History buffs

[happy harry]

Hi guys see if any of you can answer this. Who produced the very first pcp and why.

[Rossi2k]

Wow, what a question...

I think I read somewhere ages ago that the first ones were from the 15th-16th century and used for hunting. Apart from that, not sure

Ross

[happy harry]

I think I maybe should have said modern pcp. I had forgotten how long the technology has actually been about

[tacfoley]

Well, the Austrian army in the Napoleonic Wars, around 1800, had skirmishers armed with Girardoni multi-shot air rifles. Napoleon gave orders that any Austrian found with one should be executed on the spot - the silence of their air rifles was deemed to be unsporting, and not in the bounds of a gentleman's way of waging war. The Lewis and Clark expedition of 1803-5 also took a twenty-shot version with them to impress the natives....

The pump-up reservoir airgun predates those by at least fifty years though.......

tac

[Baxterbasics]

Daystate made pre charged rifles in the late 1970's as tranquiliser guns and also for pest control companies (the Midas rifles, I think)

[lensman57]

Wow, what a question...

I think I read somewhere ages ago that the first ones were from the 15th-16th century and used for hunting. Apart from that, not sure

Ross

I think it was an Austrian or Italian job, Girondoni air gun. The Amzonians have been using the blow pipe since the dawn of mankind.

A.G

[PhatMan]

A.G.,

Blowpipes have also been prohibited in the UK for many decades !

IIRC, Mr. Churchill thought that the Anarchists might use them for assassinations

Have fun & a good Bank Holiday

Best regards

Russ

[happy harry]

Baxterbasics has answered what I thought to be the answer too

[I. J.]

Guter of Nuremberg in 1530 (thats half past 3 ) [Source 'Air-Guns & Air-Pistols. L Wesley] A great book that every airgunner should own.
In 1600 a pressure vessel was tested up to 6,000 lbs. p.s.i. before the rivets started to leak!

ATB
Ian

[tacfoley]

I think it was an Austrian or Italian job, Girondoni air gun. The Amzonians have been using the blow pipe since the dawn of mankind.

A.G

See post #4.

tac

[I. J.]

Well, the Austrian army in the Napoleonic Wars, around 1800, had skirmishers armed with Girardoni multi-shot air rifles. Napoleon gave orders that any Austrian found with one should be executed on the spot - the silence of their air rifles was deemed to be unsporting, and not in the bounds of a gentleman's way of waging war. The Lewis and .

tac

Not only the silence but also the lack of a cloud of smoke.

[piggy589]

Where does Paul Giffard figure in all this?.

[I. J.]

And the answer is ....

[johnbaz]

I recall as a kid making blowpipes from 1/2" copper water pipe and firing glazing putty balls, We had running wars with them, Everything needed was pilfered from the building site where Vic Allam estate houses were being built- The old night watchman wasn't very nimble of his feet so we always made good our escape!!

BTW, I reckon it was the Girandoni rifle that was made first too



John