What is a spudgun?

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Spud guns, potato cannons, or produce accelerators are all recreational launching devices usually made of PVC pipe. There are two common means to launch projectiles from a spudgun. The first uses the energy stored in a compressed gas and the second, more popular method, uses the energy stored in combustible fuel vapors to heat the air and cause it to expand. There is a quite rare mix of the two, a "hybrid", that combusts a pressurized fuel-air mixture. The object of these varieties is to propel "non-destructive" projectiles in the direction of a designated (safe) target for fun. Common projectiles include: mandarins, potatoes, tennis balls, and golf balls. They are a particularly popular home-made class of projectile launchers because of their low cost to build: a simple hairspray powered gun costs no more than $20 in PVC and glue, less if parts can be scrounged.