Abstract: An air gun of the break-barrel type has a spring-urged piston working in a bore of a cylinder. The piston has two axially spaced latched cocking positions in the cylinder; an intermediate position in which the spring is only partially compressed, and a fully cocked position in which the spring is fully compressed. The piston is held in each of its latched positions by the co-operation, in turn, of a sear with a one of a pair of axially spaced grooves in the piston. Initial downward swivelling of the barrel causes a cocking bar pivotally connected to the barrel to engage in the rearward groove and force the piston backwards to its intermediate position. The gun can then be fired with reduced power or alternatively a second cocking stroke performed in which the cocking bar engages in the forward groove and urges the piston to its fully cocked position. Instead of having a breaking breech, the gun may operate by a cocking lever. The piston may have more than one latch intermediate position in the bore.

Abstract: An air gun having a fixed barrel mounted on a body and a source of compressed air or gas housed in the body has a device for enabling a pellet to be inserted directly into the barrel. A breech block is angularly movable between a loading position in which the breech is exposed and a firing position in which the breech is closed, the breech block having passage for completing the connection between the breech and the source of compressed air. In the embodiment shown the breech block is cylindrical and is rotatably mounted in a continuation of a cylinder in which a spring urged piston works, and has a guide chute in its cylindrical surface to assist the introduction of the pellet. Seals may be provided at either end of the breech block.