Pneumatic Guns

[jpsmith1]

this is as close as I can come.  I know that it's black powder, but do any of you guys fool around with pneumatic cannons?  Any tips or pointers for a first time builder?

[accuratemike]

Pneumatic cannon are surely outside the scope of this forum. But you are still in luck. I once made a foray into these waters (and surely will again, good clean fun). There is a TON of info out there to be had. Google "spud gun" and "sprinkler valve spud (or potato) gun (or cannon)" You will be inundated with ideas. Emphasis on the sprinkler valve. I won't go into it here, but these are trick. $37 at Lowe's and you can put a veggie (or some fruits) through a plastic sliding board. (Don't confuse these things with toys). Good luck and stay safe, MIKE

PS: Don't even search YouTube, unless you enjoy seeing unsupervised teens doing really stupid stuff.

[jpsmith1]

Thanks, I think that the valve is the trick.

[TrenchMud]

Pneumatic Guns Are absolutely not toys. I am not sure what the laws are on telling someone how to create a weapon so I will not go into detail, but imagine a modified "potato" gun that will fire crossbow bolts just about as fast as the crossbow will. (With a sabot of sorts). Another will fire marbles at incredible velocity. Saw one out west that had about an inch and a half bore and
fired explosive shells. They were using it to break off ice/snow shelves to make it safe for skiing.
(Intentional avalanches).

[rockbilly]

Has anyone used/seen the "Airforce Gun?"  I had the opportunity to fire one at the range several weeks ago.  It works on compressed air simulat to the way a pellet gun works, but this is truly a deadly weapon, and not intended for childs play.  I understand the FBI and several other government agencys, as well as several police forces have adapted the weapon for use in hostage situations.  This gun puts out a .17 pellet at well over 4000fps, and will take a man out at 100yards.  Check it out.

[TrenchMud]

I can find no information on an Airforce Gun?

[Cheesehead]

There is a local guy that raises an sells pumpkins and other veggies. He promotes his produce patch with weekend demonstrations of his pumpkin cannon. It is powered by a large compressed air tank, has a 20 foot barrel with a pumpkin size bore. Spectators, myself included stand about 100 yards downrange in a sheltered area and watch pumpkins hiss by and travel for 100s of yards and into the woods. The pumpkins actually make a loud hissing sound as they streak by, an incredible sight.

Cheese

[jpsmith1]

First off, I never thought that they weren't dangerous.  I work with high pressure gasses daily, both flammable and not.  I understand very well that pressurized air can fire a projectile with lethal force.  I was looking into one that I can make fairly cheaply out of PVC and that will fire either potatoes or tennis balls.  I've always kind of wanted one to try out, but finally talked my wife into an air compressor this year.  I've got plenty of range to work with and believe that I have the skills to build it. 

[rockbilly]

Trenchmud.  Check this site. 

http://www.airforceairguns.com/

[corbanzo]

When I was in college, some of my buddies made a pneumatic cannon that we used to shoot socks out of, getting hit with balled up socks at about 50 feet had a little sting, I dont know what something harder would do. 

Im a big fan of the potatoe cannon.  I made one with a y-tube chamber and a 7 foot barrel that could shoot a 2" wide potato about 250 yards.  We were out shooting at an old refridgerator and shot the door a few times, and ripped it off the hinges after about the third shot.

Depending on the power of the pneumatic and the projectile it can get dangerous.  But I have to say it was kind of funny to get hit in the back with high speed socks when you didnt expect it.

[TrenchMud]

Man some of my hunting buddies socks could be "LETHAL"  WHEW !!!!
Would be interesting to see if they would "Stick" on impact if fired frome something like that. Splat !
I have seen one that would fire Cantaloupe(sp) It was unbelievable how far it would fire them.
Looked like cannon balls when they hit the lake !

[joshco84]

www.spudfiles.com