What is the best propellant for a potato gun?

What is the best propellant for a potato gun?

The most effective experimental propellant was defined as the one which accelerated the potato to the highest muzzle velocity. The experimental propellant acetylene performed the best on average (138.1 m/s), followed by methanol (48.2 m/s), butane (34.6 m/s), ethanol (33.3 m/s), and propane (27.9 m/s), respectively.

How do potato cannons work?

The spark ignites the fuel, causing an explosion. Pressure builds rapidly behind the potato, which is wedged tightly in the barrel. When the pressure in the barrel overcomes the resistance from the potato, the expanding gas forces the potato down the length of the barrel and into the air.

How far can a potato gun shoot?

500 yards
Potato guns are capable of firing projectiles 500 yards, or even farther.

How much does it cost to build a potato cannon?

Introduction: The Original Potato Cannon Sometims it is also called a potato gun. Making this cannon takes about an hour and $30.

Can you use propane for a potato gun?

When making a traditional potato or spud gun, the propellant used, some sort of aerosol spray, is pretty forgiving when it comes to consistent ignition. While we didn’t do any experiments ourselves, generally 5% propane to 95% air is the best ratio for generating a bang.

Can a potato gun explode?

A Kentucky man severely hurt his leg and arm while shooting a potato gun in late 2011. A 21-year-old Ohio man was killed and two other men were injured in a 2004 potato gun explosion. The American Academy of Ophthalmology warned of the dangers of potato guns in 1998 after two separate cases involving 14-year-old boys.

How does a propane cannon work?

A typical cannon is powered by a five-gallon propane tank and emits blasts at 20-minute intervals. It will fire unattended for extended periods, and the noise covers approximately five acres.

How fast can a potato cannon shoot?

The highest projectile speed recorded from a spud gun is 933.3 m/s (3,062 ft/s) (approximately 2.7 times the speed of sound) with a 16.6-gram (256 gr) 20 mm plastic slug from a hybrid using a 20 MPa (2,900 psi) pre-ignition mixture of air and propane.

Are potato guns legal in Australia?

Australia. All combustion and pneumatic spud guns are considered firearms in every state. Any device capable of being aimed and discharging a projectile using a barrel, and that has the potential to cause injury to a person, is considered to be a weapon and requires licensing.

Are potato cannons legal in the UK?

So a potato cannon powered by a liquid/gas which is ignited is illegal, but a potato cannon powered by a CO2 or HPA cylinder is legal (as long as its not too powerfull). Polcing enforcing the law or not is a different matter, and irrelevent.

Can you use butane in a potato cannon?

Both propane and butane give off 105 kcal/mol of oxygen, so they should perform equivalently in a spud gun.

Are potato cannons illegal in Texas?

A spud gun is legally a firearm in Texas. TPC 46.01 defines firearm as: ‘(3) “Firearm” means any device designed, made, or adapted to expel a projectile through a barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance or any device readily convertible to that use…