Rubber band gun
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A rubber band gun, often abbreviated to RBG, is a toy gun used to fire one or more rubber bands (or "elastic bands").
RBGs are often used in live-action games such as Assassins, in which they are common, popular and effective toy weapons. They are also common in offices and classrooms.
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[edit] Types of rubber band gun
[edit] Clothespin pistol
This is the simplest form of rubber band gun. Its firing mechanism consists solely of a clothespin. The gun may have more than one clothespin, thereby allowing more than one band to be fired.
[edit] Repeater pistol
The repeater (or revolver) RBG is capable of firing 10 or more rubber bands, semi-automatically. Repeater RBGs are available in a variety of semi-realistic shapes, such as Luger style pistols, rifles, and Tommy guns.
The repeater RBG is usually made of wood, and has a plastic firing mechanism, consisting of a toothed wheel onto which the bands are hooked, and a sprung trigger/escapement that releases the wheel by one notch, releasing a rubber band every time the trigger is pulled.
[edit] Gatling gun
A rubber band Gatling gun consists of between 3 and 12 repeater RBGs arranged on a cylindrical "rotor". The rotor rotates and each individual barrel is fired as it reaches the top of its locus.
The original, patented, tripod-mounted rubber band Gatling gun was featured on the Gadget Show on UK television in March 2007.
A twelve-barrel Gatling gun using twelve-shot repeater mechanisms can fire 144 rubber bands automatically. It is fired by manually rotating a crank handle and pulling a firing trigger.
[edit] K'nex RBGs
Rubber band guns can be built from K'NEX. Such constructions can include handheld pistols, automatics and sniper rifles. Some K'NEX guns work using the escapement mechanism seen in the repeater RBG, while some more advanced types have hinge triggers that are more reliable, allow for more bands on a barrel, and have a more realistic trigger feel.
[edit] Lego RBGs
In early 2007, Sebastian Dick built a motorized Gatling RBG entirely from Lego. It is capable of firing 11 rounds per second.
[edit] Miniguns
Motorised RBGs with rotary barrels, similar to the Minigun, are the latest developments in the world of the rubber band gun. In November 2007, Anthony Smith completed the Disintegrator, a 288-shot motorised rubber band gun with 2 contra-rotating rotors of 12 barrels each. This gun can be mounted on a tripod or fired from the hip, and can fire more than 40 rounds per second. Although highly expensive, if you're that enthusiastic about rubber band guns, this is a must have.
[edit] External links
- Surefire Products, home of the Rubber Band Gatling Gun
- Video of the K'nexecutioner, a K'nex Gatling gun, in operation
- Video of the Lego Gatling gun in operation
- The Disintegrator, a 288-shot, motorised, cordless double rubber band minigun
- Video of the Disintegrator in operation
- The FireWheel, a fully automatic RBG
