- Spring-gun
A spring-gun is a
gun , often ashotgun , rigged to fire when a string or other triggering device is tripped by contact of sufficient force to "spring" the trigger so that anyone stumbling over or treading on them would discharge it and wound themselves. They were formerly used asbooby trap s against poachers andtrespasser s. Since 1827, spring-guns and all man-traps are illegal inEngland . Spring-guns are sometimes used to trapanimal s.From "Killing or Wounding to Protect a Property Interest" (1971), Richard A. Posner: "Spring-guns were something of a
cause célèbre in early nineteenth-centuryEngland , but since that time the reported cases have been few."Although there have been "few" reported cases, there have been several over the 20th century. The obvious implication is that spring-guns are still in use today, especially in circumstances where property of high value is in a remote location that makes other forms of securing it unreasonably difficult to effect.
In the USA, most spring-guns are loaded with non-lethal
caliber or shot to avoidliability arising from the use ofdeadly force in protection of a property interest. Posting clear and unmistakable warning signs as well as making entry to spring-gun guarded premises difficult for innocent persons, such as highwall s,fence s and natural obstacles, are significant ways to reduce potentialtort liability arising from the spring-gun's wounding of a careless or criminal intruder. Important USlawsuit s regarding trespassers wounded by spring-guns include "Katko v. Briney ". "Bird v. Holbrook " is an 1825 English case also of great relevance, where a spring-gun set to protect a tulip garden injured a trespasser who was recovering a stray bird [http://home.uchicago.edu/~rmcnary/briefs/torts/Bird/] . The man who set the spring-gun was liable for the damage caused.Spring guns have appeared in works of fiction such as the
video game sMax Payne , , and thefilm Saw.ee also
*
mantrap
*booby trap References
*1911
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