Franz Dischler butt pump target rifle

Topic starter 11/02/2022 17:59:55

With thanks to Larry.

He says about this and the Bischoff rifle accompanying it in the first two pics:

Both of these German guns (dart shooters??) simply use the back trigger to set the striker pin and prepare the exhaust valve to allow multi-stroke pumping (usually 1-4) and firing. The front trigger fires the pieces with very light pull weights. These are low power, indoor parlor/gallery guns dating from the 1850-1870's. The Dischler is a whopping .41" caliber. The reservoirs are very small (about 2 cubic inches) compared to the earlier high power, big bore pneumatics (ball reservoirs were usually upward of 30 cubic inches. These target rifles were designed to release all of their stored air supply with every shot.

The Dischler features a modified palm rest on its underside.

This mechanical design of air rifle is quite rare and relatively late within the realm of antique airguns.