.46 Caliber Girodoni Air RifleThis peculiar rifle was used by the Austrian Army from 1780 to 1815 an

.46 Caliber Girodoni Air RifleThis peculiar rifle was used by the Austrian Army from 1780 to 1815 and was especially effective in fighting French forces led by Napoleon Bonaparte. What is most interesting about this rifle is that it was a repeating air rifle. The butt stock is a detachable air tank that holds over 800 psi worth of pressure and was good for around 30 shots. Refilling the tank required 1,500 strokes of a hand pump so soldiers usually carried two or three spare tanks into battle. When fired, it propelled a .46 caliber ball with a similar velocity to that of a modern day .45ACP. Since it’s not a muzzleloader, the barrel is rifled giving it an effective range of up to 150 yards. A tube or hopper on the side of the rifle held 22 round balls and reloading the gun only required the user to elevate it slightly, allowing a ball to roll into the breach chamber. While effective the Girodoni rifle was difficult to manufacture and could only be fielded in small numbers.This particular Girondoni rifle was purchased by Meriwether Lewis at Harpers Ferry in 1804 and used by the Lewis and Clark expedition. Lewis often used the rifle to awe and astonish Indian tribes as they traveled to the Pacific coast. He also used it to hunt elk until he discovered, with displeasure, that it took four shots to down an elk with an air gun. Today his rifle is on display at the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, VA. -- source link

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