Potato cannon
A spud gun , even Gümbel called (short KK , English spud gun , potato cannon ), is a hobby device that within the meaning of gun but no gun is, but is colloquially known as "spud gun". It can be used either without explosives with compressed air, with steam pressure or by igniting a gas-air mixture as a propellant charge . In 1940 Winston Churchill approved the use of the steam-powered Holman projector , which was used to shoot potatoes. In traditional gun shooting with massive equipment, black powder is usually used, whereby only light templates such as cork or paper are allowed instead of potatoes .
Development history
Early forerunners of potato cannons were steam cannons and hand tubes , which became popular in Europe in the 12th century. Around 1480, Leonardo da Vinci mentioned in a letter to Ludovico Sforza : "He could make types of bombards, extremely light and comfortable to carry". From these one can "throw small stones". However, they were made of metal, while wooden and leather cannons can be traced back to the 14th century. During the siege of Salzburg in 1525, insurgent peasants used such primitive cannons, which were made of leather or wood. In Japan around 1590, wooden cannons were used to fire paper incendiary projectiles containing oil and powder into wooden castles to set them alight. Wooden guns were used in Asia until the second half of the 19th century. The above devices were generally operated with black powder. The production of ethyne with calcium carbide has been known since 1862 . With ethyne as a gas-air mixture, milk cans and other containers will be needed to generate bang well into the 21st century . In 1940, the Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development (also Wheezers and Dodgers ) developed the steam-powered Holman projector . Because of the shortage of weapons, anti-aircraft guns were withdrawn from the British merchant navy and replacements were then requested for the purpose of self-defense. Originally the device was supposed to fire hand grenades. At the presentation for Winston Churchill there was a lack of suitable ammunition and beer bottles were fired instead, which hit the target and exploded. Churchill was satisfied and commented: "A very good idea, this weapon of yours." Thousands of these devices were made by Holman Brothers Ltd. Made in Cornwall and then installed on ships. In practice, use with hand grenades proved too dangerous. After much experimentation, the sailors preferred potatoes . ("Everything from cans to cabbages got a try, but the most popular makeshift ammunition was the potato.") . After the war, the invention was forgotten for a few decades until the t-shirt cannon was invented in the 1990s and hobby cannons were made from plastic tubing.
regional customs
Already in the 14./15. In the 19th century, gunfire was practiced as a custom that in turn goes back to earlier customs with noise instruments , as is known from the history of fireworks or about ratcheting, which is recognized as an intangible cultural heritage in Austria . As part of the tradition of gunfire, at least one bang should be produced on special events or holidays. The custom of carbide shooting , also known as Easter shooting , serves the same purpose . It is common from the Netherlands and Germany to Austria. A traditional shooting in the aforementioned sense was not detectable with potato cannons until the 2010s. Only an overlap with the aforementioned traditions can be seen. Potato cannons are known internationally through the media. Surveys on the number of functional devices are not available.
Construction methods since the late 20th century
Modern potato cannons are mostly constructions made of polypropylene pipes (plastic drainage pipes with the corresponding sleeves and diameter adapters), with which potatoes, fruit, vegetables, balls or the like can be used as projectiles . The drive can take place via cold pre-stressed gases (compressed air) or via the combustion of gases. Devices operated with superheated steam are not known. In contrast to solid propellant charges, the gas-air mixture is burned in a relatively large-volume combustion chamber. The combustion gases that relax in the barrel develop a far lower maximum pressure than is the case with powder charges.
ballistics
The Thuringia State Criminal Police Office determined the following about a confiscated potato cannon: “With a caliber of 45 to 50 millimeters, the potatoes were accelerated to 80 to 90 meters per second, the experts measured an energy of up to 300 joules.” And further: “A person stand in the way , he must reckon with at least severe bruises. ”Another particular animal cruelty reported by Spiegel was the death of a hamster who died after being shot with a potato cannon.
hazards
In addition to the danger posed by the accelerated and fired projectile and the recoil of the cannon, there is also the danger that the combustion chamber (end cover) will burst. In this case, parts can fly away in any direction with great force and speed. They can be sharp-edged and cause severe to very serious injuries.
While the professional construction of firearms involves precise calculation, quality control and fire , i.e. testing of the weapon, potato cannons are made of material that is neither intended for pressure-resistant nor safety-critical applications. Both waste water pipes made of plastic, potatoes and propellant charges made of flammable gas and air vary greatly in their properties. In the absence of suitable test methods alone, successful functioning can be followed by serious failure in the next attempt.
Even calculating the probable compressive strength ( bursting pressure ) of a pipe made of extruded plastic is difficult because the material has different tensile strengths longitudinally and transversely due to the shear before solidification , grooves and scratches promote cracks, the wall thickness can vary, and heating and fatigue affect the material weaknesses.
Official practice and legal situation
The German Federal Criminal Police Office - the authority responsible for classifying objects under the law of weapons - has not yet answered the question of the classification of potato cannons. The terms of the Weapons Act suggest the classification of potato cannons as “single-shot muzzle-loaders with spark ignition”, unless compressed air or steam is used. Since, apart from the electric shotgun from 1867, no other model from the period before January 1, 1871 is known, they could not be classified as license-free weapons ( WaffG , Appendix 2 to Section 2 Paragraphs 2 to 4). Fundamental court rulings are not known (as of May 2018).
In Germany, potato cannons are usually confiscated when the police are involved.
Internationally, the legal situation regarding potato cannons is confusing. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives offers potato cannon testing and classification for everyone in the United States.
In Austria, the legal situation is such that they can neither be classified as a weapon nor as pyrotechnics, but you can still be prosecuted for noise pollution or endangering others.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Franz M. Feldhaus: Handfeuerwaffen bei Leonardo da Vinci , in volume 6 (1912-1914) of the magazine for historical weapons, publisher: Verein für historical weapons, Dresden, 1915, pages 30, 31 (online digitized)
- ^ August Demmin: The weapons of war in their historical developments from the oldest times to the present. Leipzig 1893, pp. 108-109
- ↑ Mitsuo Kure: Samurai - Bushido - The way of the warrior . Weltbild, 2006, ISBN 3-8289-0585-4 , p. 182.
- ↑ William Gurstelle: How the Humble Potato Cannon Served the Allies in World War Two, Before it wurde a T-shirt tossing sensation, the potato launcher was born to fight Nazis. Popular Mechanics , April 4, 2017; Archived from the original on October 28, 2017 ; accessed on May 27, 2018 .
- ↑ Historical facts about the gun shooting. Gotteszeller Böllerschützen, December 21, 2008, archived from the original on June 5, 2011 ; Retrieved January 5, 2009 .
- ↑ Easter customs, Easter shooting. Techelsberg customs group, June 10, 2015, archived from the original on July 10, 2015 ; accessed on May 27, 2018 .
- ↑ Easter shooting. Customs group Berthelsdorf (Upper Lusatia), November 10, 2008, archived from the original on July 10, 2015 ; accessed on May 27, 2018 .
- ↑ Steffen Winter: Resounding impact. In: Issue 5, 2003. Der Spiegel , January 27, 2003, archived from the original on October 28, 2017 ; Retrieved June 15, 2011 .
- ↑ ORF.at, June 10, 2013, potato cannon exploded: seriously injured ( Memento from May 22, 2018 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Spielgel Online, July 28, 2011, Dangerous fun, young people shoot with potato cannons ( Memento from September 5, 2017 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Unlicensed Persons Questions: "How do I obtain a classification from ATF for my" potato gun? " ( Memento of April 15, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on June 15, 2011
