Gear Rifles - design assistance requested

[thrash]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Containing highly-compressed air - particularly containing it for a decent chunk of time (these weapons are meant to be able to be loaded, then go at least several hours without firing, if needed, like firearms) - seems unfeasible to me when limited to ~TL3-4 materials.

Not meaning to quibble, but the point of the "Red Ryder" piston mechanism (vs. historical air guns, which did use a reservoir) is that the energy is stored in the spring, not in compressed air. You increase the pressure delivered by making the piston much larger than the bore. Another benefit is that the pressure is consistent, rather than diminishing as the reservoir empties.

Again, a spring (particularly a coiled spring) this strong isn't historically accurate, but it is probably minimally invasive as unobtainium goes. Maybe they have to be harvested from Hell Gnome traps...