Girandoni air rifle as used by Lewis and Clark.

[TomTerrific]

I came across this and thought some might be interested.


http://www.network54.com/Forum/451309/thread/1296928404/This+is+just+to+cool+not+to+spread+around

 

[DuckYou]

I want one!

 

[jimdana1942]

WOW!

 

[FTRrookie]

An interesting side note about this gun. Before L&C got to St. Louis they stopped at some small little town and were doing just what this guy describes. Showing off this air gun to the town folk. Just as he pulls the trigger, I forget if it was a kid or a woman, but someone stepped out into the line of fire and he nails them. Didn't kill them but definitely hurt them. "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen A. Ambrose should be required reading. It's a great book. All of his books are. He wrote in such a fashion and with so much passion, he made history come alive.

 

[SGT_Kramer]

That is a very cool gun and I want one also. Always amazes me what people were able to produce in thier time and how well it worked and with maintnance would probably still be working today. Thanks for the info!

 

[Eddie117]

Wow I thought the gun had something to do with superman *face palm*

 

[Spleen]

As an off note, deltamud is absolutely on point with his thoughts about Ambrose. When I went to UNO as an undergrad, there was a group of us that would meet in the evenings at "The Cove", an on-campus food court and bar, and talk with him abut all manner of things. The more he (as well as all of us) drank the better his stories got, but I digress. I do miss those days; he was a historical treasure that will be sadly missed. Fortunately, his words live on in his works.