Air gun - Forgotten Weapons

1789 Girardoni Air Rifle: A Generation Ahead of Its Time

September 9, 2026 Ian McCollum 35

Designed by Bartolomeo Girardoni the in the 1770s, the Girardoni is an air rifle that can fire 20 rounds as quickly as a modern bolt action rifle. It uses .46 caliber round lead balls, delivering […]

The FAMASenning: All the FAMAS from Airsoft to Centerfire

August 12, 2026 Ian McCollum 5

The military FAMAS has spawned several clones, and we are taking a look at each one of them today. First up is the Cybergun AEG airsoft FAMAS – a normal commercial production piece, but this […]

Pritchard’s 19th Century Precharged Air Gun

April 13, 2018 Ian McCollum 15

William Pritchard was a Birmingham gunsmith in the mid 1800s who offered both firearms and air guns, and this particular ball-reservoir air gun is a fine example of the latter. Air guns have existed in […]

OSS Flying Dragon: A Silent Poisoned Dart Gun

April 7, 2018 Ian McCollum 21

The OSS experimented with a lot of…unorthodox weapons during World War Two, and one of their overarching goals was a weapon with a 100 yard lethal range but without flash or noise. To this end […]