Is Hawleys's Kalamazoo the FIRST example of a .22 airgun? If NOT... WHAT???

[ccdjg]

Which means - WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!
YeaaAAHHH !!!

THE FIRST PATENTED AND COMMERCIALLY SOLD AIRGUN EVER TO BE MADE IN .22 IS THE HAWLEY KALAMAZOO

garvin's magnificent Vintage Airgun Gallery has pictures:
http://forum.vintageairgunsgallery.c...r-rifle-boxed/

Patent granted to Mr E.H. Hawley June 1st 1869. Manufactured and sold from 1870-1880.
Predates any and all airguns in this caliber either patented or made by Quackenbush, or Havilland and Gunn.
Available in .22 and other calibers:

"The earliest airgun catalogue I have is for Hawley's Patent Target air pistol, otherwise known as the Kalamazoo, from 1870, and the pistol was advertised as available in three calibres .22, .26 and .28. [The calibres are actually expressed as 22-100, 26-100 and 28-100, in other words 22 hundredths of an inch etc.]"
Source: ccdjg from post #5 of another thread:
http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....e-from-and-Why

Now why couldn't someone just tell me that when i originally asked the question?

Does make me wonder why it was offered in 3 different calibers. Nowadays we are used to having a wide range of manufacturers making airguns in different calibers for different uses - with different fans and exponents of each discussing the merits of each and every pellet, size, specification, discipline, trajectory profile, tuning opportunity, etc.

So what on earth possesses someone like Mr H to not only invent and patent a new type of airgun, but then also decide to introduce a totally new caliber as well to make manufacture a choice of three. Especially when its only use at outset would have been (basically) 'plinking'. Can you imagine the endless debate that would have occurred had the Forum been around then about which one to choose!!!!

There is an interesting page from an 1870 Scientific American magazine currently being offered on you-know-where (item number 371876285953) which illustrates and discusses the Kalamazoo pistol. The article gives a rare insight into the state of the air pistol market in 1870 America, as it says that until the appearance of the Kalamazoo, air pistols were very expensive, prices ranging from 20 to 60 dollars. The Kalamazoo, at 3 and a half dollars, was a major breakthrough!

[Garvin]

There is an interesting page from an 1870 Scientific American magazine currently being offered on you-know-where (item number 371876285953) which illustrates and discusses the Kalamazoo pistol. The article gives a rare insight into the state of the air pistol market in 1870 America, as it says that until the appearance of the Kalamazoo, air pistols were very expensive, prices ranging from 20 to 60 dollars. The Kalamazoo, at 3 and a half dollars, was a major breakthrough!

Original 1870 article here, John.

[ccdjg]

Original 1870 article here, John.

Thanks Danny. What an amazing resource the Gallery is proving to be.

John