Clothes pin gun

[asemery]

Clothes pin gun
I am dating myself this toy was popular with my my Boy Scout troop
back in the early 50's. If our parents ever knew about it they never stopped us.
Uses small paper wads, dried peas,wooden match bits, etc. as ammunition. Caution - although this can be considered a toy the ammunition is fired with force and can really sting. Can put your eye out.
Step 1. Assemblying the zapper
Take clothes pin apart and file (or cut) a right angle in the spring groove of one side of the pin as shown. Reassemble the pin using a rubber band as shown.

Step 2. Cocking the zapper
Place the spring on the outside of the zapper as shown. Push on the inside bar of the spring (I used the half of another cclothes pin) until the bar rests in the right angle notch you filed in step one. Place ammunition where indicated

Step 3. Firing the zapper
The barrel of the spring serves as the trigger. Pull the barrel towards the rubber band so that the inside bar of the springs pops out of the right angle notch.The bar will send the ammunition flying. Be careful where you aim the zapper.

 

[doubleman]

I remember making those too!

 

[Lapedog]

Clothes pin gun
I am dating myself this toy was popular with my my Boy Scout troop
back in the early 50's. If our parents ever knew about it they never stopped us.
Uses small paper wads, dried peas,wooden match bits, etc. as ammunition. Caution - although this can be considered a toy the ammunition is fired with force and can really sting. Can put your eye out.
Step 1. Assemblying the zapper
Take clothes pin apart and file (or cut) a right angle in the spring groove of one side of the pin as shown. Reassemble the pin using a rubber band as shown.

Step 2. Cocking the zapper
Place the spring on the outside of the zapper as shown. Push on the inside bar of the spring (I used the half of another cclothes pin) until the bar rests in the right angle notch you filed in step one. Place ammunition where indicated

Step 3. Firing the zapper
The barrel of the spring serves as the trigger. Pull the barrel towards the rubber band so that the inside bar of the springs pops out of the right angle notch.The bar will send the ammunition flying. Be careful where you aim the zapper.

When I was a kid only the absolute coolest of the cool kids knew how to make these deadly weapons


The rest of us were stuck blowing spitballs through a straw.

 

[tiguy7]

If you use strike anywhere matches, the “gun” will ignite the match as it is being launched.

 

[the possum]

When I saw the title, it made me think of my brother shooting mom's clothespins off the line with his .22.

 

[eveled]

We would take apart the clothes pin. Nail half to a piece of strapping.(1x3). Reasembled the clothes pin. A nail with a head on the other end. Leave about a 1\4 inch up then bend over. Put a heavy rubber band over the nail. Tap the bent nail so the head traps the band. Stretch it back, put it in the clothes pin and put a bottle cap into the rubber band. The clothes pin is the trigger.