CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 AIR RIFLE

An air gun (often called pellet gun or BB gun depending on the projectile) is
any variety of pneumatic weapon that propels projectiles by means of compressed
air or other gas, in contrast to firearms, which use a propellant charge. Both
the rifle and pistol forms (air rifle and air pistol) typically propel metallic
projectiles, either pellets, or BBs. Certain types of air guns, usually rifles, may also
propel arrows or darts with feathers.

1.2 AIR GUN POWER SOURCES

The different methods of powering an air gun can be broadly divided into 3
groups: spring-piston, pneumatic, and CO2. These methods are used in both air
rifles and air pistols.

1.2.1 Spring-Piston

Spring-piston air guns are able to achieve muzzle velocities near or greater
than the speed of sound from a single stroke of a cocking lever or the barrel itself.
The effort required for the cocking stroke is usually related to the power of the gun,
with higher muzzle velocities requiring greater effort.

Spring-piston guns operate by means of a coiled steel spring-

loaded piston contained within a compression chamber, and separate from the barrel.
Cocking the gun causes the piston assembly to compress the spring until the rear of
the piston engages the sear. The act of pulling the trigger releases the sear and allows
the spring to decompress, pushing the piston forward, thereby compressing the air in
the chamber directly behind the pellet. Once the air pressure has risen enough to
overcome any static friction and/or barrel restriction holding the pellet, the pellet
moves forward, propelled by an expanding column of air. All this takes place in a

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fraction of a second, during which the air undergoes adiabatic heating to several
hundred degrees and then cools as the air expands.

Spring-piston guns have a practical upper limit of 1250 ft/s (380 m/s) for .177
cal (4.5 mm) pellets. Higher velocities cause unstable pellet flight and loss of
accuracy. This is due to the extreme buffeting caused when the pellet reaches and
passes transonic speed, then slows back down and goes through it again. This is more
than enough to destabilize it. Shortly after leaving the barrel, the supersonic pellet
falls back below the speed of sound and the shock wave overtakes the pellet, causing
its flight to be disrupted. Drag increases rapidly as pellets are pushed past the speed
of sound, so it is generally better to increase pellet weight to keep velocities subsonic
in high-powered guns. Sonic crack from the pellet as it moves with supersonic speed
also makes the shot louder sometimes making it possible to be mistaken for firearm
discharge. Many shooters have found that velocities in the 800–900 ft/s (240–
270 m/s) range offer an ideal balance between power and pellet stability.

Most spring piston guns are single-shot breech-loaders by nature, but multiple-
shot guns have become more common in recent years. Spring guns are typically
cocked by a mechanism requiring the gun to be hinged at the midpoint (called a
break barrel), with the barrel serving as a cocking lever. Other systems that are used
include side levers, under-barrel levers, and motorized cocking, powered by a
rechargeable battery.

Spring piston guns, especially high-powered ones, recoil as a result of the

forward motion of the piston. Although the recoil is less than that of
somecartridge firearms, it can make the gun difficult to shoot accurately as the recoil
forces are in effect whilst the pellet is still travelling down the barrel. Spring gun
recoil has a sharp forward movement too, caused by the piston hitting the forward
end of the chamber when the spring has fully expanded. These two reactions are
known to damage scopes not rated for spring gun use.

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 Spring guns can also suffer from spring vibrations that reduce accuracy. These
vibrations can be controlled by adding features like close-fitting spring guides or by
aftermarket tuning done by "air-gunsmiths" who specialize in air gun modifications.
A common modification is the addition of viscous silicone grease to the spring,
which both lubricates it and dampens vibration.

The better quality spring air guns can have very long service lives, being
simple to maintain and repair. Because they deliver the same energy on each shot,
their trajectory is consistent. Most Olympic air gun matches through the 1970s and
into the 1980s were shot with spring-piston guns, often of the opposing-piston recoil-
eliminating type. Beginning in the 1980s, guns powered by compressed, liquefied
carbon dioxide began to dominate competition. Today, the guns used at the highest
levels of competition are powered by compressed air.

