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This may be a simplistic question, with what seems an obvious answer, but when it comes to firearms, there doesn't really seem to be a specific era for general reference when it comes to Steampunk.
I understand that Steampunk is (generically) set in an Industrial Revolution/Victorian setting, and therefore ideally, seems to be placed at around the American Civil War. But Victoria had a long reign, and, for example, the British Army went from using Muzzle Loading black powder weapons, to the esteemed bolt action Lee Enfield .303 rifle. Similarly, the beginning and end of the Industrial Revolution are vague, and even incompatible with the preconception of a Victorian setting*!
I only ask out of curiosity, to see what the consensus seems to be. Perhaps I am more of a Dieselpunk at heart, as my passion for early aviation and pilots seems to overshadow my love of Steam and black powder. Nevertheless, I would contend most directly that WWI itself has a very distinct Steampunk flavor to it! Regardless, I put the question to you ladies and gentlemen for your musing.

*that is if we use the dates of the industrial revolution as a vague 'Late Eighteenth- Early Nineteenth setting' and Queen Victoria ascending to the throne in 1819.

Whole heartedly agreed madame! I also see something in the ideal: the Aristocratic Officers struggling with the grim reality of Imperialism and Trench Warfare, but most of all, I find the Air War fascinating (it has been a long time obsession of mine). The Pilots, for whom the life expectancy could be 3 missions or 20 minutes in battle, in aircraft composed of Canvas, wood, and engine, doing battle with equally flimsy crafted pilots, yet still retaining a certain chivalry, strikes me as another pillar of Steampunk: retaining ones values in the face of death, risking life and limb in dangerous-at-best-contraptions, in dangerous-at-best-situations.
Subsequently, the destruction of war, the naked industrialization, and grit in European cities as a result of war. One can almost imagine fleets of Airships and Dirigibles going into battle along with the Fighter Pilots in the air, above the trenches below.

Also, I cannot explain it, but the Bolt action rifle, and weaponry of WWI intrigues me greatly. ninja

*thinks* burning_eyes

I'd think it's more of a style thing. The flintlock pistol fits steampunk mainly because of the wooden construction. You could theoretically install a revolver into the firing section and it wouldn't lose it's feel. Even a clip.

Now that is a nice idea...

If you want to take your steampunkishness in a different direction you can always look to the American West for inspiration. Think of the movie "Wild Wild West." I much prefer Western steampunk(as in American) to Victorian steampunk(by this I mean English). Yes I know Victorian style and culture was "in" in America as well, please don't give me a history lesson. But think about cowboys and the state of the West during gold rush era/steam engine. Lever action rifles, six-shooters and that sort of thing.

I would tend to agree upon that. Than again, it would be good to remember that the 'Golden Years' of the American Wild West coincided with Queen Victoria's rule. But that is an important point to make, that there are two lenses through which we can perceive Steampunk, and even potential for two different strains: one being the very elegant, but dark European Steampunk, with Marxist overtones (at least through my perceptions). The other being the dangerous, controversial American brand of Steampunk, which could involve the Civil War, the ethnic diversity of America and the diversity springing from that, both good and bad. After all America had no Revolutions of 1848, but they did/do have a long history of civil conflict along racial lines as a precursor to class conflict, whereas Europe remained divided along traditional rigid Class-ist lines. This is just me ranting, as I do not claim to profess any deep knowledge of modern history, and should it be disputed by one more knowledgeable on the subject, I shall take no offense.
What I do wish to infer, is the over riding ideology that unifies both European and American steampunk. Whether it is the American Union or Confederate soldier fighting because of an abstract concept of eliminating slavery or, on the confederate side, individual rights in the face of an overbearing central government. Or the European factory worker who hears the call of change through socialism, or the mad scientist driven by a desire to assist humanity, pushing the boundaries of science, perhaps a little bit too far into the unknown realms.

Annnd... this seems to have had NOTHING to do with what we were talking about... ninja

or a revolving flintlock.
http://www.maihaugen.no/en/Top-menu/Knowledge/Collections/Historical-object-collection/Weapons-collections/

@Sidnay: dude, the first steampunk ever: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_of_Alexandria

So... by that logic steampunk worlds and history start at... The Roman Empire? Ow. I think I blew a gasket.