A potato shooter is a low-cost, simple projectile-launching device made of PVC, ABS or copper tubing. It has a fuel system, combustion chamber, barrel, and ignition source. There are three types: combustion, pneumatic, and hybrid. Potato shooters can be dangerous and should be used responsibly.
Also known as a potato gun, production booster, potato cannon, spud gun, or any other combination of words relating to a crop of tubers and a shooting tool, the potato shooter is a projectile-launching device most often used for the potato recreational shoot. The device is popular mainly due to its low cost and simple construction. The main part of a potato shooter is made of a large PVC, ABS or copper tube, the circumference of which is large enough to hold a potato as usual ammunition, although creativity allows you to throw other things like oranges or tennis balls. Potato shooters range in size from handheld to immobile ones larger than a person. Most of them, however, are made to be easily portable and controllable, and therefore measure less than 10 feet (3m) in length.
A potato shooter has several basic elements: a fuel system, a combustion chamber, a barrel and an ignition source. As the launcher gets more complicated, builders may opt to affix additional parts like a pressure release valve and pressure gauges, which require a more skilled hand to operate. All potato shooters are also combustion powered. That is, the projectile is fired from the potato shooter using compressed gas much like a firearm, except the pressure is exceptionally lower.
The medium in which the gas is supplied helps enthusiasts classify a potato shooter into one of three types. The combustion launcher is considered the most basic type in terms of construction. It is based on the combustion of a combination of gaseous air and fuel, which generates the heat needed to cause the gaseous fire force. The pneumatic launcher, a second type of potato launcher, discharges compressed gas through a valve, generally limiting the amount of launching force from the available supply of air pressure. The third type, the hybrid launcher, uses the combustion of a pre-pressurized fuel-air mixture to provide the energy needed for the projectile.
When used responsibly, a potato shooter can be operated with relative safety. Because its projectiles are fired at such a high speed and force, the devices are said to be as dangerous as bullets fired from a gun. If not constructed properly, a potato shooter can potentially injure or even kill its operator or bystanders. Therefore, potato shooters should never be pointed at any human, even if they appear discharged. They also should not be used in the dark or at long ranges where projectiles may land beyond the operator’s visual range.
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