Thank you all for your replies.
Tom,
My airguns are relatively modern, the earliest being circa 1896. These all fire lead pellets, so similar to BBs. Mine are all spring powered. However the earlier air weapons used compressed gas. In some this was achieved by use of a bellows system.
The oldest known air rifle is a bellows-powered mechanical airgun from around 1580, housed in Sweden's Livrustkammaren (Royal Armoury) museum. This early device, used by royalty and the wealthy for hunting large game, represents the first known use of pressurized gas technology, predating more famous models like the Girandoni air rifle used by Lewis and Clark in the 1800s, which was a significant advancement in pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns.
There are a number of interesting videos on You Tube about the Girandoni which are well worth viewing.
Cheers Jack
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