Do-It-Yourself/Gauss guns

Introduction

An example of a multi stage coil gun.

A Gauss Gun or Coil Gun is a gun that works by using a coil of wire to generate an electromagnetic field used to laterally accelerate a metallic projectile; the projectile becomes the core of a solenoid, but being loose it leaves the barrel after being fired.

Gauss guns come in varied designs, some of which can fire nails or BBs through cardboard; while others make viable hunting rifles suitable for penetrating a deer's skull. Unlike railguns, gauss guns can typically be put to practical use in a hobbyist environment; both should be treated as deadly weapons. Please note that with many of the designs here, you can kill someone; treat these projectile weapons with the care you would give to a store-bought firearm.

Guns

• Pskov 1100 — This gauss gun was featured on Slashdot. homepage

References

• World's Coilgun Arsenal
• Another Coilgun site — Home of the AC-130 microcontroller powered gauss gun