Air gun

An air gun is a gun which uses gas to fire a projectile instead of burning gunpowder that an ordinary gun uses.^[1]

The oldest air guns used a bellows to compress (squeeze) air in a tube. When the gun was fired the air was released. The only way for the air to go was by pushing the pellet out.

A later invention was the spring piston, these can only fire one shot before the spring has to be reset. Newer guns use air or another gas in a small cartridge, these guns can fire many more shots before the cartridge needs to be changed or refilled.^[2]

The projectile for an air gun is usually a pellet. Some guns of this sort fire small round pellets call "bb"s. Some people think this means ball bearing, but it does not. The letters bb stood for a size of shot that was used to make shotgun cartridges, This was used in the first bb guns.

The most popular calibres (pellet sizes) for air weapons are 4+¹⁄₂ mm 5+¹⁄₂ (also called .177 to .22). In many countries there are strict rules that limit the sales of air guns so not everyone can have one.

They are not as powerful as other guns but they can still hurt or even kill people.

Many people enjoy air rifle and pistol shooting either for fun or hunting. In the Olympics and target games, air pistols are used in some of the shooting events.^[3]

Air Gun Media

A para-athlete competing with a modern match air rifle
A collection of lever-action, spring-piston air rifles
Kunitomo air gun developed by the Japanese inventor Kunitomo Ikkansai, c. 1820–1830
Kunitomo air gun trigger mechanism
Variety of different types & models of spring piston & gas ram air guns
Three spring piston air pistols for practice shooting
An example of a Benelli Kite pre-charged pneumatic air pistol, as used in 10 metre air pistol ISSF shooting events
CO2 pistol and disposable Powerlet cylinders