Old Gun Report article on airguns

[4v50 Gary]

This was written in a time before the Girandoni was known to be the airgun carried by Lewis & Clark.

https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com/d-t-fletcher-pics/harrison/

Said Girandoni has been identified and most scholars believe it is the gun loaned to the National Firearms Museum by Dr. Robert Beeman. Replacement spring made from a file supports this.

See below: It's supposed to belong to the MHI at Carlisle Barracks, PA.

 

[beag_nut]

Is that the rifle I saw at the VMI museum in Lexington, VA? (About 10 or so years ago.)
The administrator of that museum promised to send me notice about a book he was writing, detailing all the wonderful firearms exhibited there, but he never did.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Beeman’s Girandoni has been extensively studied and field tested repeatedly to ascertain its capabilities. Without a doubt it is a stunning instrument. To spare the original repeated wear-and-tear, four exact copies of the weapon have been produced by Cowan and Keller. Recognizing its historical significance, Beeman donated the original weapon to the permanent collection of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is now on loan to and on special display at the Pentagon. Despite great scientific and technical advances in weaponry, few single weapons can rival the Girandoni for the peaceful promotion of American interests. That lack of violence, in itself, makes the Girardoni of the Lewis and Clark expedition a truly singular western weapon indeed.

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/lewis-and-clarks-girandoni-air-rifle/

I've seen the one at the Smithsonian at the NFA Museum.

Haven't gone back to VMI in years. I'm waiting for a thank you letter/email from the curator for the donation of my sniping book.

ETA: received the email today.

I don't think the curator wrote any book/catalog on their collection. I'd like to get one too. VMI has a good museum and Lexington should be visited. The Washington and Lee College at Lexington use to host an annual conference on Fool Tom/Stonewall Jackson. I remember the town Post Office was also a very pretty building and I mailed a stack of books I acquired along my trip home from there as that was cheaper than flying with them.

Examined some images of the airgun at VMI. Subtle differences between it and the Girandoni but the big one is that screw on the top of the receiver. That's not on the Girandoni.

 

[kBob]

Did the Pike expedition carry an air gun?

-kBob

 

[4v50 Gary]

Ask the rangers at Bent's Fort. They may know.

 

[kBob]

Thx

-kBob