Blowguns Anyone?

[Storm]

Anyone else use a blowgun? Mine isn't one of those 12 footers with a scope and laser, just a basic one.

[RonH2K]

Not I, but I'd love to see a pic of one of these 12' ones with lasers!

 

[Storm]

I don't remember what show it was I was watching but it was a guy with a huge collection of blowguns and he had one sitting on TWO bipods every four fee or so, scoped with a laser pointer. Craziest thing.

[archer]

I've recently watched some videos on youtube about using a blowgun. Look damn impressive for taking out small game. It's on my skill list to learn.

[Storm]

I've tried taking squirrels in my backyard, but haven't managed one. I have gotten several birds.

[RipTombstone]

Ive nailed a few pigeons, blackbirds, and even a squirrel with a paint pellet. The birds I hit with a wire dart, and it wasnt a real good method. They could still fly off, so it was a lost game moment. Need a broadhead for them I think. The  squirrel was just fun, and he was antagonizing my dog. Sure made him scoot back up the tree. The pellet didnt break, but scared him for sure.
They are a lot of fun. Mine is one of the 2 piece aluminum seen at every carnival ones.
Rip

[Nate]

I have a blowgun.  I bought it at the county fair when I was 17.  I have needle darts and broad head darts for it.  I never used the broad head darts much.  They got stuck in things too easy.  I used to practice in my parents basement.  They had a dart board that I shot at.  I would stand about 20 feet from the target and split darts!  I also had to pull the darts out with a pair of pliers.  The dart would go through the cork dart board, through the wood cabinet and into the wall!!  I have wanted to see how effective it is against small furry mammals.  I haven't had the chance yet.

[RipTombstone]

You mention the wire darts going thru things. I once put one clear thru our aluminum screen door. Left the little plastic fletching part on the inside, and the wire went clear thru, and stuck deep in the porch rail.
They said I was really windy.
Rip

[Nate]

You mention the wire darts going thru things. I once put one clear thru our aluminum screen door. Left the little plastic fletching part on the inside, and the wire went clear thru, and stuck deep in the porch rail.
They said I was really windy.
Rip

  That's pretty amazing! 

Blowguns don't seem too hard to aim.  They are a lot like aiming a shotgun except I aim with BOTH eyes open.  I haven't practiced in years.  I might want to see how well I do when I go home for Christmas.  All of my "weapons" are at home as my current place of residence does not allow weapons.

[RipTombstone]

Yeah, now that I think about it, I aim my blowgun with both eyes open. I do that with my guns as well.

I had lots of practice with spit wads in school too. I was teaching my wife to use it for awhile, but it got put aside. I dig it out once in awhile and play a game of darts with her. Thats good practice, too , btw.

[Tactical Badger]

Any suggestions on equipment?  I'd like to try and find a nicer one.

[archer]

Here's a page with some blowgun hints (creating, darts, hunting, etc):
http://www.geocities.com/blowgunhunter/

[bushidorobb]

I have one.  Got it way back when I was 18.  Used to be pretty good with it.  My brother  and I would shoot the see who could get closest to the others foot.
 I know... it was very stupid even thought we were wearing boots.
I seem to remember it makes your cheeks pretty sore.

[RipTombstone]

AAh, dont blow with your cheeks. Use your diaghragm, and push the air out of your lungs. Your cheeks should not look like a tuba player when using a blow gun.

RipT (former band geek turned blowgun geek)

[shangrily]

i have a 4 ft blowgun with plenty of darts

[djturnz]

I had one of the aluminum ones that you can buy with the wire darts, blunt plastic darts and the paintballs.  I used to sit in my room and shoot the wire darts into a hacky sack that I hung from the ceiling (about 10 feet away or so).  It was difficult once it got swinging.

Once I loaded a dart at my friends house in the front yard.  I pointed the blow gun at him (about 10 ft away) and pretended like I was gonna shoot him.  He started dancing around like an idiot and it made me laugh.  I was holding my breath like I was gonna shoot and when I laughed, it burst out and shot the dart.  It hit him right behind the knee and went in about an inch.

I guess that was my first negligent discharge.


I still have 2 of the 3 sections of the blowgun.  I bought a couple packs of darts from the knife guy at the local gun shows.  Haven't had time to dig it out and try them.  I may have to see what I can do with some birds.

How would blowgun "hunting" be regulated with the game commission?

