All About Airgun History

On today’s show with GunBroker, we’re talking all about airgun history! We open up with Logan diving into one of the most iconic uses of an airgun in U.S. history as part of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. One of the main benefits of taking an airgun is they packed a whole lot lighter than a muzzle loader. With an airgun you just needed the pellets and a maintenance kit. Airgun history goes back way into the late 1500s across the world in places like China and Germany. We also share our thoughts on where we think the actual gun from the Lewis & Clark Expedition is today, make sure to check out this episode sponsored by GunBroker to hear where we believe it is and all about examples of early airguns in the Daisy Airgun Museum. Next up, we dive into airgun usage in the military. Daisy has had many government contracts throughout its history, dating all the way back to WWI. Daisy spent some time during the Vietnam War era creating shot for bomblets to clear landing zones for helicopters and also for antipersonnel usage. BB guns were also used for training inexperienced military personnel as an early stepping stone before using an actual firearm. Closing out, we wade into the world of competitive airgun shooting. Most likely, the majority of shooters in any aspect of firearms started out with a Daisy in their hands. Daisy is and always has been a staple in marksmanship training in early adolescents, with that being a forefront of Daisy’s mission as a multigenerational company. Daisy had a huge part in starting the Daisy Nationals, which has grown exponentially over the years and is an absolutly gigantic event now. We also talk about the Daisy V/L. Tossed up as whether or not it’s a “real” firearm, it was the first ever example of caseless ammunition. The guns themselves can be found out there, however the ammunition is extremely hard to find. Make sure if you’re interested in a V/L head over to GunBroker to see some awesome examples of this amazing firearm! The show launches every Thursday morning. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.