19th Century GERMANIC AIR GUN BELLOWS Type Crank Tip-Up Barrel 6.5mm Scarce Early Design of the “Modern Air Gun”

Product Description

19th Century GERMANIC AIR GUN BELLOWS Type Crank Tip-Up Barrel 6.5mm     

Scarce Early Design of the “Modern Air Gun”

Here we present an antique Bellows Crank Handle Tip-Up Air Gun, made circa the late 1700s to mid-1800s in Germany. These guns were used primarily for hunting and indoor target shooting. Their basic feature is a conical bellows hidden in the hollowed out wooden buttstock. Air guns represent the oldest pneumatic technology. The oldest existing mechanical air gun dates back to about 1580 and is in the Livrustkammaren Museum in Stockholm. This is approximately what most historians recognize as the beginning of the modern air gun. Throughout 17th to 19th century, air guns in .30 to .51 calibers were used to hunt big game, deer and wild boar. These air rifles were charged using a pump to fill an air reservoir and gave velocities from 650 to 1,000 ft/s. They were also used in warfare, the most recognized example being the Girandoni air rifle.

This was possibly made to fire 6.5mm darts with a hair tail. It features a smooth bore that loads from the breech and releases with a lever that protrudes through the bottom of the stock ahead of the trigger guard. Information on Bellows air guns can be found on pages 213-214 of the “Blue Book of Airguns, Thirteenth Edition”.

The overall condition is good. Brown paint like finish on the barrel. The action is untested but the trigger does not move. Stock shows use and has some minor chips and splits but is otherwise solid. Bore is bright and smooth.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 28-3/4 inches.

Caliber: 6.5mm

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$1900
#240159