Blunderbuss
The blunderbuss is a now obsolete musket with a short barrel having a flaring mouth. The gun fired a large amount of shot designed to inflict maximum damage at short-range. It was intended for use wherever close-in work was required, as by coach guards or sailors repelling boarders.
The term blunderbuss first appeared in 1654 and is of Dutch origin, being a combination of donder (thunder) and bus (pipe or tube). Seventeenth and eighteenth century usage of the term blunder sometimes meant to cause confusion. A very loud noise was created when the blunderbuss was fired and this, plus the potential for substantial damage to anything in its way, may have caused the blunder term to attach itself to the gun.
Reference note by p4A editorial staff, April 2011.