The best offense is a good defense, but when that fails it can't hurt to have a few things that go boom, I suppose. I don't carry, but I have absolutely no problem with it. Nutters like Obama who want to get rid of all the guns are going to be the downfall of this country. Nobody will have guns except criminals, and then we'll be up **** creek.
I've been considering building a pocket sized variant of this, my household defense mechanism, haha.
Except using running it at a much higher pressure using CO2 cartridges and copper tubing. Never got around to it, but the above gun is still working great 3 years later.
Calling it a spud gun is a major understatement....this has several times the power of the old fashioned hairspray powered ones. This uses compressed air to the tune of about 100psi. The gray thing on the small end is a solenoid valve for a lawn sprinkler system...it opens much faster than you could pull a handle, and you need both hands on this when it goes off. The black box contains three 9v batteries in series to get the needed 24v to activate the valve. First switch is a safety and "arms" it (I added a red light for movie cliche effect), the second one is spring loaded and pops the valve when pressed. Airs up off a standard schrader valve.
Four barrel sizes.. 3/4", 1", 1.5", and 2" to accommodate a wide variety of ammunition. The 3/4" one shoots paintballs with monstrous force....it will put one THROUGH 1/2" plywood(not frozen...). My favorite ammo is made using molds, just a 3" section of pipe with an end cap. Fill with water and freeze. Pull the end cap off, pop the ice slug out, it fits the barrel perfectly, seals awesome, and will leave a crater in a tree. Mythbusters may have proved that an ice bullet doesnt work in a traditional gun, but this one leaves the barrel with enormous energy. Once I grinded down a golf ball(just too big for the 1.5" barrel), shoved it in there, and tried to shoot a bottle off a rafter in the garage. Of course I missed, it went through the ceiling, and the roof, leaving a nice 1" hole in it's wake. I imagine that golf ball would be a very formidable weapon...I seriously think it would blow right through someone from what I've seen it do. I eventually hit a glass bottle with it and it was an explosion of glass shrapnel....not something I'd try again.
From a tactical standpoint it's not so good though LOL. Weighs probably 15-20 pounds, and takes about 30 seconds to reair and reload. But man does it pack a punch. I have no idea how fast it shoots, but it will send a 1lb ice slug easily 150+ yards....how far the edge of the field is from my house, and it goes sailing beyond that and out of sight.
Been through several refinements....the first and second ones I blew up from the "U" bend shattering from recoil forces. That's why this one keeps a short U using 3" pipe. Best shot from a kneeling position, with the U crooked against your hip. Lean forward, push the button, and try not to go on your ***. Unless it's a small shot shooting it standing is not a good idea.