Stumbled across this. Is the Girandoni technically a pcp? https://youtu.be/-pqFyKh-rUI
Girandoni air rifle.
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Made in the 1790’s. Cast iron tank. 800psi fill pressure. 46 caliber.
That thing back then would have been like owning a AR15 these days I bet.
Would love to have a closer look and shot out of it that’s for sure.
https://youtu.be/juOQ9Ij3G1c
That thing back then would have been like owning a AR15 these days I bet.
Would love to have a closer look and shot out of it that’s for sure.
https://youtu.be/juOQ9Ij3G1c
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I think the tech worked, it was just really too expensive and really if something went wrong with a seal you are done. I would think that any town of size would have someone that could fix your powder rifle, but something holding that kind of pressure....that long ago....there is a reason it took years to become popular.
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If I remember correctly, Belgium army issue. Used for a about 20 years with many advantages over PB's at the time. No smoke was a biggie for a sniper. Rate of fire was vastly faster than PB with a 24 ball magazine on the side of the gun. Apparently, could fire entire mag on one fill. That's pretty good even by today's standards.
During the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon supposedly had an immediate execution order for any soldier found with one. They were snipers and did a great deal of damage. No powder smoke, quiet and you didn't have to stand to reload. Just point the gun up, press a lever and a ball fell into the chamber. Lower the gun, aim, fire, do it again. It comes with a little pump kit and two extra reservoirs so a soldier could fire 60 or 70 shots before running out of air. Later, a large pump manned by teams behind the battle lines was introduced, and runners would keep the air coming to the soldiers on the front line.
Big problem was building, and maintenance. Tech of the day used brazing to make the air reservoir, and it wasn't good quality. Maintenance was a nightmare as leather seals had to be kept wet and precision things on the battlefield are hard to keep going. Eventually taken out of service due to the problems.
I'd love to have one, but only a couple survive.
Supposedly, Lewis and Clark had one, but there's a debate whether it was one of these or an airgun made by a Philadelphia gun smith. This thing is incredible. Lewis and Clark used the airgun to impress the Indians as to fire power. History shows PCP's go back a long way in history. The Girandoni was by no means the first PCP!
During the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon supposedly had an immediate execution order for any soldier found with one. They were snipers and did a great deal of damage. No powder smoke, quiet and you didn't have to stand to reload. Just point the gun up, press a lever and a ball fell into the chamber. Lower the gun, aim, fire, do it again. It comes with a little pump kit and two extra reservoirs so a soldier could fire 60 or 70 shots before running out of air. Later, a large pump manned by teams behind the battle lines was introduced, and runners would keep the air coming to the soldiers on the front line.
Big problem was building, and maintenance. Tech of the day used brazing to make the air reservoir, and it wasn't good quality. Maintenance was a nightmare as leather seals had to be kept wet and precision things on the battlefield are hard to keep going. Eventually taken out of service due to the problems.
I'd love to have one, but only a couple survive.
Supposedly, Lewis and Clark had one, but there's a debate whether it was one of these or an airgun made by a Philadelphia gun smith. This thing is incredible. Lewis and Clark used the airgun to impress the Indians as to fire power. History shows PCP's go back a long way in history. The Girandoni was by no means the first PCP!
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I would say, though, that it was the first successful PCP. Especially on a world scale like it was! I wish they had a remake available. That'd be awesome for deer season & pig huntin'!
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Martin Orro and his friend built a replica and did a demo and presentation at the 2013 Pacific Airgun Expo in Fresno, Ca. You might start there with a google search, I think I've seen some youtube videos that Martin posted.
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My understanding about the Girandoni includes:
(1) Crossman had an early Girandoni and when they took it apart, it had all the documented fixes/repairs as logged in the Lewis and Clark expedition -- so it was found, and it was a Girandoni
(2) When the Austrian army decommissioned them, they had them destroyed -- which is why so few survived. (they were only the stolen ones or private sales that got away)
(3) The tanks of the era were fragile and we wouldn't call "safe".
(4) There's also a Kunitomo Ikkansai Air Gun from around the same vintage -- but I have found little information on it. (I did quite a bit of googling to try to find more, but didn't come up with much).
I would love for someone to make a modern replica -- fixing a few of the design flaws (fragile parts), like using a more modern tank/pressures, rubber instead of wet leather, maybe spring loaded hopper so it doesn't have to be gravity fed. But a .46 caliber hunter would be fun to both have as a conversation piece, and to shoot.
(1) Crossman had an early Girandoni and when they took it apart, it had all the documented fixes/repairs as logged in the Lewis and Clark expedition -- so it was found, and it was a Girandoni
(2) When the Austrian army decommissioned them, they had them destroyed -- which is why so few survived. (they were only the stolen ones or private sales that got away)
(3) The tanks of the era were fragile and we wouldn't call "safe".
(4) There's also a Kunitomo Ikkansai Air Gun from around the same vintage -- but I have found little information on it. (I did quite a bit of googling to try to find more, but didn't come up with much).
I would love for someone to make a modern replica -- fixing a few of the design flaws (fragile parts), like using a more modern tank/pressures, rubber instead of wet leather, maybe spring loaded hopper so it doesn't have to be gravity fed. But a .46 caliber hunter would be fun to both have as a conversation piece, and to shoot.
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Here is the modern replica. It actually makes you realise we haven’t come far in terms of design ideas. 24 shot magazine. Quick load tube so you could tip another 24 rounds into the magazine . Able to swap the air cylinder in the field. I’ll bet it’s hammer tension was adjustable. Over 200 hundred years ago!!! Incredible.
Enjoyed reading your posts. Who’d have thought an interest in airguns would lead to a history lessons! American and European.
https://youtu.be/VPjJ1Jcznzw
Just realised it’s the same video Darren posted......
Enjoyed reading your posts. Who’d have thought an interest in airguns would lead to a history lessons! American and European.
https://youtu.be/VPjJ1Jcznzw
Just realised it’s the same video Darren posted......
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Belgium did not become a country till the mid 1800's....I don't think it was them. I want to say it was one of the little states that would later become Italy that had this thing. And it was not used in really any kind of numbers, I also want to say it was not standard issue to even elite units, it was more of a hay look at this....wow that is pretty cool, ok you shot your bunch do it again.....wait what, you have to do what to make it shoot again after you run out of air....and the pumps take how long to charge this thing....and they cost what, and last how long.....yea good idea come back to me when you get some of that worked out.
I really think this was in the same class as Whitworth rifles....yea it is so much better at putting holes where you want them, but cost, and what goes into making it work really killed it.
Really the more I think of it Whitworth is in the same bucket as these early air guns, they did their job so much better but the minus really killed it....it was better but too big of a pain to be useful.
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