Capable of doing execution within

Indeed, this very question, it is said, was put to the Four Wise Clerks of Oxenford, and after thought they replied:A blunderbuss is a short gun with a large bore firing many balls or slugs, and capable of doing execution within a limited range without exact aim.Now superseded in civilised countries by other firearms.

However, Farmer Giles's blunderbuss had a wide mouth that opened like a horn, and it did not fire balls or slugs,but anything that he could spare to stuff in. And it did not do execution, because he seldom loaded it, and never let it off.The sight of it was usually enough for his purpose.