Air cannon

[gooseflight]

Made a few of these from solvent welded PVC pipe. Lots out there, e.g., Koi carp/pond/irrigation/swimming pool equip. suppliers.

[Aicchalmers]

Does anybody have a definitive answer to how firearms legislation might apply to using these in the UK?

[djbobbins]

Made several of these over the years but usually run them on hairspray.

 

 

We made one and ran it on lighter gas, opted for a smarter projectile than spuds though.

 

Spud = need to cut them to size / risk of getting jammed / propulsion gases passing round the outside.

 

Get 40mm pipe, use most of it to make the barrel and cut the rest into 60mm lengths, stand them all upright in a flat tub of water 50mm deep then freeze it all. Hey presto, perfectly fitting disposable projectiles 😜

[Loler UK]

Does anybody have a definitive answer to how firearms legislation might apply to using these in the UK?

 

well without a test case being fought on rather dubious grounds claiming that it is not "a lethal barrelled weapon of any description from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged" disputing that as per Moore v Gooderham 1960/ R v Thorpe 85 that the device could not cause more than trifling and trivial injury (i've had a few goes on these devices and would not want to be hit by one at close range, i'd expect broken ribs, or worse a fractured skull/ death) i understand it as this:

 

Best case scenario we call it an air weapon, that way it can be up to 12ftlb without requiring a licence (FAC), sellers would have to comply with legislation regarding the sale of air weapons and you would require the permission of the land owner, projectile not exit the boundaries etc etc all that governs air weapons, if it's over 12ftlb then you could apply to have it put on your/a FAC, then you must abide by the limitations of your fac with regards to where it is used. Perhaps you'd be so lucky as to get a reply saying the device did not require a FAC ergo you could argue it was not a firearm, I doubt the reply would be quite so though

 

worse you say it is a spud gun type toy, now you're limited to 3ftlb, great for installing lines in small apple trees though!!!

[D Mc]

....Best case scenario we call it an air weapon,....

 

How sad if true and a bit silly. Most of the tools we use, if misused, would be far more lethal. Why regulate on possible misuse when virtually anything can be?

 

The APTA is great at doing what it was designed for, setting lines in trees.

[muttley9050]

We made one and ran it on lighter gas, opted for a smarter projectile than spuds though.

 

Spud = need to cut them to size / risk of getting jammed / propulsion gases passing round the outside.

 

Get 40mm pipe, use most of it to make the barrel and cut the rest into 60mm lengths, stand them all upright in a flat tub of water 50mm deep then freeze it all. Hey presto, perfectly fitting disposable projectiles 😜

 

Spuds/apples etc are easy. Used to make the chamber from 110mm pipe and the barrel from 40mm. Nice and long. Sharpen the end of the barrel and just push the spud onto it like a kids toy spud gun. Use a stick to shove it down. And fire. Spud nicely lubes the barrel on the way in.

[MattyF]

I use an APTA occasionally but from my experience to get a 12oz throw bag high and accurate where you want you need around 170 -200 psi in the chamber.. 120 psi it just flops out the end at a bad trajectory 20ft if your lucky.

200 and you have an achor in the top of a 90ft pine no bother just make sure you have a 16oz bag on the other end of your throw line or you won't see it again.

[D Mc]

I wonder what's going on with yours, Matty. I use mine even on small trees because it is so easy to regulate height by adjusting psi. With a 12oz bag it works out to be just shy of one foot of height per pound. Mine does have the new butterfly valve which is much better and easier to use than the older ball valve.

[mistahbenn]

Yeh you must be doing it wrong Matty. Do you have the butterfly valve? Its all about the wrist action, matron.

[ArthurBottlesworth]

I've got a gun dog training dummy launcher

Uses 22 long blanks

Lobs dummy 50 yards - thought it would break my wrist first time I used it

Could that not be modified?