[rebel117]

In about 5 minutes, I pieced together some darts out of bamboo bbq skewers, paper cones, and packing tape, and sent them through about a 2' piece of 3/8" aluminum tube from...I think a towel rack.  Some good velocity, and great accuracy to about 20'...I think some more length on the tube would be fitting...or thinner skewers.  The advantage of skewers...the kebab is ready to go!   

I've figured out that you have to have a lungful of air capable of pushing through the entire volume of the tube.  If you can't take in enough air to match or exceed the air volume of the tube, you will get weak shots and heavy arcing equating to very low velocity and inaccuracy.

[shangrily]

i have been using bamboo squers (how the hell do you spell that?) as bullets for my pellet gun and there nice and can stick in to wood so i assume they are ok for small game and I'd rather use than a blowgun

[Juggernaut]

I own a 5 foot .625 caliber blowgun. its really fun to shoot, and quite effective against birds and other small animals, and seems like it would be effective against squirrel, or rabbit at a considerable range.      www.blowgunshop.com

[djturnz]

Mine is a 3 section piece.  I am however missing a section now.

I may need to dig my stuff out and try my hand at some birds.

[Juggernaut]

hey djturnz, bowguns are great for birds!! I shot a crow with a homemade stun dart, and it went into the bird 

[Mental Avenger]

I have a .40 Cal blowgun that I bought about 20 years ago.  It has a 3 foot barrel and a 4 foot barrel.  The way the barrels are configured, they don’t appear to be intended to be combined to make a longer blowgun.

Sitting in my living room, I could consistently pop 6” balloons across the room at 30’.  The wire darts would stick in the drywall and hardly leave a mark.  I never used it to shoot an animal, but the new razor tips and broadheads I bought would probably do well for small game.

[Truik]

Hey!

A blowgun!

<Adds to list of things to get at some point in the future.>

That sounds like a nice quiet way to string up some squirrels.

[Docwatmo]

I have a 40 cal 2 piece that is 3 feet when connected.  It is highly accurate, I wish I had another 3 foot tube for it.

I have some mini broad heads but as powerful as it seems, I don't think it would be worth much for hunting anything other than small birds.  I think and squirrels and rabbits would live too long after a shot and probably crawl into a nest and die.  Just not a lot of take down power.

Maybe its just the short length of mine.  Perhaps a full 6 foot would produce more muzzle velocity.

Damn they are fun to play with though.

[joeinwv]

I seem to remember some jungle tribal types using blowguns to take monkeys. They used long tubes, so they could sneak them up through the tree... may have also used some type of poison.

Of course, some things you see on Discovery and some you imagine...

[RipTombstone]

AAaah. The old blowgun post is back! Good to see.
I still use mine on occasion, but havent tried it out on any critters lately.
I did find that a 3/4" piece of pvc pipe about 3-4 ft long will launch a standard (.68 cal?) paintball a long way, and at close ranges will stun blackbirds enough they fall down with head shots.
The paintballs are kinda fun to launch like a mortar at the kids screwing around a block away.
RipT

[DocRokRx]

Any suggestions on equipment?  I'd like to try and find a nicer one.

The Cold Steel ones are supposed to be really good, but I havent shot one yet (they are large caliber, .60i think compared to the normal .30)
But anything, aluminum, over 4ft long ONE PIECE and preferably a teflon coated bore is a pretty good bet on quality!

[mangyhyena]

Has anyone hooked a blowgun to a pressurized air tank?  Seems a natural next step.  Seems like you could just squeeze the handle and send the dart flying.

[Tactical Badger]

I recently piked up one of the Cold Steel 5' Professional Magnum blowgunshttp://www.coldsteel.com/big-bore-blowgun.html.  I wanted the heavier wall thickness of the Professional model.  I put a rubber cane tip on it.  And a cane foam handle just under the mouthpiece.  It makes one heck of a walking staff.  All I need to do it pop the rubber cane tip off the end and it's ready to use as a blowgun.

I need a lot more practice with it.  But it is an excellent piece of gear.

[d0j0w0]

I modified an old pump paint ball pistol to shoot blow gun darts.  It only took some rubber o-rings and some plumbing parts and hose ends.  I even added the revolver section that some blowguns come with.  It was cool and powerful, and had a 2 foot barrel.

 But, I still prefer the old school Jivaro blowguns from the back of BLACKBELT Magazine. 

For the little cash layout, I think they are a good survival tool.  Don't forget these things are very quiet and accurate.