Always with the projectiles.
You know what it's like, school (or other) trip to France leaving you with a plethora of extra bangers in your pocket with nothing but lazy long days to play with them.

I decided to make better use of them. I took a length of brass stair rod, and cut, then filed down, a soda-stream canister to hammer in the end.
The internal diameter of the pipe was ~16.5mm and strangely enough, my Dad's factory had an inexhaustible supply of 16mm steel ball bearings.

Test one. I used an inch and a half bolt to try the theory. Pointed at a tree, one lit banger down the tube followed rapidly by projectile.
Test one results; One branch of tree larger than me falls from tree.
Theory proved.

Test two. Now for the ball bearing. This time pointed at a three foot thick laurel hedge.
Test two results; A hole the size of my fist right through not just the hedge, but the fence and tree behind. (Admittedly not the most resistant of targets).

Test three. Dad hears bangs. Dad enquires to source of bangs. Son reluctantly pulls makeshift weapon from behind back. Bollocking ensues in front of Mum. Test three aborted.

Test three addendum. Mum goes back inside. Dad appears rather impressed by my making. Dad gets television, adds picture of *hated figure*, and requests I resume tests.

Test three result; Not much left of CRT tv. ball bearing passes right through, then through shed in garden.

"That would kill" says Dad. "Don't ever let me see you use that again." He didn't. (Nor did he advise me on the application of 'rifling')

I think it eventually got slung under the barrel of one of my air rifles to make use of the telescopic sight.
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Fri 18 Nov 2011, 16:03, Reply)