How to Build a Homemade Pen Gun
While BB guns and pellet guns are powerful enough for small-game hunting and target practice, they are also relatively expensive compared with a simple pen. With a latex glove and some tape, you can craft your pen into a weapon powerful enough to lodge a projectile into cardboard. This handy device can easily injure or blind someone if played with irresponsibly, so be sure to take the appropriate precautions during use.
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Things You'll Need
- Capped pen
- Scissors
- Latex glove
- Plastic tape
- Paper target
- Eye protection
Instructions
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1
Remove the pen caps and set the ink cartridge aside. Depending on the pen you are using, you may need to unscrew or pull out these caps to free the ink cartridge.
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2
Cut away any tapered ends on the pen shell with the scissors. Clear-walled plastic pens may shatter if you use scissors, so you may have to use a hacksaw or file instead. The goal is to have an empty pen shell without any tapered ends.
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3
Cut away the middle finger of the latex glove at the base. It's the longest.
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4
Insert one end of the pen shell into the latex sheath about 1 inch.
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5
Tape the loose end of the latex sheath to the pen shell. Blow into the opposite end of the pen shell. The latex sheath should inflate. If there is air loss, add more tape.
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6
Drop the ink cartridge into the pen shell with the writing tip pointing away from the latex sheath.
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7
Grip the ink cartridge through the latex sheath. Pull the cartridge back and aim the open end of the pen shell at your paper target or cardboard box.
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8
Release the ink cartridge. The latex sheath will snap back into place, propelling the ink cartridge through the shell, out the opening and into your target.
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Tips & Warnings
Some people use a balloon instead of a latex sheath. Both are rubber, but they have different elasticities. Experiment to determine which works best for you.
Never point your pen gun at another person or domestic animal.
Wear eye protection while using your pen gun.
Do not pull the tip of the pen cartridge past the pen shell opening. Doing so could cause the tip to fire along the side of the shell and cause injury to your hand.
References
- Photo Credit Pen image by Vasiliy Dmitrienko from Fotolia.com
