Summer is upon us. That means baseball, barbecues and backyard hijinks. And if your hijinks are anything like mine, they usually include a little artillery fire. No, I’m not talking about a Howitzer or vintage civil war cannon—although I’ll get the permission if you bring the noise. I’m talking about the potato gun. Yes, the sight of a freshly launched spud sailing over the neighbors’ houses is enough to make the heart swell with pride. But if you’ve built a gun of your own, you know that accuracy can sometimes be an issue . . .
The smooth bore PVC tuber technology that’s dominated potato gun ballistics for decades simply doesn’t provide the level of accuracy that OCD ‘tater launchers demanded. Sure, you can shoot a spud in a general trajectory (never forgetting that these guns can be lethal). But if you want to land a tater in a deep fryer 100 yards downrange, it’s strictly hit or miss.
But this is America, dammit! And that means there’s always someone toiling away in a basement or garage workshop looking to avoid their wife and kids. I mean, solve a problem—even if no one else perceives that the problem exists. And yea, verily, the rifled potato gun barrel is born.
Our friend Jeremy at The Spudgun Technology Center offers barrels in a variety of configurations and lengths. He claims the rifling gives you a 50% increase in accuracy. So don’t despair if you haven’t been able to achieve the one MOP (minute of potato) results the discerning shooter demands.
Now, if someone can grow genetically-engineered potatoes that provide perfect uniformity and the ideal ballistic coefficient, our work here will be done.
No need to play God. Talk to McDonald’s – they mastered potatoes without the junk science.
I’ve baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, friend potatoes and roasted potatoes, but I have never shot a potato with a potato gun or a deer rifle. No, I’m not against potato hunting, but field-dressing and butchering the spuds is a bitch.
I can’t do it either. I think it’s the eyes staring at me.
My brother MUST get one of these! I just sent RF a video of his spud-slinging adventures.
If you want a high BC potato, just chuck it up in a lathe. Soon you’ll have your 3500gr BTHP potato.
One of the guys at my work was playing with one of these in the parking lot, and he put a nice dent in one of our company vans.
Tennis balls are more fun. Pricey, though.
Anyone has good recommendation on a good potato solvent, i’m starting to notice a slight drop in accuracy
KG-12 Big Bore Cleaner, “I put that **** on everything!” 😉
Crisco… Cheap and inert.
Add a cut open cyalume stick and a grooved spud: tracers
Aaaaaw! That first picture reminds me of my 1st ex!
Tara, is that you?
Yes, babe.
It has been a long time. Wish I still had you covering my back side.
So, how has the cross dressing thing worked out? Ever get rid of those panty lines?
By the way, a little attention to those support payments would be appreciated. Back to work big boy.
Love, Tara W.
LOL!
“Now, if someone can grow genetically-engineered potatoes that provide perfect uniformity and the ideal ballistic coefficient, our work here will be done.”
I use Styrofoam sabots that way I can get consistent size and shape out of the projectiles.
I bought one of these rifled barrels, a 4′ 2″ SCH-80 with the screw in attachment put on. It’s well made and nice and heavy. The muzzle knife was well done too, but I just end up cutting the potatoes with that, popping them out, and then sticking them in the breach. It’s hard to shove them down the grooved barrel without pulverizing them.
The effect is great all around. Good investment. I’d buy another one.
I’ve got a well balanced combustion gun, and with this I can shoot about 250 yards (300 if it catches a draft) and the potato makes it about 2/3 of that before it starts to tumble, if it does at all. At close range, it blows nice clean holes through 1-1/2 inches of plywood and keeps going at a respectable clip. For shits and giggles, I shot it at a stack of bricks a few times and managed to crack them… a couple all the way through… with potatoes.
The fun factor is WELL worth the price.