Make a BB Gun with a Pen or Mechanical Pencil

Bored during class? Looking for a fun project to do quickly and easily? Making a home-made BB gun with a mechanical pencil might be just the thing you are looking for. Here are a few easy ways to do it.

Steps

Using a Pen and Eraser Holder

1. Gather your materials. You will need a mechanical pencil, pen, scissors, tape, and rubber bands.
   • For the pen and mechanical pencils, cheap, simple brands like Bic will work well.
2. Prepare the pen.
   • Remove the cap from the pen, then unscrew the part of the pen that holds the ink from the outer plastic tube.
   • After you have done this, cut the closed end of the outer plastic tube so that you have a single tube with holes at both ends.
3. Prepare the mechanical pencil.
   • Remove the grip from the mechanical pencil, and, if possible, unscrew the top (the part where the lead comes out). (You may need to cut this part off if it cannot be unscrewed.)
   • Remove the eraser from the other end of the pencil and take out any lead that is inside.
   • The mechanical pencil is made up of 2 parts, the outer tube that you hold onto and the inner part that is made up the eraser holder and the thin inner tube that holds the lead. Cut the end of the outer tube so that you can remove the inner part (eraser holder and lead holder). This is the part that you will need.
   • You should now have only 2 components: the outer tube of the pen, and the inner part of the mechanical pencil (with the eraser holder, but without the eraser).
4. Cut notches in the eraser holder. Use the scissors to cut 2 notches in the circular part of the pencil that usually holds the eraser. The notches should be located directly on opposite sides of the eraser holder. It should look more or less like this: ( ), where the gaps between the parentheses represent the notches that you have cut, and the parentheses represent the uncut plastic. This is the part that will hold the rubber band(s) in place later.
   • At this time, you can also remove the plastic clip that is connected to the eraser holder. This is the part that would be on the outside of your breast pocket if you carried your pencil there.
5. Combine the pencil and pen components. Slide the lead/eraser holder from the pencil into the pen tube. You want the eraser holder to remain outside the pen tube. If the pencil part is too thin, it may slide all the way into the pen tube. If this is the case, wrap tape around the pencil tube just below the eraser holder so that it is thick enough that it cannot fit through the opening in the pen tube. Now, when you slide the tube over the pencil part, the eraser holder will not slide into the pen tube, nor will the part that you have made thicker with tape. Thus, there will be a few centimeters of the pencil tube that remain outside the pen tube. This is the part that you will pull back to fire the gun.
6. Attach the rubber band(s). Slip the rubber band into the notches in the eraser holder that you cut earlier. Stretch the rubber band about 3/4 of the length down the pen tube toward the open end. Twist the rubber band a few times around the pen tube, and attach it with tape.
   • Note: When you twist the rubber band around the tube, do not just wrap both sides of the rubber band around it, or else the rubber band will come unraveled. Rather, wrap one side of the rubber around so that the pen is actually inside the rubber band. Wrap this same side a couple of times, and then wrap both sides tightly around the whole tube.
   • Note: You can add more rubber bands for greater power. Follow the same method for wrapping subsequent rubber bands.
7. Find some ammo. After taping the rubber band(s) onto the tube, you should now be able to pull back on the eraser holder to cock your new BB gun. When you release, the pencil tube should shoot partially through the pen tube, but the tape should stop it from going completely into the tube. Now you can find ammo for your gun. You will need to find round objects that will fit into the space at the end of the pen tube that it created when you pull back on the eraser holder.
8. Ready, aim, fire. You can now fire your weapon, but remember to be careful and not to aim at anyone's eyes.

Using the Inside of a Mechanical Pencil

1. Read the Things You'll Need list carefully.
2. Grab a mechanical pencil (make sure there is no lead in it) and a wire cutter.
3. Cut the end off the pencil using the pocket knife. You should be able to remove the top and the inside of the pencil by pulling out the eraser holder.
4. Hollow out a larger pen. Put the inside of the mechanical pencil inside it. You will need a slightly larger pen to fire out BBs.
5. Take the rubber band and stretch it out to the middle of the pencil, cut a slit into the eraser and attach it. Wrap a second rubber band to the first one along the barrel to hold it down.
6. Pull back on the slide and put the BB in through the front. Once you let go, the BB should go shooting out.

Using a Large Mechanical Pencil

1. Cut off the writing end of a lead pencil.
2. Take out all the stuff inside of it and take a lead holder and pull out the eraser, then stick them together and tape.
3. Cut notches in the eraser holder.
4. Put the rubber band over the eraser holder, then stretch it to the pencil clip.
5. Pull back and fire! (use clay balls).

Using a Small Mechanical Pencil

1. Get an ordinary Bic mechanical pencil.
2. Break off, or cut, the end of the pencil that you write with (it is normally black).
3. The center (the part that normally has the lead in it) should have a piece of plastic sticking out, break or cut it off).
4. Pull the black colored (it may be differently colored) center out and cut of the first section on the plastic, it will be smaller than the rest of the center.
5. Take out the eraser and cut two rectangles into the eraser holder (they must be across from each other) for the rubber band to sit.
6. Wrap a rubber band around the colored piece that is on the outside (the part that goes on the outside of your pocket).
7. Lay the rubber band into the eraser holder where the rectangles are (you can wrap it over the eraser holder as many times as you want, but you need to be able to pull it back).
8. Get the ink cartridge from a pen (it needs to fit into the hole in the center) and stick it into the hole in the center piece (don't stick it in very far or it will not shoot).
9. Pull back the eraser holder and watch the ink cartridge fly!

Tips

• On method 3 you can cut the tube shorter to hide it from your teacher easier!
• Try experimenting with how different ammo fires, try shooting metal BBs or sticks.
• Also you can cut the tip of a balloon off as a rubber band; it works great!
• You can also try the less-lethal, wadded up piece of paper
• Use a wire cutter. It makes it easier to cut the end of the pencil.
• If you want higher velocities, use a smaller and thicker rubber band.

Warnings

• Be careful not to cut yourself with the sharp objects
• Do not look down the barrel.
• Taking this item to school will get you punished, as it is a weapon so you should not do it.

Things You'll Need

• Mechanical Pencil
• Pliers, Knife or Scissors
• Rubber Band (preferred large)
• 9mm Plastic or metal BBs (not needed for Method 3)
• Large pen (not needed for Method 3)
• Small pen ink cartridge (only for Method 3)

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