The Air Rifle That Amazed the Indians

slimjim

www.network54.com/Foru...296928404/

This is a brief history of an air rifle used by Lewis and Clark on their expedition and AMAZED the Indians!!! Very interesting.

It takes 1500 strokes to pump this rifle to full pressure, after which it could shoot more than 40 .46 cal. round balls, each of which can blast a clean hole through a 1 inch pine board at 100 yards accurately.

This is a VERY interesting gun ! How many of you HuntingNuts out there even knew that a rifle like this ever existed?, especially way back then? I did know of them. They were more powerful than early black powder rifles plus they were quieter and didn't give of smoke. The were the choice of snipers and I had read they were used up to and even in the Civil War. Now I know more.

I hope you enjoy this like I did. This video is with sound and great on full screen.

SingleShotLover

Napoleon banned the manufacture or ownership of air rifles because of fear of assassins. 1,500 strokes is probably why they took York along! If I recall correctly, Lewis had a hand in designing the pump used to pressurize the air tank,

Gil Martin

I read about this air rifle in the book "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose. The book is a great read and shows the contrast between Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Within a few years after the end of the mission of the Corp of Discovery, Lewis was dead either by suicide or he was murdered and Clark married well and became Governor of the Louisiana Territory.

The expedition was so over budget that upon returning to St. Louis, all the rifles were auctioned off and lost to history. Also, only one man died in the two-year adventure and that was Sgt. Charles Floyd who died from appendicitis.

All the best...
Gil

SingleShotLover

Ambrose's book is great. Readable and informative. Another along the same lines is "From Sea To Shining Sea" by James Alexander Thom. Story line that covers the famous Clark family in depth as well as the expedition.

Ominivision1

Good read Slim.