1.2.2 Pneumatic

Pneumatic air guns utilize compressed air as the source of energy to propel the
projectile. Single-stroke and multi-stroke guns utilize an on-board pump to pressurize
the air in a reservoir. Pre-charged pneumatic guns' reservoirs are filled using either a
high-pressure hand pump or by decanting air from a diving cylinder. This design,
having no significant movement of heavy mechanical parts during the firing cycle,
produces lower recoil.

1.2.3CO2

Most CO2 guns use a disposable cylinder, a powerlet, that is often purchased
with 12 grams of pressurized carbon dioxide, although some, usually more expensive
models, use larger refillable CO2 reservoirs like those typically used with paintball
markers.

CO2 guns, like compressed air guns, offer power for repeated shots in a
compact package without the need for complex cocking or filling mechanisms. The
ability to store power for repeated shots also means that repeating arms are possible.

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 There are many replica revolvers and semi-automatic pistols on the market that
use CO2 power. These guns are popular for training, as the guns and ammunition are
inexpensive, safe to use, and no specialized facilities are needed for safety. In
addition, they can be purchased and owned in areas where firearms possession is
either strictly controlled, or banned outright. Most CO2 powered guns are relatively
inexpensive, and there are a few precision target guns available that use CO2.

1.3 AMMUNITION

1.3.1 Pellet

The most popular ammunition used in rifled air guns is the lead diabolo pellet.
This waisted projectile is hollowed at the base and available in a variety of head
styles. The diabolo pellet is designed to be drag stabilized, though is not as stable as
some other shapes in the transonic region (272–408 m/s ~ 893–1340 ft/s). Pellets are
also manufactured from tin, or a combination of materials such as steel-tipped plastic.

Figure 1.1 Pellets with Different Heads

Most air guns are .177 (4.5 mm) or .22 (5.5 mm / 5.6 mm) caliber, and are
designed for target practice, small game hunting and field target shooting. Though
less common, .20 and .25 caliber (5.0 mm and 6.4 mm) guns also exist.

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1.3.2 Ball Bullet
The BB was once the most common air gun ammunition in the USA. A BB is a
small ball, typically made of steel with a copper or zinc plating, of 4.5 mm/.177"
diameter. Lead "Round Balls" are manufactured in numerous calibers too; these are
often 4.5 mm/.177" diameter and designed for use in .177 caliber rifled guns
normally used for shooting pellets. Steel BBs can be acceptably accurate at short
distances when fired from properly designed BB guns with smoothbore barrels. Lead
number 3 buckshot pellets can be used in .25" caliber airguns as if they were large
BBs.

Figure 1.2 Steel BBs Coated with Copper and Nickel

Due to the hardness of the steel, they can not "take" to rifled barrels , which is
why they are undersized (4.4 against 4.5 mm) to allow them to be used in .177" rifled
barrels, which when used in this configuration can in effect be
considered smoothbore, but with a poorer gas-seal. Were they 4.5 mm diameter, they
would jam in the bore. Therefore, BB's lack the spin stabilization required for long-
range accuracy, and usage in any but the cheapest rifled guns is discouraged.
Typically BBs are used for indoor practice, casual outdoor plinking, training
children, or for air gun enthusiasts who like to practice, but cannot afford high-
powered air gun systems that use pellets. Some shotgunners use sightless BB rifles to
train in instinctive shooting. Similar guns were also used briefly by the United States
Army in a Vietnam-era instinctive shooting program called "Quick Kill".

