Science would suggest that much of the data about that gun doesn't match accounts.
A 50-cal bullet projected 100 yards takes a known amount of energy. Getting that energy from an air bladder should also be somewhat easy to calculate.
Putting all that together, you get a lot of things that seem quite impractical - like the bladder needs to hold 5000psi air to fire 20 shots with no recharging, does the simple hand pump allow for filling the entire bladder to 5000psi easily? All day?
There are videos of many setups air gun/paintball shooters use to recharge their tanks, and nothing is as simple as it seems.
Not to say the air guns didn't exist - just the claims seem wildly exaggerated.
Real world 50cal air gun at 3000psi, refill starts at the 5:30min mark. Says 10 shots, but also that after 5 shots the velocity drops and accuracy drops.
The claims on (((wikipedia))) are along the lines of 20 shots on a charge, and what kind of pressure was possible back in 1803? Can a hammered steel tank contain 5000psi?
My point is that these claims cannot be backed by science.
I would say maybe 3 shots per charge at between 500 and 1000psi, recharged from a hand pump. A hand pump getting to 5000psi would be both dangerous and tiring, taking at least 3-5 hours to refill.
This would also be in line why they went out of use - 20 shots in 1 minute, but 3 hours to recharge, so essentially 20 shots in 3 hours, which is one shot every 9 minutes, not to mention the muscle fatigue after 3 hours of recharging, and then not being able to aim.
They definetly shot 20 shots on tank. The last shot might have been lower velocity.
They would have been a pain to recharge back then for sure. I read the bicycle pump took a while and then they ended up using some type of wagon tank or pump.
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bosunmoon ago
There's lot's great airguns out there, but to get full or semi-auto on par with actual ballistics is cost prohibitive.
israelmossadjewgold ago
why would it be cost prohibitive? that doesn't make any sense.
they could have easily but a magazine on this with however many rounds and made it full auto
https://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Benjamin_Marauder_Semi_Auto_SAM_PCP_Air_Rifle_Wood_Stock/5157
they won't even sell you spare mags for it and made it so the magazines for the other gun won't work it in it....this is on purpose.
bosunmoon ago
You can't haul an air crompessor with you through the bush.
israelmossadjewgold ago
bicycle pump or little electric solar powered pump. lewis and clark did fine with their airgun
celerycar ago
That is an interesting bit of history.
Science would suggest that much of the data about that gun doesn't match accounts.
A 50-cal bullet projected 100 yards takes a known amount of energy. Getting that energy from an air bladder should also be somewhat easy to calculate.
Putting all that together, you get a lot of things that seem quite impractical - like the bladder needs to hold 5000psi air to fire 20 shots with no recharging, does the simple hand pump allow for filling the entire bladder to 5000psi easily? All day?
There are videos of many setups air gun/paintball shooters use to recharge their tanks, and nothing is as simple as it seems.
Not to say the air guns didn't exist - just the claims seem wildly exaggerated.
israelmossadjewgold ago
people have made reproduction giordionni air rifles with the same specs...it's not made up.
celerycar ago
Source?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsSYngXbCc0
Real world 50cal air gun at 3000psi, refill starts at the 5:30min mark. Says 10 shots, but also that after 5 shots the velocity drops and accuracy drops.
israelmossadjewgold ago
ok what is your point? no one said the giordini air rifle would fire the same velocity every shot. it's not regulated...
celerycar ago
The claims on (((wikipedia))) are along the lines of 20 shots on a charge, and what kind of pressure was possible back in 1803? Can a hammered steel tank contain 5000psi?
My point is that these claims cannot be backed by science.
I would say maybe 3 shots per charge at between 500 and 1000psi, recharged from a hand pump. A hand pump getting to 5000psi would be both dangerous and tiring, taking at least 3-5 hours to refill.
This would also be in line why they went out of use - 20 shots in 1 minute, but 3 hours to recharge, so essentially 20 shots in 3 hours, which is one shot every 9 minutes, not to mention the muscle fatigue after 3 hours of recharging, and then not being able to aim.
israelmossadjewgold ago
They definetly shot 20 shots on tank. The last shot might have been lower velocity.
They would have been a pain to recharge back then for sure. I read the bicycle pump took a while and then they ended up using some type of wagon tank or pump.