The Design of the Gunstock Club
The gunstock club was a dual purpose close contact weapon. It could be used for bludgeoning an enemy using a swinging action which became even more deadly when the enemy was hit with one of the pointed blades, situated on the upper end, near the elbow section of the war club. The blades of the gunstock war club were made of strong stone like Flint, that were made by Native Americans that were expert in the art of Flint Knapping, antler horns, bone, or metals including iron and steel. The body of the gunstock war club was flat and board-like and made from hardened woods such as maple, ash, hickory, juniper, oak, cedar, walnut and birch and measured about 30 inches, weighing from two to three pounds. We have sorted the designs and types of Native American war clubs into five main categories based on their style and design. The Gunstock club is one of the most distinctive styles of war clubs:
- Bludgeoning types of war clubs
- Hatchet Axe types of war clubs
- Pick Axe types of war clubs
- Ball Head types of war clubs
- Gun Shaped, or Gunstock, types of war clubs
History of the Gunstock Club
The Gunstock club was one of the later war weapons introduced by the Native Americans following the arrival of the white settlers, soldiers and traders. The similarity of the design and shape of the gunstock club to the firearms (muskets and rifles) of the Europeans was deliberate. The motives for using this type of design is not so clear, but could be due to a couple of reasons:
- Native Americans would have seen the gun used as a bludgeoning weapon by the whites
- American Indians would have seen, feared and envied the firepower of the guns - a new weapon, using the gun shape, might have proved an advantage over rival enemy tribes
Gunstock war clubs were most predominantly used by the Great Plains Indians and the Woodland Indians, notably the Sioux and the Fox tribes.
Native American with Gunstock Club
Gunstock Clubs
- Pictures of gunstock war clubs
- Description and definition of the Gunstock Club weapon
- Materials required to make a Gunstock Club
- Making a Gunstock Club
- The use of the Gunstock Club weapon and method of fighting
- Interesting facts and information about the Gunstock Club for kids and schools
Gunstock Clubs - Pictures and Videos of Native Americans
Gunstock Clubs. Discover the interesting facts and information which relate to the History of Native Americans and the weapons they used such as the Gunstock Clubs. The pictures on this site show the weapons and tools that were used by various Native Indian tribes that can be used as a really useful educational history resource for kids and children of all ages. We have included pictures and videos to accompany the main topic of this section - Gunstock Clubs. The videos enable fast access to the images, paintings and pictures together with information and many historical facts. All of the articles and pages can be accessed via the Native Indian Tribes Index - a great educational resource for kids providing an unusual insight into their culture. We hope you enjoy watching the videos - just click and play - a great resource for gaining facts and information about the life of Native American Indians.