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1.3.3 Darts and Arrows
In the 18th and 19th centuries air gun darts were very popular, largely due to
being able to be reused. Although less popular now, several different types of darts
are made to be used in air guns, however it is not recommended that darts be used in
air guns with rifled bores, or in spring powered air guns.
1.4 ADVANTAGES

Here are some advantages associated with using an air rifle:

 Air rifles are very quiet – there are no loud bangs to scare off other game in the
area.
 Easy to shoot – this weapon points nicely, and is not too heavy or large for the
beginner or inexperienced shooter.
 It is an excellent, low cost training rifle with a simple design and cheap pellets.
 Air rifles come with iron sights and are very accurate. When used with a scope,
the shooter gets very tight groups (where multiple pellets hit). When hunting
with a scoped air rifle, small game may be taken safely up to 50 yards away.
 They are legal to own and shoot in most states. Because an air rifle uses only
compressed air to fire the pellet (and not powder and a primer) most states do
not classify them as firearms.
 Air rifles make an ideal stash gun. It can be buried in an air and water tight
container with a couple of tins of pellets and then easily retrieved at a later time.
 Ammunition will not go bad. The only ammunition an air rifle needs is a pellet,
nothing else. There are no cases, powder, or primers to worry about.

1.5 PROBLEM STATEMENT

The existing air gun is usually a single target single trigger application where if
target is missed once it almost becomes impossible to reload and aim the target as it
would flee away.
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1.5.1 Solution
Ours is a simple yet an effective alteration where in the idea is fundamentally
altered with a double piston set up also providing an extra barrel. In simple it is the
joining of two guns arrangement with a single work handle.
1.6 SEGMENTS
The total system is divided into four sub segments based on their functionality
as follows
1. Barrel assembly
2. Piston cylinder
3. Trigger setup
4. Wooden handle
1.7 APPLICATIONS
Air guns are used for
 Hunting,
 Pest control,
 Recreational shooting (commonly known as plinking),
 Competitive sports etc.,

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 CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

Air guns represent the oldest pneumatic technology. The oldest existing
mechanical air gun, a bellows air gun dating back to about 1580, is in
the Livrustkammaren Museum in Stockholm. This is the time most historians
recognize as the beginning of the modern air gun.
In the 17th century, air guns, in calibers .30–.51, were used to hunt big game
deer and wild boar. These air rifles were charged using a pump to fill an air reservoir
and gave velocities from 650 to 1,000 feet per second (200–300 m/s). They were also
used in warfare, the most recognized example being the Girandoni Military
Repeating Air Rifle.
At that time, they had compelling advantages over the primitive firearms of the
day. For example, air guns could be discharged in wet weather and rain
(unlike matchlock muskets), and repeatedly discharged faster than muzzle-
loading guns. Moreover, they were quieter than a firearm of similar caliber, had no
muzzle flash, and were smokeless. Thus, they did not disclose the shooter's position
or obscure the shooter's view, unlike the black powder muskets of the 18th and 19th
centuries.
In the hands of skilled soldiers, they gave the military a distinct advantage.
France, Austria and other nations had special sniper detachments using air rifles. The
Austrian 1770 model was named Windbüchse (literally "wind rifle" in German). The
gun was developed in 1768 or 1769 by the Tyroleanwatchmaker, mechanic and
gunsmith BartholomäusGirandoni (1744–1799) and is sometimes referred to as
the Girandoni Air Rifle or Girandoni air gun in literature (the name is also spelled
"Girandony," "Giradoni" or "Girardoni".[4]) The Windbüchse was about 4 ft (1.2 m)
long and weighed 10 pounds (4.5 kg), about the same size and mass as a
conventional musket. The air reservoir was a removable, club-shaped, butt.
The Windbüchse carried twenty-two .51 caliber (13 mm) lead balls in a
tubular magazine. A skilled shooter could fire off one magazine in about thirty
seconds. A shot from this air gun could penetrate an inch thick wooden board at a

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hundred paces, an effect roughly equal to that of a modern 9×19mm or .45
ACP caliber pistol.
Circa 1820, the Japanese inventor KunitomoIkkansai developed various
manufacturing methods for guns, and also created an air gun based on the study of
Western knowledge ("rangaku") acquired from the Dutch in Dejima.
The celebrated Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804) carried a reservoir air gun.
It held 22 .46 caliber round balls in a tubular magazine mounted on the side of
the barrel. The butt served as the air reservoir and had a working pressure of 800 psi
(5,500 kPa). The rifle was said to be capable of 22 aimed shots per minute and had a
rifled bore of 0.452 in (11.5 mm) and a groove diameter 0.462 in (11.7 mm).
One of the first commercially successful and mass-produced air guns was
manufactured by the W.F. Markham Co.Their first model air gun was called
the Challenger and marketed in 1888. Their next model was the Chicagofollowed by
the King. The Chicago model was sold by Sears, Roebuck for 73 cents in its catalog.
In 1928 the name of the company was changed to King Mfg. Co. and remained so
until the company was purchased by the Daisy air gun company.

