Did you know that Lewis and Clark were packing heat during their expeditions? It’s true! They carried a Girandoni air rifle, a gun that was invented in 1779 and used by the Austrian army for 35 years. The weapon was a good choice for a few reasons; high fire rate and no smoke from the propellants were two examples.
The gun wasn’t easy to operate though, which it why it was eventually removed from service. Why? It took nearly 1500 strokes to fill the detachable air reservoir…not exactly a benefit if you need to shoot it quickly. In addition, the weapon was very delicate and even a small break could make it inoperable.
So, what were Lewis and Clark doing with the gun (besides protecting themselves and their guide Sacagawea)? History shows that they were using it during demonstrations for the various Native American tribes they met! Yup, they were trying to impress them by showing how the rifle was powerful enough to take down a deer.