If you are looking for a fun way to pass the time between tasks, whether it's schoolwork or work, try building this paper gun, it really works! To build it, you need little more than ordinary printer paper, a pair of scissors, tape and rubber bands; nothing difficult to find. Read on and you'll learn how to assemble a paper gun in no time.
Attention: remember not to make or take this item to school or work. You could break rules that allow no exceptions and you would end up in trouble!
Steps
Step 1. Create the handle
Place the sheet of paper horizontally and make a fold 3.75 cm from the bottom. Continue folding the paper up, wrapping the first piece on itself each time until the entire page has turned into a flat, 3.75 cm wide tube. Secure the two ends with adhesive tape, similarly close the top flap if it remains open. At this point fold the tube in half making a very sharp and marked crease in the center.
Step 2. Repeat the process but using different measurements
This time you need to fold two sheets: the first with a first flap of 2.5 cm and the second of 1.25 cm. Again, secure each flat tube with duct tape and fold it in half just like you did in the previous step.
Step 3. Fold the handle
Take the 3.75 cm tube, open the center fold so that the mark is clearly visible. Now measure about 2.5cm to the right and left of that mark. Fold each end down and center.
Step 4. Cut the notch in the trigger
Make a small incision along the fold, about 1.25 cm. This will be the pocket where the trigger will stay later.
If you make a momentary crease in the opposite direction from the center line, you should have less difficulty making the incision. Be careful not to cut too much
Step 5. Close the center fold again
In this way its angled sections overlap each other. This is the main part of the gun where the trigger and barrel will be inserted.
Step 6. Insert the barrel
Take the 2.5 cm tube and insert it into the opening that has formed between the right and left crease of the handle. You should now have an object that begins to take the shape of a gun. Make sure both sides are attached properly.
Step 7. Cut the trigger notch
Cut out a small segment in the back of the gun. This will be where the trigger rests.
Step 8. Insert the trigger
Now join the 1.25cm flat tube inside the pocket where your index finger should rest on the trigger. Push the paper until it pops out on the other side, through the notch you made in the previous step.
Step 9. Shorten the trigger
Trim the excess length up to the gap you created in the barrel.
Step 10. Load the gun
Take a rubber band and stretch it from the tip to the back of the gun. The elastic should remain behind the notch and over a corner of the 1.25 cm strip.
- If you have trouble getting it to sit still on the tip of the gun, you can cut out a small notch in the barrel to give the elastic an anchor point.
- Sometimes the paper will crease when you put on the elastic. If this happens, reinforce the barrel on the sides by securing a couple of wooden sticks with duct tape.
Step 11. If you really want to have fun, make an origami ninja star and use it as a bullet
Place a star tip between the two halves of the pistol, just below the barrel and trigger. When you shoot, the rubber band catches the star and makes it fly!
Advice
- Instead of using sheets of the same color, try to vary, for designer guns!
- You can also use this paper gun to shoot the little origami ninja stars. Use squares no larger than 7.5cm on each side, or they may be too big for our gun.
- Or, if you're more for realism, use black or gray sheets. Make sure they are the same weight as the printer paper, though.
Warnings
- Avoid making this gun in school. It can also amuse classmates, but there's no need to bring anything remotely like a weapon into class. You could take a note or worse.
- Likewise, don't make it in the office! Or at least, make sure first that there are no rules against such objects.