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 CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY

PROBLEM STUDY

LITERATURE SURVEY

MODELING &DESIGNING

FABRICATION AND ASSEMBLY

WORKING
WORKING

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 CHAPTER 4

MODELING AND DESIGNING OF COMPONENTS

The modelling and designing of components are carried out using SOLID
WORKS (2013) design software and the preview of the designed models are shown
below

4.1 LIST OF COMPONENTS

The total system is divided into 3 sub segments based on their functionality
and fabrication process as

1. BARREL

2. PISTON CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

3. BASE WOOD

4.2BARREL

It is the long tubular structure of a gun which is provided as a guide way for
the pellet to travel. The barrel length depends on the range of the rifle. The inner
surface of the barrel is of two types one being he plain and the other being spiral. The
spiral guide way makes the pellet to come out of the barrel rotating about its own
centre axis in order to make the pellet to travel without any deviation.

4.2.1 Criteria for Selection

The reason for selection of hard tempered free maching steel is that, it
machines freely. The chips break cleanly, leaving a smooth surface. This is very
important because the barrels are made out of solid bar stock and a hole must be

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drilled completely through it. It is then reamed to size before cutting the rifling. Gun
drilling will be described in another instalment.

Figure 4.1 Barrel

4.2.2 SPECIFICATION

Table 4.1 Barrel Specification

S.No. Category Value

1 Length 375mm
2 Outer diameter 14mm
3 Inner diameter 3mm
4 Bore type Plain

The above given table explains us about the barrel dimensions.

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4.3 PISTON CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

There are a number of ways they can work, but the basics of the piston-
cylinder is a spring pushing a piston that compresses air that then pushes the pellet.
That’s it in a nutshell. There are no valves or moving parts, other than the piston and
mainspring. The air is compressed ahead of the piston in a part of the spring tube
called the compression chamber.
In the end of the compression chamber, there’s a hole called the air transfer
port. It’s where the compressed air leaves the compression chamber and gets behind
the pellet, because the breech is in line with the transfer port.

Figure 4.2 Transfer ports

4.3.1 Basic Parts

These are the major parts of a piston cylinder arrangement. They fit inside the
spring tube and the mainspring fits inside the hollow piston. It also fits over the
spring guide, which is shown in front of the trigger. Some guns also have a shorter
spring guide at the front of the spring that fits inside the piston. Because of its shape,
it’s called a top hat — shown above the end of the spring.

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 Some of the basic parts of a piston cylinder arrangement are,
1. SPRING
2. PISTON
3. TRIGGER
4. CYLINDER

4.3.2 Spring

This is the backbone of the mechanism. The important parameters of the spring
under study are:
Length(l)=114mm
spring diameter(D)=11.94mm
wire diameter(d)=2.36mm
no. of active coils=21

The above can be used to find the spring constant using the formula

Gd
k=
8nc³

Using the material of the spring as hard tempered steel (i.e.G=73.1GPa), we

calculate

k=7.93KN/m

A more accurate value can be calculated experimentally.A mass of 5 kg was

suspended and the deflection of the spring was found to be 7mm. This gives us the
value of

k=7KN/m.

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 Figure 4.3 Parts of Piston Cylinder Arrangement

Figure 4.4 Sectional view of Piston Cylinder Arrangement

The above figures shows us individual components of the piston cylinder

arrangement explaining the explored view.

