Forgotten Weapons – Girardoni Air Gun
An evening pause: The air rifle that Lewis & Clark took on their expedition to impress the American Indians they met. When I recently read their memoirs, I was baffled that an air gun existed in the early 1800s. This video shows it in detail, noting that it was actually invented in 1780 for the Austrian Army.
Hat tip Judd Clark.
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Judd-
Excellent selection!
Amazing engineering.
Q: He mentioned the air-pressure was like’, 800+ lbs.square-inch. How does that compare to a modern air-rifle and/or chemical firearms?
i believe that modern gunpowder rifles are in the range of 50,000 psi. i may be mistaken, but it is easily looked up.
The air reservoirs were hand hammered, riveted, and soldered. 800 psi seems scary for that kind of construction.
judd–
(I as well had no idea air rifles went back so far.)
-cursory look-see yields around 400+psi for a modern CO2 cartridge and your 50K number appears completely reasonable for gunpowder, depending on load and whatnot.
(This is not my thing’, any Engineers who want to comment?)
Wayne, modern large-caliber air rifles (typically 50-cal) need stored air pressure in the 3000-4500 PSI range, however modern spring-only rifles are generally more powerful and more accurate.
Judd, you’re thinking of chamber pressure, SAAMI specs for many rifles are in the 50-60K range. Some rounds like the 7.62x54R have been measured as high as 80K. Non +P handguns are typically around 25K.
22 rounds in the late 1700s eh? Sure does blow the “modern” large capacity magazine argument out of the water!
Great presentation, sad that was for the benefit of ATF thugs.
More from Gun Jesus – Soryy, but as an old soldier, I can’t resist
Pritchard’s 19th Century Precharged Air Gun https://youtu.be/sCoUWJHhDZ0
Durs Egg Ferguson – The Rifle That Didn’t Shoot George Washington https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlD5SFR_qq0 The inventor, Major Patrick Ferguson, had the chance to shoot Washington but declined the shot. Ferguson was killed in action commanding British / Loyalist force at King’s Mountain
Lethal at 125 yards – wow!
Look up Quackenbush air rifles.
http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/
If anyone is willing I am accepting gifts.
Read “Undaunted Courage” – Stephen E. Ambrose.
I found it a remarkable read and insight to the relationship between Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the “opening of the American West.”
Not taught in my elementary education, that is for certain.
The opening of the American West. Amazing.
Poor Lewis.
Alex Andrite: I found Ambrose’s book very disappointing, which is why I found an excellent abridged transcription of Lewis & Clark’s actual diaries to get a real sense of what happened. Ambrose too often stuck his own opinions in when they were clearly not needed, nor even very accurate or fair.
Moriarty’s right hand man used one
https://coastalsherlockians.wordpress.com/2018/11/10/the-air-rifle/