SpudFiles

Again my search abilities are challenged!

I cannot find a single big bore airgun that is not a rifle but a handgun. Well, except the Girandoni repeating air pistol:
http://www.beemans.net/Austrian%20airguns.htm

Do you know some commercial maker for big bore (say, around .5 caliber) air handguns? I Or some homemade projects maybe? cannot believe I am the only one would would like make/buy/shoot one

LeMaudit wrote:Do you know some commercial maker for big bore (say, around .5 caliber) air handguns?

Not 50 cal but there'sDennis Quackenbush (who also makes a 0.375" shot pistol) and Gary Barnes who makes them in 45 and 32.

The above are relatively expensive customs though, there are also high-powered 0.22" multishot pistols like the AR6 and the FX Ranchero more readily available.

Holy guacamole!

ohhhh.... I love Gary Barnes' pistols... especially the Hoss 45 caliber... Wow... love the price too !

thanks a lot Jack, you made my day...

Gah the Girandoni guns for their time were just.....wow. The craftsmanship not to mention the engineering with period materials and tools is mind boggling.

Brilliant stuff I tell you.

Mitchza89 wrote:Gah the Girandoni guns for their time were just.....wow. The craftsmanship not to mention the engineering with period materials and tools is mind boggling.

Brilliant stuff I tell you.

Correct, but that was also the problem. Brazing and such, as well as good seals were issues back then. Though they are still good designs..

A few years back, (1990) an English fellow by the name of John Bowkett, made a pcp style pistol that fired .495" roundball.

Stunning craftsmanship with superb styling. 8)

Charged to 2500psi, it would flatten said ball utterly at 25 yards.

Gippeto wrote:An English fellow by the name of John Bowkett

"English fellow"? Try "living airgun legend"

I suppose if you are on that side of the pond, you would be more likely to know the name and the work.

Unfortunate really, his custom works are definitely worth seeing.

Your not the only one, i just bought a shock pump for my new projects, a series of pistols/handguns ranging from .22 to .60 cals!

An English fellow by the name of John Bowkett
"English fellow"? Try "living airgun legend"

Didn't know the name, being new to the hobby...
You didn't provide a link.... it was a test to see if I could do basic Googling, right !?
If found a few about Mr Bowkett and his work, But none about his handgun.

Your not the only one,

I was pretty sure about that

i just bought a shock pump for my new projects, a series of pistols/handguns ranging from .22 to .60 cals!

A series, wow...
Back from the Home Depot, I have just bought some tubing, so my very first experiment will be a basic .56 launcher (9/16" ball bearing) with a ball valve as a trigger, just to familiarize myself with the pressure... I hope to go close to 400psi, let see if I shoot my eye off...

But first I need to finish those tax income papers...

Carlman wrote:Your not the only one, i just bought a shock pump for my new projects, a series of pistols/handguns ranging from .22 to .60 cals!

Yep, I agree. For some practice projects when I get my lathe (probably lathe/drill/mill combo).

I'll make two pistols, .378 cal, homemade QEV with hammer valve, pumped to 300 psi for multishot. Or perhaps one QEV-hammer and one purely hammer.

Just got to do some tests to find a reasonable size for a chamber..and get the bloody lathe

Edit: I found this.



Is that it? Pistol carbine.

No, nice little carbine, but not what I was referring to.

I couldn't find a picture online of the pistol in question. There are a bunch of Bowkett creations (pistols and rifles) in a Guns&Ammo article. It's in the 1990 Annual.

I'll see if I can scan and crop some of the pictures to post later.

I'll see if I can scan and crop some of the pictures to post later

That would be great. Thanks Gippeto!

The pictures of course, don't give justice to the mans work, but you'll get the idea.

Good stuff indeed!


Edit: Sheesh... open the pictures to look please.

JSR, those guns are beautiful, just pretty expensive.