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4.3.3 Piston

This serves the purpose of compressing the air. One end of the piston has a
hook for locking the spring in the compressed state. The other end has a rubber
washer (similar to the piston ring in a two-stroke engine) for prevent leakage of the
air.

Figure 4.5 Piston and Spring

4.3.4 Trigger

This basically consists of the trigger, a connecting rod and a spring as shown
below.

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 Figure 4.6 Trigger Setup

The entire components are assembled to fire the PELLET. This weighs about
.12 g and is hollow with a sharp forward end so that it experiences minimum drag in
its passage through air.

4.4 BASE WOOD

This is basically to ease the holding of the gun. It is made of wood so that it
has minimum weight and easy to handle. This is the chasse helping to put in parts
together.

Figure 4.7 Fabricated Wooden Handle

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4.5 DESIGNED MODEL

The below figure shows us the 3D model developed using Solid Works.

Figure 4.8 3D Model

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 CHAPTER 5

FABRICATION & ASSEMBLY

5.1 FABRICATION PROCESS

We cut a length of steel around 28 inches (71.1 cm) to 30 inches, so that the
ends of the barrel stock are true in parallelism to each other, and are perfectly round.
A special drill, known as a deep hole drill, must be used to drill the barrel. The deep
hole drill will hold the tungsten carbide drill bit still and spin the barrel to perform
the drilling. Drilling will be liquid cooled and will proceed at about 1 inch (25.4 mm)
per minute. Total time to drill the hole will be about 30 minutes.

Reaming process is carried out, Work a tungsten carbide bore reamer down the
finished drill hole of the barrel, using liquid coolant as the reamer works. The reamer
will expand the hole to the desired finished bore, and smooth the inner drilled surface
of the barrel as it creates the final desired bore. Rifling is done as it consists of spiral
grooves in the bore, which will impart a spin to the fired round as it travels down the
barrel. This spin will gyro stabilize the flight of the fired round. We determine the
number of rifling grooves to be placed in the bore and the amount of twist to be put
on the rifling grooves. We made the first rifling groove and inserted a tube mounted
with the rifling hook cutter box down the bore of the barrel. Now we draw the rifling
hook cutter box through the bore while rotating the barrel at a rate recommended for
the desired rifling spin. We added more rifling grooves.

Followed by Indexing the barrel to the starting position for the next groove,
we draw the rifling hook cutter box through the bore while rotating the barrel at a rate
desired for rifling spin. We finished the rifling and repeat passes through the bore
with the rifling hook cutter box as needed.Then the barrel is lapped to fine polish the
bore and inserted the barrel lapping rod into the bore until it is about 4 inches (101.6
mm) from 1 end of the bore.
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 Molten leads are poured into the end of the bore and allowing it to harden and
push the lap out of the barrel. We push the lapping rod forward until the now
solidified lead slug, called the lead lap, is exposed. Cover the lead lap with lapping
paste, which is similar to valve grinding paste. Then the lapping process is completed
by running the lead lap up and down the length of the barrel about 50 times, applying
more lapping paste as necessary.

Then the next process is to fabricate the wooden handle. A solid wooden
cuboidal block of 350Χ80Χ100 mm³ is taken and machining is done. At first, the
path way for the piston cylinder arrangement is taken and several holes are drilled in
order to fit the barrel. Then the holes required for the trigger to fit in is chiselled so
that it can be freely operated then the outer shape of the wooden block is grinded.
Then the final polishing of the wood is done to make an elegant outlook.

5.2 ASSEMBLY PROCESS

The total assembling process is carried out as follows

 Wooden handle being the base part is chiselled as per the required
dimensions so that the piston cylinder arrangement exactly fits in.
 The piston is inserted into the cylinder with the rubber bush backed up
with a spring and a lock.
 The trigger set up and the spring is made in contact with the lock nut. As
soon as the loaded spring is released by the trigger the piston advances
forward pushing out the pellet
 The 3 bar link mechanism is set up connecting to the piston making it go
backward compressing the spring.
 An aim pointer is fixed at the tip of the barrel and the other end makes
use of an V shaped pointer.

