History and Information
Pellet Gun Information
Air Gun History
The history of pellet guns is said to have begun according to various websites, such as wikipedia, as early as1580 with mechanical air gun that is in the Livrustkammaren Museum in Stockholm.
In the early 1800's, air guns are seen in the Lewis and Clark expedition. They carried a gun that had a working pressure of 800 PSI and could shoot 22 shots in one minute. Later in the century, air guns were popular in over 4,000 clubs in Britain. Their accuracy without the loud report lead to poaching.
Pulling straight from wikipedia, we learn:
"Today's modern air guns are typically low-powered because of safety concerns and legal restrictions; high-powered designs are still used for hunting. These air rifles can propel a pellet beyond 1100 ft/s (330 m/s), approximately the speed of sound, and produce a noise similar to a .22 caliber rimfire rifle. Using lead pellets, some current spring powered .177 pellet guns can break the sound barrier. Most low-powered air guns can be safely fired in a backyard or garden, and even indoors, with a proper backstop."
Pellets
From left to right, flat, round nose, hollow poi nt and pointed p ellets.
Top row .22 caliber (5.5 mm), bottom .177 (4.5 mm) caliber
Not in the photo two other sm all calibers coming to fame are
the .20 caliber and the .25 calibe r of similiar shapes in design.