Technology

One of My Favorite Ammo’: YouTube Weapons Creator Is Back With a Pistol That Fires Steel Darts

Taking steel playing darts and a pistol and trying to make them work together is a challenge. Neither are designed to be used in tandem, but Joerg Sprave, star of the Slingshot Channel on YouTube, was able to modify an “experimental pistol shooter” to successfully fire off the darts.

Joerg Sprave With the Slingshot Channel Tailors Pistol Shooter for Cheap Steel Darts

Using this "experimental pistol shooter," Sprave modified it to work with steel darts. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

In the video description, Sprave writes it was no easy undertaking:

First, steel darts aren’t made for shooting. Therefore you can’t shoot them overly fast as the tips break on impact. Second, the fletching is very vulnerable, in fact not made for any kind of pressure. Third, they can be quite expensive.

Finding 40-cent darts on Amazon.com, Sprave’s third hurdle was overcome. Using some of his favorite materials — a toothbursh and rubber — Sprave makes a “homemade pistol shooter that is ‘chambered.’” Here’s how it works:

A toothbrush head has been used to hold them in place, extremely prestretched rubber accelerates the dart, and a “pinching” method is employed in order to keep the darts firmly rested against the loaded string.

This works quite well, the darts fly 15 meters without any problems. They stick into anything they hit – wood, aluminum, plastic. They stick way better than commercial pistol crossbow bolts – both weapons are compared to each other in the video.

Joerg Sprave With the Slingshot Channel Tailors Pistol Shooter for Cheap Steel Darts

Compared to a commercial weapon shooting arrows, Sprave demonstrates how his pistol shooter can stick darts in the wooden board while the arrows bounce off. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Watch Sprave discuss the issues with shooting the dart based on its material and how he overcame them to make a successful, non-lethal weapon (Bonus: Sprave shows off one of his favorite arrow shooters toward the end):

Overall, Sprave thinks he can make the design of the weapon more compact but, he says, “I really like the concept and I really love pointy things. Therefore, this is one of my favorite ammo.”

(H/T: Gizmodo)

Comments (27)

  • darthtyran
    Posted on August 5, 2012 at 3:09am

    Hmmm…nifty idea. A blow gun is good too. Many types of body armor are illeffective against darts and like. The best thing to do with darts is to coat them with some form of poison. Not necessarily leathal poison mind you but perhaps one that causes paralysis. However is cyanide or the like floats your boat who am I to judge. Maybe and explosive tip would be effective, especially against body armor. Not hard to make either. Dart Guns, bows, and blow darts are better than no guns at all.

    Report Post »  
  • CulperGang
    Posted on August 2, 2012 at 12:54pm

    for over 20 years Britain has outfitted ever square inch of Britain with spy cameras, telling the populous it is to deter criminals., which they knew is a croc, because humans adapt. Adapt they did. All black attire/hoodies and a mask and assorted tools has become the trade of criminals and the crime rate has SOARED since the 1980s in Britain.
    The fact is those spy cameras are to spy on all Brits who are a THREAT to the 1% who are abusing them via their social policies and may decide one day to MOBILIZE ENMASSE……which is a little hard to do when your every move is watched by those that are abusing you.
    Interestingly crimes committed with nail gun and pitch forks are quite common in countries that removed guns from the populous.
    ARREST the 1% for crimes against humanity FOR PEACE and HARMONY around the world. They are the criminals and terrorist around the world not the general polulous of humanity.

    Report Post » CulperGang  
  • savant
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 1:05pm

    People can make weapons out of anything. You can tell he milled these himself so the government would have to ban milling machines and lathes to stop someone from making guns or weapons of any kind. Even in countries that ban firearms, the airguns are still allowed and i have seen them modified to fire at the same velocity as an AK-47, they will completely pierce a 400 lb. deer so a man would be no match. People that want weapons will have them.

