Author Topic: Lewis and Clark Air Gun???? Did they have one??? (Read 1029 times)

shome · « **on:** December 08, 2004, 12:39:26 PM »

Saw on tv that Lewis and Clark had a air gun with them on their journey,,, what was it?

Shome

IntrepidWizard · « **Reply #1 on:** December 08, 2004, 12:53:22 PM »

I forgot who made it but it was excellent.Had a large ball about the size of a large Grapefruit that you could refill with a hand pump,it was use for speciman gathering.I had two grt,grt,grt uncles Shields on the Voyage of Discovery.Everyone should read the journals.

dave · « **Reply #2 on:** December 08, 2004, 01:57:24 PM »

Good question. Nobody really knows for sure since the gun seems to have disappeared in 1806. The front runner is a .31 caliber butt reservoir rifle made by Isaiah Lukens in Philadelphia.

PeterF. · « **Reply #3 on:** December 09, 2004, 06:46:16 AM »

I read somewhere, in the last year or so, that someone had made a high-quality reproduction of the L&C airgun (a one-off, not a production/sale item) ... I think for the Lewis & Clark museum. Maybe try a Google search.

PeterF. · « **Reply #4 on:** December 09, 2004, 07:01:48 AM »

I just did a Google search. Loads of info on this gun (or guns), particularly a really LONG article by Robert Beeman. Also references to Viginia Military Institute (VMI), who may have an original. Apparently the actual L&C airgun had the reservoir on the buttstock. The "grapefruit" reservoir, mentioned elsewhere, was also common in those days. I think there are pictures of Audubon with one (you didn't think he waited for those birds to pose for him, did you? He blasted every type of bird available).

VictorLouis · « **Reply #5 on:** December 09, 2004, 01:15:31 PM »

http://www.beemans.net/Lewis%20&%20Clark%20Airgun.htm

Bama76 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2004, 01:49:53 AM »

What kind of power would those type guns have had? I have read a few L&C articles but they never mention the wieght of the slug or velocity capabilities of the firearm.

Bama

dave · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2004, 07:02:52 AM »

Hmmm, a .31 lead ball probably weighed the same in 1803 as it does today, about 45 grains. As for power, an airgun is still an airgun, the power source hasn't changed much. Most well made air rifles that use that caliber ammunition can launch a .31 cal ball in the 500+ fps range. By all accounts the airgun that went with Lewis and Clark was quite powerful, and its been suggested by some modern day airgun builders that 600 or even 700 fps wasn't impossible.

TrapperZach · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2005, 02:12:43 PM »

how did ghe get air in it?? that is rely to cool

willysjeep134 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2005, 12:50:31 PM »

in "Firearms, Traps and Tools of the Mountain Men" it mentions the air gun in question, saying that it was powerful enough that it knocked a woman unconcious from about 50 yards when accidentally fired. The ball grazed her head. I don't know if that is a very accurate measure of it's power or what. They also say it was more on the journey to impress the indians, a gun that shot without powder and flint, "Big Medicine", than to do any serious shooting.

Awf Hand · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2005, 05:30:40 AM »

The gun didn't disappear. It is on dispaly in the Milwaukee public museum in Wisconsin.