Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Topic Options
#261387 - 06/18/13 09:58 PM How the West was won - with an Austrian Air Rifle
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078

Top
#261393 - 06/19/13 06:13 AM Re: How the West was won - with an Austrian Air Rifle [Re: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor]
jzmtl Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/18/10
Posts: 530
Loc: Montreal Canada
This came up a while ago on airgun forums, the conclusion is that its performance number is quite well padded to say the least.

It only charges to 800 psi with its modest sized air tank, yet claims can shoot 40 rounds before losing much muzzle velocity which is comparable to .45 acp. In comparison a modern .45 air rifles that charges to 3k psi and shoot much slower (650 fps) can only manage 6 or so full power shots.

Top
#261394 - 06/19/13 04:46 PM Re: How the West was won - with an Austrian Air Rifle [Re: jzmtl]
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078

Quote:
It only charges to 800 psi with its modest sized air tank, yet claims can shoot 40 rounds before losing much muzzle velocity which is comparable to .45 acp. In comparison a modern .45 air rifles that charges to 3k psi and shoot much slower (650 fps) can only manage 6 or so full power shots.


I would suspect that the Girandoni Air Rifle would probably get 5-6 useful shots of a 140 grain ball at around 400-500fps perhaps 70-100 ftlbs (enough to quite lethal from 0-100 yards) As the PCP chamber bottle was essentially unregulated there would be a good deal of variance of the exit muzzle velocity and consequently the ballistic drop would drop and drop. The carry of 2 additional bottles would cover the 20 round magazine. The rifle being the very first repeater would have been quite a rapid fire rifle compared to the much more powerful muskets of the day. Accuracy would probably have been quite good out to 100 yards when drop compensation is taking into account, hence the special training required for the rifle.

As a survival hunting rifle (where conventional ammunition is very short supply) I suspect it would be useful even today considering the 240 year old design. (100 years before smokeless propellants)

More modern rifles would be preferred though such as the Daystate Wolverine being exceptionally accurate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysvz378Ttjw

Top
#261395 - 06/19/13 06:16 PM Re: How the West was won - with an Austrian Air Rifle [Re: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor]
jzmtl Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/18/10
Posts: 530
Loc: Montreal Canada
Originally Posted By: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor


More modern rifles would be preferred though such as the Daystate Wolverine being exceptionally accurate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysvz378Ttjw


And expensive! I don't think most people are willing to drop 3K on an air rifle, especially in North America where powder burners are readily available for less.

What would be fun is to remake the Girandoni with modern parts and ammo, yet still retain the same exterior appearance.


Top
#261397 - 06/19/13 09:43 PM Re: How the West was won - with an Austrian Air Rifle [Re: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor]
Ian Offline
Member

Registered: 05/15/07
Posts: 198
Loc: Scotland
Don't forget Sherlock Holmes was shot at with an air rifle.

To quote Wikipedia:

"In "The Empty House", Holmes states that Moriarty had commissioned a powerful air gun from a blind German mechanic (Mr. von Herder), which was used by his employee Colonel Sebastian Moran. It closely resembled a cane, allowing for easy concealment, was capable of firing revolver bullets at long range, and made very little noise when fired, making it ideal for sniping."

The Empty House was written about 1904.

Top
#261399 - 06/19/13 09:56 PM Re: How the West was won - with an Austrian Air Rifle [Re: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor]
Pete Offline
Veteran

Registered: 02/20/09
Posts: 1372
one of many smart decisions made by Lewis and Clark.

Pete2

Top
#261404 - 06/20/13 02:09 AM Re: How the West was won - with an Austrian Air Rifle [Re: Ian]
dougwalkabout Offline
Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3221
Loc: Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted By: Ian
Don't forget Sherlock Holmes was shot at with an air rifle.


To quote memory: a wax bust of Sherlock Holmes was shot at ...

(Let the nerd wars begin! laugh )

Top



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, chaosmagnet, cliff 
April
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30
Who's Online
0 registered (), 543 Guests and 4 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Explorer9, GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav
5368 Registered Users
Newest Posts
Bird Flu (H5N1) found in cattle -- are Humans next
by dougwalkabout
Today at 04:00 AM
People Are Not Paying Attention
by Bingley
Yesterday at 03:24 AM
Corny Jokes
by wildman800
04/24/24 10:40 AM
USCG rescue fishermen frm deserted island
by brandtb
04/17/24 11:35 PM
Silver
by brandtb
04/16/24 10:32 PM
EDC Reduction
by Jeanette_Isabelle
04/16/24 03:13 PM
New York Earthquake
by chaosmagnet
04/09/24 12:27 PM
Bad review of a great backpack..
by Herman30
04/08/24 08:16 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.