    Report Post »  
    • somecallmeMC
      Posted on August 5, 2012 at 9:54pm

      We saw that in Libya. the problem with progressive’s they think guns are magically and have power over the human mind to cause them to want to kill. or think people are to stupid to realize it is just a machine, my vote is for the latter

      Report Post »  
  • APROUDVETERAN
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 12:23pm

    And kids in the 50′s were making “zip” guns that could fire a .22 bullet through a disposed car antenna….a rubber band and a nail –as the firing mechanism -and a couple of pieces of wood and you had a gun……

    Report Post »  
  • TimO_Florida
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 9:07am

    Back when you could legally buy Lawn Darts (Jarts) we could THROW them 15 meters…

    Report Post »  
  • JACKTHETOAD
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 8:36pm

    What about Jarts (lawn darts)? I’ll bet they work pretty good.

    Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
  • ALL4FREEDOM
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 8:00pm

    You have WAY too much time on your hands.

    Report Post »  
  • dadadadio
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 7:04pm

    Wonder if they’ll start regulating nail guns next.

    Report Post » dadadadio  
    • o2nine17
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 9:38am

      Massachusetts does, you need a gun permit to use a Hilti or Remmington nail gun because it uses .22 cal blank rounds to drive hardened nails into cement.

      Report Post »  
  • Individualism
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 6:20pm

    how do you make a CIA heart attack gun lol

    Report Post » Individualism  
  • scuba13
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:51pm

    I will stick to a semi-automatic handgun, but if he comes up with one that fires underwater I might be more interested.

    Report Post » scuba13  
    • goahead.makemyday
      Posted on August 2, 2012 at 8:32am

      Using the mechanism from a CO2 powered air pistol you can make a dart gun that if done right can shoot underwater. Might not be practical or accurate or powerful but it would fire.

      Report Post » goahead.makemyday  
  • gammo
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:20pm

    Good for the Obamma voters in the democrat states but I will keep my gun ..

    Report Post »  
    • PraiseGodpasstheammo
      Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:40pm

      Agree with you buddy. I’ll keep my 45!

      Report Post »  
    • NOT A CRAZY
      Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:14pm

      You must be kidding. The stinking B.O. crowd would not allow those either. In some other countries it wasn’t long after they outlawed guns that they started going after knives and everything else that they saw as a weapon. In some states, like Kalifornia, it is better to get caught with an illegally concealed firearm than it is to get caught with brass knuckles, a baseball bat, a cane, etc., etc.. It can be a felony if they decide that you are using a bat or other items as an improvised weapon. I have read several news articles about people telling cops that they used a cane or belt or whatever as a weapon and they were then charged with felonies.

      Report Post » NOT A CRAZY  
    • chips1
      Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:39pm

      They can’t even get the guns and knives out of the prisons.

      Report Post »  
    • searching for the Truth
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 9:44am

      A very very valid point not often spoken of – Chips1 !

      Report Post »  
  • brickmoon
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:14pm

    I like this guy. He has too much fun. Bonus points for still having all of his fingers and eyes.

    Report Post » brickmoon  
    • Soothsayer
      Posted on July 31, 2012 at 7:54pm

      S-LOL!
      You made me do a snort laugh, I never do snort laughs.

      Report Post »  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:31pm

    I still prefer my homemade 6′ long, 1/2″(inner) diameter blow gun and my homemade (capable of holding a liquid) darts. It’s loads faster, is more accurate at longer distances and has better penetration. It also looks like a tall walking cane/stick and not a firearm/pistol.

    Neat little dart gun though. This guy is really fun. We’d have a blast in a combo wood/metal shop!

    Report Post » The-Monk  
  • stinkybisquit
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:19pm

    “They’re just too pointy”

    Report Post »  
  • Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:17pm

    German engineering…gotta love it. Think I‘ll go shoot my HK93 tonight since I’m inspired.

    Report Post » Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve  
  • MittensKittens
    Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:12pm

    too much time on his hands…

    Report Post » MittensKittens  

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