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Slingshotgun

A postapocalyptic firearm that uses a slingshot to replace trigger and hammer.
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In the postapocalyptic new world replacement hammer and trigger mechanisms will be in short supply, and these are the first to wear out in constant intense fire situations. A Slingshotgun uses a conventional slingshot to launch a firing pin to strike the primer of a bullet.
rcarty, Sep 09 2012

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       Will there be a collector's limited edition model, personally signed by Mel Gibson?
Lesser Spotted Kiwi, Sep 09 2012
  

       Tricky. Easier to make a zip-gun.
A ballistic slingshot is just too cool not to (+) though.
  

       what 21 Quest said
not_morrison_rm, Sep 09 2012
  

       Hammers and triggers are widely known to be the flimsiest part of any firearm. The hammer on the M1911, for example, is on careful examination revealed to be nothing more than a cleverly bent paper clip, and on many triggers parts of the “Coca-Cola” logo are still quite noticeable. Even on the venerable M1 Garand the trigger mechanism was commonly stamped out of sliced and dried corncob—ostensibly to allow for easy field replacement, but in fact the contractors saved literally pennies per rifle produced by utilizing such “recycled” materials.
ytk, Sep 09 2012
  

       In order to avoid confusion between the rubber-band and the whirl-about-your-head models, I propose that the former be reclassified as an "organic crossbow".
FlyingToaster, Sep 09 2012
  

       //parts of the “Coca-Cola” logo are still quite noticeable// And yet I've never had a trigger or hammer break. Hmmm.
DIYMatt, Sep 09 2012
  

       Okay, fine, I don't know what parts of a firearm are statistically most likely to fail first, probably jamming the action, but I don't know. I wanted to emphasize how much firing would be done in the postapocalyptic new world, is that wrong? Also the claim is about the postapocalyptic new world, shouldn't that suggest that the following statements are going to be somewhat stupid, or at the very least unconfirmable.   

       Instead of focussing on the literal presentation of the idea, think more about the aesthetics of the hybridization of slingshot and firearm. How beautiful would it be to use the outstretched band to pivot and aim the weapon , expressing your intent to maim and kill by releasing the firing pin, and an instant later discharging your weapon into the delicate bodily tissues of your opponent. For shame, 21quest, for shame!
rcarty, Sep 09 2012
  

       //And yet I've never had a trigger or hammer break. Hmmm.//   

       Actually, the triggers stamped out of Coke cans are surprisingly reliable. It's the ones made from cheap store brand soda cans (“Mr. Pep”, “Misty Mountain”, etc.) that you really have to keep an eye on.   

       //I *have* an M1 Garand, and the trigger hasn't failed yet.//   

       It's almost certainly not an original Garand then (you can tell by the word “replica” stamped on it, usually on the cycling cog or near the middle receiver hinge). The original Garand was so prone to failure that more kills in the first year of its use in WWII were attributed to using it as a club than as a rifle. The use of corncob parts actually gave rise to the word “corny”, in the original sense. To this day, if you tell a WWII veteran that something is “as corny as an M1 Garand”, he will just smile and nod knowingly.
ytk, Sep 09 2012
  

       Wikipedia's article on improvised weapons includes, "A rubber band provides the power for the firing pin, which is pulled back and released to fire." And I know I've seen pictures before of rubber bands cupping a little metal ball, mounted on the back of a pistol-like device.
baconbrain, Sep 10 2012
  

       Of course, spring power is often used to chamber rounds and to accelerate the firing pin. An elastic band is just another type of spring. This idea differs because the full functionality and appearance of the slingshot, including aiming, stabilizing the weapon, and launching the projectile, now the firing pin, is still intact. There is also no trigger mechanism on the weapon itself.   

       Not wanting to refer to halfbakery rules, but doing so against my own will the halfbakery is not purely for orginal inventions, but also inventions that are not widely known to exist. Thus the halfbakery becomes a place for curiosities conjured by the minds of those not completely grounded in reality. It can be expected that some things that might exist a little bit in reality would appear on the halfbakery.
rcarty, Sep 10 2012
  

       I've seen pictures of zip guns constructed in this fashion (usually built for small handgun calibers, however).   

       // I don't know what parts of a firearm are statistically most likely to fail first //   

       Given the wide and diverse array of designs, it's difficult to point to any one part or mechanism, but in my experience the most frequent breakages and wear-failures involve sears andor springs, firing pins, and extractors. Others may not agree.   

       The most frequently disfunctional component of any firearm, systemically speaking, is the user.
Alterother, Sep 11 2012
  

       ^Loose nuts
AusCan531, Sep 11 2012
  

       Reminds me of the saying the part most likely to fail on a motobicycle is the nut that connects the handlebars to the frame.
rcarty, Sep 11 2012
  

       Are we talking about the same nut here? I always check to see if it's tight before I ride. It's called the steering stem nut.
rcarty, Sep 11 2012
  

       When I worked in tech support the most common problem was with the loose nut at the end of the keyboard.
ytk, Sep 11 2012
  

       // Surely its the nut that connect the handlebars to the seat. //   

       I believe he means the rider. At the risk of exposing myself to a fresh round of ridicule, I must agree that the rider is the weakest component of any motorcycle; it is the most complex component and contains the most moving parts, it is the part that is most vulnerable to impact, and it is arguably the most prone to decalibration, especially after the inadvisable application of various chemical additives.
Alterother, Sep 12 2012
  

       // I don't know what parts of a firearm are statistically most likely to fail first //   

       The operator.
MikeD, Sep 12 2012
  

       What if rubber bands get to be in short supply? Ozone is tough on rubber bands and there will probably be enough ozone to turn your hair glass-clear. Those postapocalyptic mutants are going to laugh (or whatever that sound is that they make) when you try to rig your slingshot with a used prophylactic you found.   

       But I wonder ... could you grow your fingernail (or a well placed wart?) such that a hard flick could set off that bullet/shell?
bungston, Sep 12 2012
  

       With modern ammunition, no. Primer caps are built with thick casings to prevent accidental discharge. To set one off, you need something that can literally put a good dent in the metal face of the cap.
Alterother, Sep 12 2012
  

       But with postapocalypic appendages, yes.
rcarty, Sep 12 2012
  
      
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