Question 1

What is a water gun?

Accepted Answer

You might be surprised to learn that water guns have been around for a long time - they were even mentioned during the Civil War. Yes, seriously! The oldest reference to a squirt gun is from 1896 and it comes from General William T. Sherman: "Why, you might as well attempt to put out the flames of a burning house with a squirt gun."

Back then, squirt guns were made from cast iron and they resembled actual handguns. Manufacturers soon picked up on the trend of liquid-style pistols and started manufacturing them out of plastic for the kid's market.

Today, water guns are a summertime staple that comes in all shapes and sizes with various release mechanisms and designs. You can get anything from a water blaster, a pistol, a squirt gun, and even a grenade-style water blaster. The primary function, other than to shoot water and thoroughly drench your opponent in water, is just to have lots of good old-fashioned outdoor fun.

Question 2

How to fix common water gun problems?

Accepted Answer

No matter how much you spend on your new water gun, it will eventually start experiencing some problems. But that doesn’t mean you have to abandon it and purchase a new one! Many of the common issues can be very efficiently and cost-effectively fixed.

If your gun is leaking, it might just be that the spring inside isn’t being depressed sufficiently or that the trigger has fallen off its groove. Try quickly pumping and pulling the trigger release in quick succession and this should on most occasions snap it back into place.

If on the other hand, your pump seems to be jammed, try lubricating it with a silicone spray or a bit of vaseline. Either of those should do the trick, but if not, you might need to quickly unscrew your rifle and just check that there is nothing internally that has become clogged.

If your water gun cracks a little, try sealing it with a bit of epoxy putty which is water-proof and should do the trick and give you several more months of fun.

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