What are the greatest Airgun tech milestones?

The one singular event that encouraged air powered arms development was World War II.

At the end of the war in Europe most Germans were not allowed to own firearms and those that were, were severely controlled on storage and use.

So, although airguns were in use before and during the conflict, the performance and development of air arms was enhanced following the war.

For the time being we, in the USA, are still able to exercise our God given rights to self protection and a long as we obey the law we will continue to have that right.

I was stationed in Berlin (125 miles inside of East Germany) from 1974-79.

I only knew of three Germans that owned firearms in the entire city. 

I knew this because they used our range, bought ammunition from us and could not store that ammunition at home.

When they bought it, they had to use it, not unlike the range bought ammunition usage here in the Republik of Kalifornia.

FWIW, PCP is not new. It predates metallic cartridges. Lewis and Clark had one with them on their little walk about in the early 1800's.

Girandoni air rifle https://g.co/kgs/gwW8Qy



Manufacturing consistency and market prices that allow most anyone into the arena would be my observation.

 I agree with FranklinFairfield that the end of WWII led to increased innovation in sporting air based arms in Germany. The most important innovation though, I believe, came from Morini in the 1990’s

Morini-

“1992

First compressed air pistol with 200 bar compressed air cylinder and electronic trigger unit with ball bearing.

When all 4.5 mm (0.177) used either air that had to be precompressed by a piston or CO2, Morini Competition Arm SA manufactured the first compressed air pistol with a 200 bar compressed air cylinder and electronic trigger unit with ball bearing. Predictably there were some teething problems, difficulties like the unavailability of 200 bar compressed air. These have been solved and today the CM 162EI, the later version with the interchangeable air cylinder, is one of the most popular target airguns in the world and the system of precompressed air in the cylinder has been universally adopted by all other pistol manufacturer.”

https://www.morini.ch/about-1/

X 2 -with JimNMThe Girandoni air rifles were ahead of there times when the came out. Also the Austrian army PCP rifles / to some extant at the time of ball & musket. Was a rapid fire weapon of the time. Interesting innovation for that time period.

Great topic!


Following WWII the airguns being made were springers, co2, and MSP(multi-pump). The Girandoni being a PCP was still ahead of these airguns in ingenuity, power, reloading speed, and build quality. As far as I know, the world wouldn’t see PCPs being built again until the 1980s(commercially until the 90s). 


The greatest, recent innovations have been:

1) Diabolo shaped pellet which allowed for greater accuracy

2) electronic gun made by daystate with an electronic valve, trigger, and regulator

3) This is my favorite innovation and the most recent and least explored...The (mechanical)hammerless valve. Huben was the first to do it. LCS copied it. And Edgun made their own variation. 

The Shoebox Compressor!

Tom's invention opened up the world of PCP's to the average person by providing a source of 4500psi air at a reasonable price using 110 volt power. The explosion of PCP's and their popularity was fueled by his little invention. In my opinion one of the biggest shames in the advance of airguns was allowing his company to go out of business because of lack of support. I have been using a Shoebox Compressors for 10 years and with a little luck I will be using them for another 10!

Jim in Sacramento

THE INTERNET! Allowing like minded shooters to voice their opinions, needs, ideas, likes & dislikes, etc. & allowing the manufacturers to respond with the commensurate innovations. I think the fact that the ideas & information that are immediately available to manufacturers & buyers alike have pushed airgun innovation faster, higher & to a larger audience than ever before possible. The concept, as stated before, is not new but the rate at which the innovation has occurred is due to many contributing factors, not least of which (imho) is the internet! 

There being Sooooo Many !

As too PCP's in more recent years .... Regulation, Free flight hammer systems.

As too Spring / Gas piston type guns .... Sled or Giss recoil absorbing or neutralizing mechanics, Synthetic parachute seals replacing leather and Gas rams replacing springs



Just what comes to mind in the moment thinking about OP question.





Scott S

Modern day? Maybe the regulator.

Glenn in Texsas

“Are we reaching a plateau?” 


With conventional valves I believe we are reaching a plateau. The only new things I see being done with conventional valves are increasing the amount of adjustments to fine tune them(impact m3) or increasing the amount of power through bigger calibers or better flowing valve(AF Texan). There’s other things being done with conventional valves but nothing majorly innovative IMO.

Regarding hammerless valves, both mechanical and electrical, we are at the tip of the ice berg with what can be done. For instance, I am looking forward to a redwolf type of rifle except it will use the mechanical hammerless valve and have a mechanical trigger similar to a taipan vet. Imagine the cocking bolt having no tension behind it from having to compress a hammer spring. Just a butter smooth movement to load the pellet. Another platform that could be improved with the hammerless valve is the wingshot shotgun. Instead of having to cock each shot to fire both barrels, you would just load your barrels and shoot. It could even be made into a proper break action shotgun. Currently my favorite application for the hammerless valve is a huben pistol. Because the action is extremely compact it allows the pistol to be a pistol instead of some 20” carbine wannabe pistol. With a 7” barrel a .22 version is putting out 50 fpe at max power and is semi auto. There is NOTHING on the market that can compete.




The possibilities are endless with that valve design.