Meriwether Lewis' air rifle

http://www.youtube.com ^ | February 1, 2011 | NFMCurator·

[NKP_Vet]

Lewis and Clark's secret weapon - a late 18th Century .46 cal. 20 shot repeating air rifle by Girandoni , as used bin the Napoleonic Wars. A Treasure Gun from the NRA National Firearms Museum.

[NKP_Vet]

This is a great video. Would love to fire this rifle.

[yarddog]

I read their complete journal. Lewis killed a deer with it. The Indians had flintlock rifles and understood how they worked tho some had never seen a White Man.

They were fascinated by the air gun tho.

[TaMoDee]

I too read the journals —— Twice. Once straight thru and then 200 years to the date, day by day. Like you state, Lewis used the air rifle many times.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Interesting clip. Thanks for the post.

[NKP_Vet]

“Undaunted Courage” a great book. Still waiting for an epic Hollywood movie to be made about the Corps of Discovery.
It’s never been done. The movie could be taken from
Ambrose’s great book.

[Obama_Is_Sabotaging_America]

Wasn’t it Lewis who got shot in the Butt by a French dude? Maybe Clark shot him by accident?

[mylife]

20 shot silent .46?
This would be banned by DiFi and Obama. LOL

[babygene]

An interesting side note about air rifles...

This only works for the pump up type. If you add diesel fuel, or better yet nitro and alcohol(model airplane fuel) inside the rear skirt of the pellet, add this on a bit of cotton stuffed inside the skirt...

When you fire the gun the fuel explodes due to the diesel compression. Much more power...

[BreezyDog]

This is my RWS Diana Magnum 350 air gun. She's a beast:

[mylife]

Also, Lewis NEVER discharged all of the rounds in the Indian demonstrations.

The Indians were left to think that the Giardonni had endless capacity.

[mylife]

That thing needs to be limited to 450 fps /s

[The Cajun]

That thing needs to be limited to 450 fps /s

Don't give the Rats any ideas.
My old .22 Benjamin might still be legal, put 12 pumps on it and it'll push 750 fps :)

[expat1000]

800 psi - wow!! Amazing they could make seals in those days that would keep the pressure up for 40 rounds.

Thanks for posting!

[Liberty Valance]

I got to hear Stephen Ambrose speak about Lewis & Clark at the local College before he passed away. Riveting.

[mylife]

I grew up with the venerable Benjamin.

[The Cajun]

Still have the .22 pistol 500fps and the rifle.
Both still working great, a drop of 3 & 1 oil on the pump felt every year or so, ready to go, never had to put a pump kit in either, probably shouldn't brag about that, LOL.

[GraceG]

Maybe we should find a way to make more of these but with modern tech, could be useful if they decide to ban bullets and gun powder.

[mylife]

I thought the seal was leather?

Last one I looked at was inop.
It was old.
Maybe it just looked like leather from age.
Jeez that was 25 years ago.

[mylife]

It was all brass and wood.

[The Cajun]

Have never looked at the seals, never had reason too.
Thought they would be orings or quad rings.
Did notice that a gun shop I go to, has kits for both rifle and pistol.
Hardly mess with them anymore, but you're supposed to store them with 2 pumps, have always done that.
When I take them out and dry fire before oiling, they always *POP* after all these years, so I suspect the ancient seals are still not leaking.
They probably wouldn't hold up under active use however.

[mylife]

It is inactivity that does them in.

[The Cajun]

Yup, that's it!
Looks like it's missing the thumb safety, mine has a thumb safety you would push in to fire or pull out to lock the trigger.

[JoeProBono]

My Benji

Benjamin® Trail Nitro - Piston™ All Weather .22 cal. Air Rifle.

[The Cajun]

Dang son!!!
Gun grabbers are gonna get you with that thing.
It looks mean, LOL.

[Adams]

Here's my..... Oh, nevermind.....

[chuckles]

ping

[Myrddin]

I grew up with the venerable Benjamin.

I did as well. I had a .22 cal model. I bagged many rabbits with that one. It was a great rifle until my bonehead brother-in-law over pumped it and destroyed it. It wasn't repairable nor replaceable. I was very bummed.

[Myrddin]

That looks like my old one. I just found new ones for sale. Click the pic:

[Nailbiter]

ping

[Eagles6]

http://www.beemans.net/images/Austrian%20airguns.htm

[gorush]

ping

[Hegemony Cricket]

mark for later

[Graybeard58]

18th Century .46 cal. 20 shot repeating air rifle by Girandoni

If you had one of those, in "mint" condition, you could take it to "Pawn Stars" and Rick would probably offer you as much as $100 for it!

[golf lover]

Absolutely fabulous read! We need more Lewis and Clarks and the men of the Corps of Discovery (Corpse according our super intelligent President) in our country for these difficult times. Navy seals are probably the closest we have. Certainly none of our politicians could measure up in any way. But, as our most respected women in the world Secretary of State would say, “What difference, at this point, does it make?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Remember the accident before they left? While examining the airgun it fired and a ball passed through a woman’s hat, but didn’t hit the woman.

This airgun was bought with government funds (I believe) and when they got back this multi-shot air arms was sold at auction to the public. No one demanded they be destroyed.

[MrB]

Look up “precharged pneumatic airguns”.

They are available today, pretty cool, but a bit pricey.

[MrB]

I couldn’t believe how tough raccoons are...

I shot one 3 times, twice in the head, with a .177 at ~1000 fps (rated).

He ran off.

[ArrogantBustard]

I have one of those as well ... it’s just the thing for dispatching certain 4-legged furry annoyances.

[SparkyBass]

I have a very cool Gamo Hunter 220 that pumps specialty pellets up to 1350 fps!

[JoeProBono]

[Myrddin]

Raccoons are really tough. I took rabbits with a shot in the eye. I didn't trust the pellet to do the job directly on the skill. I shoot just behind the eye with .22LR. A .177 really doesn't carry enough energy for a raccoon. A 17HMR is ideal if you're taking them for the pelt.

[Myrddin]

Raccoons are really tough. I took rabbits with a shot in the eye. I didn't trust the pellet to do the job directly on the skull. I shoot just behind the eye with .22LR. A .177 really doesn't carry enough energy for a raccoon. A 17HMR is ideal if you're taking them for the pelt.

[freebird5850]

Nice, I love my model 40 as well. I’m curious in trying the above trick using the cotton and the various additives.

[TexasRepublic]

Do you value your health? I would be concerned about “spontaneous unscheduled disassembly”. Those guns probably are not engineered with a margin of safety to withstand the pressures of diesel-type internal combustion; they simply were not designed for that. It could be an interesting idea for a purpose-built gun though.

[freebird5850]

You are right, not worth it. Amerex just did a tune up on it for me a few months back. I think 1170 fps does the job fine. Thanks for responding.

[yarddog]

Just about all springers will diesel a bit, especially after they have recently been greased. It is not good for them but they will stand it for a time.

Hermann Weihrauch used to make a model which was designed to diesel. There was a port which swung out and you would add a drop of ether. Today ether is hard to find but I have heard you can substitute starting fluid.

I have a couple of dozen air rifles. Probably the best one is an RWS Diana (dynamit nobel) model 48. It is a pretty old design but they still make it.

[freebird5850]

wow that’s great. I may be mistaken...I have forgotten which model I have....it is .177 and it’s not a break-barrel. It has the side lever for cocking. I’ve had it for 15 years or so. Great gun.