exhaust was plugged.

huntermn, the "baskets" do not seem to mesh together. Just two nearly identical samples.

John E, that's an interesting thing you found. Amazing what the internet can do. My " baskets" have closed ends. Does your pictured screens have a closed end ?

Stan, I do think the "baskets " could be shot concentrators as others have suggested. I think , if so, they might have been used in punt guns or similar. I cannot think of a use for the loop on the closed ends, though. As said before, they were obviously put there for some reason.

I'm surprised no one has guessed scrotal protectors from summer weight suits of armor.

Were the shot concentrators of old made with brass or iron? Yours looks like iron mesh?

The "baskets" are a steel or iron wire mesh. The open edges are woven tighter and may have solder on them. Obviously, they are woven to the exact shape, not made out of flat stock mesh or similar.

We are on the wrong path. The loops on the bottoms just don't add up to shot concentrators. Bet'cha they have nothing to do with shooting. Now one thing we can deduce is they were intended to be hung from a string upside down, perhaps one on each end.....(see my tag line below).....