AFTE Store - The Exterior and Terminal Ballistics of the Model 1780 Girardoni Air Rifle Carried by Meriwether Lewis During the Voyage of Discovery 1803-1806

On the three year Voyage of Discovery commissioned by President Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis carried an unusual and
unique air rifle, the identity of which remained a mystery for over 200 years. This airgun has not only been recently
identified as a model 1780 Austrian Girardoni, but its whereabouts has also been determined. This has led to performance
testing of several examples of this remarkable and historic airgun. This article presents, for the first time, measurements of
muzzle velocity, exterior ballistic performance of the Girardoni projectiles, penetration results in several media and decibel
level measurements of the sound of discharge.