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Early Repeating Arms

American References to American Repeaters

Mostly ads at this point.

From March 2, 1730, 2 New-England Weekly Journal

Advertisements

There is to be seen at the Sign of the Cross Guns in Ann-street near the Draw-bridge, Boston, a Gun with one Barrel and Lock, that will discharge twenty Balls at once Loading, and is but the weight of a common fusee. Any Person so minded may view the same for Nine pence, and see it discharged paying Two Shillings a Shot.

N.B. The Gun was made by Mr. Samuel Miller, Gun-Smith, living in the same house of Mr. John Pim Deceased.

pimrepeater

[Windsor] Vermont Journal, Apr. 29, 1792, 3.

An AIR GUN has lately been invented by s youing man of Rhideilland, now residfing in New-York, which, when properly filled with air, wil;l do execution twenty times without revewing the xcharge and for several times send a ball through an imnch board at the distance of sixty yards.

Vermont Journal

[Boston] COLUMBIAN-CENTINEL, Mar. 7, 1795, 4

a Magazine Air-Gun, equiped for hunting, and will carry ball or shot;

a Magazine Air-Gun

American Newspaper References to European Repeating Arms

The Virginia Gazette [Williamsburg, Va.], Jan. 19, 1738, 3.

his footman having an Air-Gun of a curious Invention, which makes eleven Discharges

Eleven Discharges

Gazette of the United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser, Aug. 3, 1796, 2.

Nevertheless, recruiting for men to drag the fieldpieces, is continued with the fame spirit: each man receives from 50 to 60 florins (German). They are about entrusting them with murdering air-guns, invented in the reign of Joseph II,. which he made use of with the greateit success, in the last war against the Turks.

This carabine, lighter and smaller than the common ones, is composed of two barrels, the smallest of which contains 25 balls; and by a slight movement, they pass from one to the other, into a receptacle made for them; which ball, by lowering the firelock, goes off with the same rapidity and carries further than if fired with powder, without the least noise, and that as often as a hundred times alternately, during the space of 8 or 10 minutes; after which, the reservoir being exhausted, it requires to pump in fresh air, which takes up at most 16 minutes.

Gazette of the United States

National Intelligencer and Washington Advertiser, Apr. 20. 1801, 3.

Girardami, a Tyrolese peasant, and self-taught artist, who now resides at Vienna, has invented an air-gun, which may be discharged fifty times without pumping again. The first twenty shots penetrate through a board at an uncommon diftance. Girardami makes these air-guns himself, and likewise very good wooden watches.

Col.1

Col.2

European Newspaper References to European Repeating Arms

Gloucester Journal, Jun. 29. 1731, 4.

Report of Royal Sociey meeting: "Afterwards an Experiment was made below Stairs, near the Repository, of an Air-Gun, loaded with seven charges of Goose-Shot and Balls, discharg'd at seven separate Times, much to the Satisfaction of the Spectators; but the vilgar Opinion of these Guns making no (or a very small) Report was proved to be groundless. For this invention we are beholden to Italy, and for its Improvement to Men pf Ingenuity amongst ourselves."

Gloucester Journal

The Newcastle Weekly Courant, May 10, 1783, 3.

A watchmaker has invented an Air-Gun, which, without recharging, fires 15 times successively. A corps of Hunters are to be armed with these guns.

15 Times Successively

Cambridge Chronicle and Journal, May 7, 1785, 3.

Listing lectures on a variety of inventions including "an elegant new constructed air gun, which will shoot thirty times together, by condensing one ball, and kill at fifty yards distance"

Thirty

London Morning Chronicle, Sep. 25, 1806, 1.

To be Sold, an AIR-GUN made by Stauden-meyer, of a very superuior construction, with oner barrel as a fowling-piece and 'the other a rifle; with a magazine to contain twenty balls, the whole of which it will discharge seperate, within the space of one minute, by once filling. It is highly finished, and in as complete order as when delivered from the maker.--Inquire at Mr. Symes', No. 7, Bartholomew-lane, near the Bank.

Morning Chronicle