BushMaster-15
member
Hair spray is a much less dangerous propellant from all the spud gun videos. Once I learned about proper propellants all that ended. For that same reason I kinda fear black powder. Smokeless is really great stuff with tons of engineering behind what we do. I don't mind max loads but life has taught me to remain well on the reservation.
Ever see a beer can cannon ?. Soda cans also work . A long time friend owned a fair sized metal shop and after work ,some friends would stop by we'd lock the gates close the office and everyone would wonder out back of the shop . Where the locked refrigerator was Filled with Coors and Coors light and Bud two of the guys always replaced theirs with Bud. So his machinist had turned a NICE looking cannon ,with a Humongous Bore and it was mounted on a Tri Stand out back . Gas Torch hoses reach easily . As there was a wash basin ,we would fill empty beer cans with water . Now this being in and industrial park and not all parcels were occupied or even developed ,there was OPEN SPACE
One place in particular had small ponds and wild bamboo along with brush around those ponds . Some afternoons we'd have #5- 15 friends out back = Several Beer cans ,Never had a shortage of ammo back then I can assure you !. So this went on for Years ; UNTIL that FATEFUL afternoon . Most of us had gotten pretty fair cannon operators a little acetylene in the fuel hole a little oxygen and spark er . Those suckers would fly 300 - 650 yards ,depending upon WHO was using it . So as we couldn't see trough or beyond the bamboo ,other than the pond it's self
splash down was confirmation of a successful Cannon'er . We had NO idea a COP car had pulled into the area behind that bamboo and when load one went off it went into the pond ,load #3 DID NOT . It hit something distinctly metallic with an awful THUD CLANK .
Needless to say we ALL got a MAJOR AZZ CHEWING but not until after the cop tried a launch of his own .
We Did STOP using the cannon and Never fired it again . However one of the last people inside the gate some months later NEGLECTED to lock it behind them !,
As a result My friend who owned the metal shop ,had a late visitor ,his INSURANCE AGENT !. Beer consumption friends gathering B S ing gossip scuttle butt Re fridge ALL DIED ,that fateful afternoon