CASH Cowpuncher
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- Not recorded
- Weight, empty
- 2.80 kg
- Introduced
- Not recorded
About
What it is, and why it matters
The CASH Cowpuncher is a cartridge-powered penetrating captive bolt stunning pistol made by Accles & Shelvoke and designed specifically for the humane pre-slaughter stunning of cattle. Built around a robust cylindrical body, it uses a unique contact-fire mechanism that discharges when the muzzle is pressed firmly against the animal's skull, allowing one-handed operation without pressing a trigger. Firing a blank .22 or .25 caliber cartridge drives a retained (captive) steel bolt forward to deliver a concussive penetrating blow that renders the animal instantly unconscious, after which the bolt automatically returns to its seated position. Colour-coded cartridges of differing propellant charge let the operator match bolt energy to animal size, from small pigs and goats up to very heavy bulls, sows and boars, and a positive no-fire safety prevents accidental discharge.
The CASH captive bolt principle pioneered by Accles & Shelvoke replaced the poleaxe and other crude methods, becoming a founding standard of humane slaughter referenced in EU welfare regulation EC 1099/2009. The Cowpuncher's contact-fire design lets a handler stun cattle single-handed without a separate trigger pull.
A captive bolt stunner is not a conventional firearm: the bolt is retained within the tool and no free projectile is discharged. The Cowpuncher is offered in both .22 and .25 caliber and accepts a telescopic long-handle accessory for stunning at greater reach. Manufacturer figures: length approximately 265 mm, width approximately 60 mm, weight approximately 2.8 kg. Cartridges span roughly 2.0 to 6.0 grain propellant loads distinguished by colour code.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Accles & Shelvoke Ltd
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Status
- In production
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Overall length
- 265 mm
- Width
- 60 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.80 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Breech loading
- Firing mechanism
- Fixed firing pin
- Trigger
- Contact fire
- Capacity
- 1
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 55 m/s
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Captive bolt- Contact fire operation
- One handed operation
- Automatic bolt return
- Cylindrical body
- Interchangeable cartridge loads
Long handle option
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 1,909 pistols | 2.80 kg | 794 g | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,911 pistols | 265 mm | 196 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,962 pistols | 1 | 8 | Among the smallest capacities |
Answers
Questions about the CASH Cowpuncher
How much does the CASH Cowpuncher weigh?
The CASH Cowpuncher weighs 2.80 kg (6.17 lb) empty.
What caliber is the CASH Cowpuncher?
The CASH Cowpuncher is chambered in .22 Captive Bolt Blank.
How many rounds does the CASH Cowpuncher hold?
The CASH Cowpuncher holds 1 rounds.
How long is the CASH Cowpuncher?
The CASH Cowpuncher is 265 mm (10.43 in) long overall.
Who makes the CASH Cowpuncher?
The CASH Cowpuncher is made by Accles & Shelvoke Ltd (United Kingdom).
How does the CASH Cowpuncher operate?
The CASH Cowpuncher uses a breech loading action, and its firing mechanism is fixed firing pin.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
Provenance
Confidence in this record
70%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/cash-cowpuncher' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "cash-cowpuncher", "name": "CASH Cowpuncher", "manufacturer": { "id": "accles-shelvoke", "name": "Accles & Shelvoke Ltd", "countryCode": "GB", "foundedYear": 1903, "website": "https://www.accles-shelvoke.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": "UK-based manufacturer in the English Midlands, founded in 1903 as Bennett's Successors Ltd. Adopted the name Accles & Shelvoke in 1913. Primarily manufactures humane slaughter equipment (bolt pistols) and cable spikers. Acquired by Frontmatec in 2017.", "status": "active", "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": true, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-07-19 22:59:14", "updatedAt": "2026-09-15 07:19:19", "version": "ae4637b82eb8244460900a5653e1e9fa52db6ebe534e187c3cb03ceac9606752" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "GB", "year_introduced": null, "barrel_length_mm": null, "weight_empty_g": 2800, "action_type": "breech_loading"}