Pumpkin-firing cannon is Indiana man's pride and joy (900 mph!!!)

Daytona Beach News-Journal ^ | Saturday, October 19, 2002

[Straight Vermonter]

ELLETTSVILLE, Ind. -- When Jim Bristoe told his wife he wanted to build a cannon that would shoot a pumpkin a mile, she told him he wasn't all there.

But he built one anyway, with a 30-foot-long barrel. It is powered by a 700-gallon air tank and is appropriately named "Ain't All There." It looks much like a mobile anti-aircraft gun.

"You don't need to cover your ears, but you're going to know I shot it," the 42-year-old electrician and mechanic said during a demonstration on Wednesday.

When Bristoe fires the cannon, a 10-pound pumpkin is hit with 11,300 pounds of force. The pumpkin projectile leaves the muzzle at about 900 miles per hour, he said.

During the test, the cannon fired a pumpkin through the rear of a Pontiac.

Bristoe plans to take the 2-ton pumpkin cannon to the first annual Pumpkin Propulsion Contest at Verizon Wireless Music Center near Noblesville on Saturday.

The contest is sponsored by Indianapolis radio station WRZX-FM. It's the brainchild of morning show host Gonzo Greg and his colleagues.

"It's more of an exhibition than a competition, and we don't know what to expect in terms of entries," said Greg. He added that it sounds like Bristoe will probably win.

[Straight Vermonter]

I first heard about this on the radio. They said the cannon would fire a 10lb pumpkin 1 mile.

[RISU]

This is what America is all about. Laugh if you will, but if we can keep characters like this alive in spite of rules, regulations,laws, lawsuits, taxes, more taxes, and more taxes, and socialism, welfare, everyone being on the giovernment payroll, in the Army or some other way to ride free, America might make it.

[Straight Vermonter]

I was going to build a trebuchet a year or so ago but I got "that look" from the wife and I figured I had better not. More power to this guy.

[BOBTHENAILER]

During the test, the cannon fired a pumpkin through the rear of a Pontiac.

Like Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, I see a need for "ballistic Pumpkin fingerprinting".

[Revelation 911]

Im curious what he uses for bore lube and what specifically is the escape velocity of a pumpkin as compared to a small tuber or tomato? PBS did a special on catapaults a while back - they flung a piano several hundred yeards - very cool for the backyard party

[chance33_98]

but I got "that look" from the wife

You get those too? I mentioned on an earlier thread that I would like to clone myself, have the clone get a sex change, and then marry myself. Then 'that look' would be one of 'Ok, let's roll!' :)

[leadpenny]

Remember, when the gun-control freaks get 'Pumpkin-firing cannons' banned, only criminals will have Pumpkin-firing cannons.

How are things going up there in god's country, BTN?

[Straight Vermonter]

they flung a piano several hundred yeards

Not sure if it was the same show or not but I saw one where they flung a burning barrel of some flammable liquid. Very cool.

[mewzilla]

The DOD ought to put this gent on the payroll.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Estancia had it's pumpkin festival last week, and the El Launcho Grande cannon could probably give this guy a run for his money.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

A couple of years ago, I was driving through Morton Illinois near the place they had set up a pumpkin shooting exhibit. They closed off they highway so no car would be endangered. On the evening news, they showed the air cannons firing pumpkins hundreds of yards. I think the maximum was 400-500 yards. This guy seems to have a new record.

[Psycho Francis]

Didn't the denizens of Cicely once do the piano-catapult thing?

[Riley]

Gerald Bull, please call your office.

[martin_fierro]

Something like this:

Here's some cannon fodder, while you're at it:

[blackdog]

Biodgradable ammunition, eco-friendly, air propelled, generates no additional CO2, ammo is naturally haz-mat colored(caution orange), and if you score a kill, next spring there will be a memorial planting of pumpkins to sprout up and give a lasting memorial. Not only cool, but a weapon that a liberal would be proud to be killed by.

[dd5339]

Ping!

[Brad C.]

Only because you didn't show her this page: http://pumpkinslayer.net/

I am sure if she could only see the possibilities, she would be right there helping you out.

[martin_fierro]

Jim Bristoe, of Ellettsville, Ind., fills a tank with compressed air on his invention, a pumpkin cannon, powerful enough to shoot a 10-pound pumpkin through the rear of a 1978 Pontiac. (Photo: AP)

[Elsie]

I'm sorry, but there ain't NO air powered device going to heave a pumpkin at OVER THE SPEED OF SOUND!!!!

---

(900 FEET per second would still be mighty fast~!)

[piasa]

Don't tell the Iraqis...

"No, Mr. UNSCOM inspector. We have no warheads here... just these glow in the dark pumpkins for our October harvest festival."