Wasp gun

wbraswell · Aug 26, 2016

I just wanted to tell y'all about my buddy's project. He wanted something to shoot wasps with, on the fly. He lives in the country, so it's not bothering anybody. He went around to the local pawn shops to find a "beater" .38 and bought a RG with a 4 inch barrel. He takes some of the old Speer plastic bullet cases, and nearly fills them with Kosher salt. He then takes scotch tape and covers the case and trims the tape. Kosher salt has bigger crystals than regular table salt, so it's more effective, but still does no damage to anything other than the intended insect. So far he's bagged 8 of them. He tried to get a pattern on a sheet of paper, but it won't go through it. I told him to try a Kleenex.

Jinglebob · Aug 26, 2016

Sounds like good entertainment. I just use wasp spray, it’s a lot cheaper than those Speer shot capsules.

DeathGrip · Aug 26, 2016

Salt is corrosive.

Never mind. It's a RG.

Double-O-Dave · Aug 26, 2016

wbraswell said:
He takes some of the old Speer plastic bullet cases, and nearly fills them with Kosher salt. He then takes scotch tape and covers the case and trims the tape. Kosher salt has bigger crystals than regular table salt, so it's more effective, but still does no damage to anything other than the intended insect.

Really? You mean you support and condone his "asaltive" behavior?

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

Regards,

Dave

JayFramer · Aug 26, 2016

They make a gun called the "bug a salt" which looks like a nerf gun but it fires a blast of salt like a shotgun and it's made for killing bugs. Not sure which would be more effective.

DeathGrip · Aug 26, 2016

JayFramer said:
They make a gun called the "bug a salt" which looks like a nerf gun but it fires a blast of salt like a shotgun and it's made for killing bugs. Not sure which would be more effective.

I'm thinking the Bug a Salt might not draw any attention from the local L.E.

35Rem · Aug 26, 2016

Leave the hornets alone! They somehow communicate with each other where the trouble come from.
I was popping these huge Austrailian hornets with rat shot when I was younger (read "dumber"). One at a time they were coming to a spot of sap on a tree, taking turns collecting it. I got the bright idea to kill some.
Did I mention these things are HUGE!

Like pinky finger diameter and about 1 1/2" long.
Anyway, I drilled about 3 and the next one makes its pass to run the last one off, only it circled around high a couple times. You can hear them flying like little Chinooks.

I figured the jig was up so I turn to leave, quickly. Well, the hornet buzzed me and I felt it hit the end of the rifle barrel!

Put me in high gear!!

I retired from hornet shooting that day.

wbraswell · Aug 27, 2016

Hah, yeah I forgot to mention that he and his wife had already had the a-salt weapon discussion. Funny thing about the RG, it doesn't have a visible cylinder gap. The cylinder doesn't touch the barrel, but it's close. This works well for his purpose, but I think it would foul real fast with actual ammo. Oh, and he's not shooting at a nest, just individual wasps. I think he may need a slightly larger shot. He said it won't kill a cow ant. I'm not surprised, a tennis shoe barely will.

Marshwheeling · Aug 27, 2016

JayFramer said:
They make a gun called the "bug a salt" which looks like a nerf gun but it fires a blast of salt like a shotgun and it's made for killing bugs. Not sure which would be more effective.

I saw one of these in action last week, in the Last Chance Bar in Buffalo Gap. Even got to try it out. It was effective on flies at up to about eight feet, but they had to be sitting still. Good humor there.

To drop flying wasps, I like a spray can of brake parts cleaner. Lighting the spray with a Bic makes a more dramatic statement, but not necessarily more effective.

Stevens · Aug 27, 2016

How about coarse sand instead of salt for more impact, if barrel wear isn't important.
We have lots of wasps around here last week I was "passing the weedeater" and one came flying by I swung the weedeater at him one of the strings hit and knocked him a mile! I got a kick out of that.
Steve W

Muss Muggins · Aug 27, 2016

JayFramer said:
They make a gun called the "bug a salt" which looks like a nerf gun but it fires a blast of salt like a shotgun and it's made for killing bugs. Not sure which would be more effective.

Good grief. Now I've got a new hobby to start . . .

NYlakesider · Aug 27, 2016

Way back when (circa 1959) I had a Sheridan pump pellet gun and a large unfinished attic that seem to grow a lot of wasps.

I would pump the (no pellet loaded) gun up to 6 times and get a couple feet from the wasp and let him/her have it. That blast of compressed air would kill them very nicely. Mist have killed a hundred over the course of time. It did not hurt the pellet gun to the best of my knowledge as I still have it

and it still shoots well and when fully pumped up has some decent power.

JSR III · Aug 27, 2016

Try an old beater .410 with rock salt loads. Like a black powder gun, rinse with water and then oil. Should last quite a while.

Steely85 · Aug 27, 2016

I this around the house, a Ruger LCR in 22LR with CCI shotshells.

JohnK · Aug 27, 2016

My Bug-A Salt, got a workout last summer. We had become literally INFESTED with red wasps. Why, I don't know.

It was almost impossible to go outside, with out the durn things after you. My wasp allergy didn't help.

I am sure of over 200 kills with the little "gun". It was only effective up to about four feet, but worked well at that range. The "sights" were pretty good too.

One great thing, a wasp eliminated with the gun, didn't get the others mad, and they didn't swarm you.

A total house spray with Permethrin, eliminated the beasts. Don't have a single one at the house now.

OFT II · Aug 27, 2016

My buddy and I used to wing shoot grasshoppers with 22 rat shot.

Good practice for dove season.

Skeet 028 · Aug 27, 2016

My FiL used to shoot those big ol bumble Bees with his Marlin lever gun with regular 22s. He got quite a few on the wing. I made him look bad with an ol K-22 I had. Hardly ever missed one...but I cheated. He finally found out I was using bird shot. LOL...I know it wasn't fair. But I am certain he cheated when we went fishing!!

lrrifleman · Aug 27, 2016

I can't believe that members here are condoning the elimination of w.a.s.p.s! Was that RG revolver the R.I.T. model?

Sorry for this slant, I just couldn't resist!

the ringo kid · Aug 27, 2016

Stevens said:
How about coarse sand instead of salt for more impact, if barrel wear isn't important.
We have lots of wasps around here last week I was "passing the weedeater" and one came flying by I swung the weedeater at him one of the strings hit and knocked him a mile! I got a kick out of that.
Steve W

Sand would work. Back in my teen days, I worked maintenance at a local Tortillia factory--which greatly employed those who speak no English. I was detailed to use a sand-blaster on a particularly high silo-and my assistant spoke zero Eng. Anyway, all was going well for about an hour when the idiot decided to pry the hose from me signalling nothing. The idiot wound up giving me a few second dose of sand in my back because the idiot couldn't control it like I did. The silo was about 70 feet tall-and the idiot with the blaster almost shot me off the 2 foot wide-"walkway" between silos.

I had to go to the E>R.--had ointment rubbed on-which somehow was supposed to help the sand rid itself from my back.

Yes indeed-sand would work fine.

the ringo kid · Aug 27, 2016

Stevens said:
How about coarse sand instead of salt for more impact, if barrel wear isn't important.
We have lots of wasps around here last week I was "passing the weedeater" and one came flying by I swung the weedeater at him one of the strings hit and knocked him a mile! I got a kick out of that.
Steve W

Ive used weedeaters on bees as well as large spiders. Weedeaters also work well in bug control.

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