How to make a potato gun in three easy steps

If you’ve been putting off learning how to make a potato gun because you think it’s too hard, think again! It’s actually super easy and loads of fun for the entire family. Here’s how to make your own spud gun in three easy steps. Let’s get started!

*Completed potato gun with hairspray and ammo*

I used to shoot potato guns/cannon/launcher with my family when I was little and I loved it! That’s why I’m surprised it has taken me so long to make a potato gun with my own kids. And to be honest, it was way easier than I thought it was going to be.

What are potato guns?

Potato guns are homemade devices made out of PVC pipe designed to shoot projectiles–typically potatoes–using combustion fuel such as hairspray. The combustion chamber is made of 4″ PVC pipe and the barrel is made of 2″ PVC pipe. They are joined together with reducer couplings. When the hairspray is triggered with a spark, it combusts and shoots whatever is in your chamber out of the barrel and into the air.

Important note: The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms does not classify spud guns as firearms when they are used appropriately. However, they are considered weapons and can be dangerous. They are used for fun and recreation but are not toys. Use caution as you are building and discharging this weapon.

Shooting a homemade potato gun — *My husband shooting our homemade potato gun*

Gather your potato gun supplies

There are some very specific items that you will need to buy in order to make your potato cannon. Here’s your parts list:

4″ pvc pipe for the body
2″ pvc pipe for the barrel
4″ to 2″ reducer coupling (to attach the body to the barrel)
4″ end cap
BBQ igniter
PVC glue (pvc cement)
Epoxy
Hairspray or spray deodorant
Potatoes

I spent about $60-$70 for all of my supplies. Honestly, some of the PVC pipes and fittings were kind of hard to find at any hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s. I ended up getting some of them on Amazon. I tried using a different end cap (see the black piece in the image below) because I couldn’t find a PVC one, but that didn’t work very well. My husband went to Home Depot with me and he found the right part right away.

Step #1: Cut your pipes

There are a lot of potato gun gurus out there and they have done a lot of research to figure out the best dimensions of potato guns for optimal performance. Instead of boring you with all of the details of how they figured that out, I’ll just tell you the results. The chamber of the gun needs to be 1 1/2 feet long, while the barrel should be 4 feet long.

Cut down your 4″ PVC pipe to 1 1/2 feet long and your 2″ PVC pipe to 4 feet long. My husband just used a hand saw cut off the excess on the edge of a table.

Step #2: Glue the pipes together

Glue the 4-foot barrel to the 1 1/2-foot chamber with a 4″ to 2″ reducer coupling using PVC glue. Don’t try to use any other glue type such as Gorilla Glue, hot glue or Super Glue. It won’t hold. Spread glue on the inside of the coupling and on the outside of the PVC pipes where the coupling will be placed. You can also wrap the connections with duct tape as well, but it’s not totally necessary.

*Gluing together the barrel and the chamber on the potato gun.*

Next, you’ll want to glue the end cap to the bottom of the chamber using PVC glue. Then, screw on the threaded cap.

Step #3: Install the igniter

The last and most important step in how to make a potato gun is to install the igniter. Using a larger drill bit, drill a hole into the lower portion of the chamber just above the end cap. That way you can push the igniter with your thumb while holding the chamber. Insert the igniter into the chamber so the button is still positioned on the outside. Then seal it to the chamber with epoxy so that it’s firmly attached and there is no air escaping out the sides.

*Installing the igniter into the chamber. We replaced the black end cap shown here with a PVC end cap because the black end cap did not stay attached to the gun when fired.*

Fire your potato gun!

All done! Now you’re ready to test out your potato launcher. Find a field or a very large area far away from houses and roads. These potato guns can shoot anywhere between 300 and 600 feet! Insert a potato into the barrel of the gun and use an old broom handle or long stick to push it to the end of the barrel. Spray hair spray directly into the chamber for about 2-3 seconds and then quickly screw on the cap. Aim your spud launcher and fire.

*Spraying hairspray into the chamber of a potato cannon*

Potato gun tips and tricks

Try using aerosol deodorant instead of hairspray. Sometimes the hairspray gums up the ignitor and it won’t spark.
Safety first. Gloves and a safety shield over your face isn’t a bad idea. These are guns after all.
Don’t spray too long. The chamber needs a combination of oxygen and fuel. If you spray too much hairspray into the chamber, it won’t ignite.
Install an ignitor on the end cap lid. This way, when you spray into the chamber, the BBQ ignitor isn’t getting sprayed on directly.
Try using a handheld lighter. I haven’t tried this, but I have seen other people un-install the BBQ ignitors and then simply insert a hand held lighter into the whole when you’re ready to fire. You can decide your fuel of choice.
Allow kids to try with caution. Until you’ve shot your potato gun many times and you’re confident that it is safe, don’t let kids shoot it.
Fire in a secluded area. As mentioned above, these guns can shoot up to 600 feet. Don’t shoot in neighborhoods, backyards or basically anywhere close to people, cars or houses.
Never look into the barrel. Treat your potato gun the same way you would a normal firearm. Same precautions apply.
Other ammo. Potatoes seem to work the best for ammo because they fit tightly into the barrel, however, you can also try a golf ball. Or some even like to use these as tennis ball cannons.