- A grappling hook launcher is a gun used specifically for launching a grappling hook in order to be able to climb the line attached. Many grappling hook launchers are operated pneumatically, using the power of compressed air to launch the hook with more force and a straighter trajectory than would usually be possible if the hook was being thrown by hand. The grappling hook's line is wound around a spool or held within a special container connected to the launcher, letting it unwind naturally as the hook flies through the air. Grappling hook launchers do not have a winch function capable of lifting a person along the hook line, but they can be reloaded and used again once the hook has been recovered.
- The grappling hook launcher is a relatively new invention, only coming into common use by military and rescue organizations in the 1980s or later. A number of different designs of grappling hook launchers have been built by military contractors as well as private companies, with a number of different features being included. As grappling hook launchers have become more commercial in recent years, new companies have taken up designing the devices and introducing new innovations in regards to the pneumatic systems and climbing lines that they use.
- The designs of grappling hook launchers vary from basic handheld models to larger models that accommodate thicker lines and models with tripods so they can launch from the ground. Only two basic types of grappling hook launchers have seen much use. The most common type uses compressed air as a means of launching the hook, focusing all of the force of the launch on the hook from below. The other type (which is much less common) uses a small rocket to propel the hook, allowing the rocket's propulsion to pull the hook behind it and also giving the grappling hook a somewhat larger range.
- Grappling hook launchers come in a variety of sizes, with the smaller models having the approximate size of a standard assault rifle. Larger models may be as large as a leaf blower, while the largest grappling hook launchers tend to have barrels that are several feet long and require the launcher to be placed on the ground before firing. It should be noted that the larger models also allow for the use of heavier hooks and launch their payloads for much longer distances.
- A grappling hook launcher places a lot of pressure on the hook when it is fired and should never be pointed at any other person or animal. Caution should be taken when using grappling hooks, since it is possible that the hook won't secure itself well and could fall down upon you when pressure is put upon the line. Always make sure that the hook is secure and capable of supporting weight before you begin climbing a line from a launched grappling hook.