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The below figure is the final assembled double barrel air gun.

figure 5.1 Final Assembled View

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 CHAPTER 6
WORKING OPERATION

The working of the double air rifle can be understood to be in two processes
viz...

1. LOADING

2. FIRING

6.1 LOADING

The barrels of the gun are hinged to the cylindrical casing. The barrels are
connected to the piston via a slider crank mechanism as shown. Thus on rotating the
barrel about the hinge the piston moves which in turn compresses the spring.

Figure 6.1 Before Loading

The trigger locks the piston with the spring in the compressed state in the
manner shown.

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 Figure 6.2 Gun in Loaded State

Now we have the spring in a compressed state attached to the pistons finally we
return the barrels to its initial position this is the loaded state of the gun

6.2 FIRING

Figure 6.3 Release of Trigger

Firing is done by pressing the trigger. When the trigger is pressed it releases the
spring, thus actuating the springwhich compresses the air, which in turn drives the
pellet through the bore or barrel of the gun.

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 Figure 6.4 Firing

This is the firing of the gun.

6.3 CALCULATION OF SPEED OF THE PELLET

Speed of the pellet was experimentally measured using simple projectile

method. Pellet was shot from a height H=1.5m & average range after repeated no. of
trials was found to be R=15m. Now using the formula

𝑅 √𝑔
𝑉=
2𝐻

On using g=9.8m/s2 we found V=27 m/s(Usually speed is much higher but the
found result was due to buckling of the spring).

6.4 ADVANTAGES OF THE GUN

As we have double trigger, target once missed could be shot the very next
moment using the other barrel setup.
Two triggers could be shot at a time providing more impact in case of a wide
target or at random shots.
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 CHAPTER 7
COST ESTIMATION

The cost of fabricating the rifle is listed below for analysis.

Table 7.1 Cost Estimation

S.No COMPONENTS PRICE

1 Barrels 1200
2 Cylinder Arrangements 1000
3 Stock 200
4 Wooden Handle 1000
5 Springs 300
6 Pellets 100
Total cost 3800

The cost of the project costs much less than the commercially available double
air gun and that too with an advantage of dual trigger. This will attract hunters and
sport lovers giving them an extra shot without loading.

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 CHAPTER 8
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE

8.1 CONCLUSION
Thus the fabrication of and assembly of double barrel air gun is made
successfully. Though a common idea, implementing the fire guns technique of
double barrel in an air gun is a new approach and that too with a double trigger
providing an extra shot.
The solid construction and balance ensure us always wield this air gun with
greater stability and confidence. The air gun tested practically for both dual and
single shots and the pellet is discharged with a velocity of 27 m/s from the gun and
the performance is found to be satisfactory. The overall weight of the gun is 6.5 kgs.
Thus the common idea of implementing the technique of double barrel in an
air gun was successfully designed, fabricated and tested.

8.2 FUTURE SCOPE

Though the riffle has a lot of advantages it has a few limitations such as heavy
weight making it hard for transportation. Hence a chassis with wheels and also
converting the manual loading in to an automatic AIR MACHINE GUN (AMG)
using any one of the reciprocating mechanisms.

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 CHAPTER 9
REFERENCES

1. "Air Ordnance Full Auto Pellet Gun". Retrieved 28 November 2014.

2. Arne Hoff, Airguns and Other Pneumatic Arms, Arms & Armour Series,
London, 1972
3. Ben Saltzman. "The Three Basic Types of Airguns". American
Airguns.Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-
09-14.
4. H.L.Blackmore, Hunting Weapons, London 1971
5. http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-
Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO
/srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=20110186026.PGNR. Patent for Air
Ordnance Full Auto Pellet Gun
6. L.Wesley, Air Guns and Air Pistols, London 1955
7. Laidlaw, Angus (January 2014). "Chicago Air Rifle Markham's
Patent".American Rifleman 162 (1): 48.
8. Philip, Schreier (October 2006). "The Airgun of Meriwether
Lewis".American Rifleman. Retrieved 23 December 2013.

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