Is this legal?

BigGrib · Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:24 pm

Hotwired wrote:
Model rocket yep.

Pneumatic cannon yep.

Model rocket fired from pneumatic cannon does not also equal yep.

I definitely agree with PCGUY that there is a gray area. If it were me I would have said not illegal, but there would definitely be some explaining to do if you were stopped by the cops for it. If it is just a regular model rocket with no special modifications, cool. As long as you aren't loading some C4 or anything into it, you should be fine.

qbnbountyhunter · Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:31 pm

1. Dont shoot the rocket at cars/buildings/people
2. Dont atract a lot of attention from neighbors (do it in a desolated place)
3. Dont talk about it in front of people who would alert the police

Follow these simple rules and the police should leave you alone.

benstern · Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:44 pm

As long at the rockets don't start fires.

sandman · Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:07 pm

as a model rocketeer i would have to say that this is most likely illegal.
BUT, if you decide to do this it is VERY dangerous because it would be performing an air start which is usually only done by veteran launchers. Because if it is ignited too late the rocket will take a course that is not straight up, and very well could be right back at you. Also if the rocket is damaged in the launch such as losing a fin, the rocket will act uncontrollably, i have seen this happen and its not something you want to be near.

qbnbountyhunter · Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:55 pm

Sandman is definitely right, mid air ignition sounds VERY risky, well its your house on fire, not mine

Just make sure you have a fire extinguisher on hand

Check out my YouTube SpudGun Channel! · Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:16 pm

PCGUY wrote: I would have said they were illegal (which has been understood this whole time) until the information above was posted.

Agreed, unless that info that was posted was false, it doesn't apply to the 'solid propellent' rule on this forum.

Btw, Congrats on the 1000th post

Hotwired · Tue Dec 25, 2007 4:47 am

sandman wrote:as a model rocketeer i would have to say that this is most likely illegal.
BUT, if you decide to do this it is VERY dangerous because it would be performing an air start which is usually only done by veteran launchers. Because if it is ignited too late the rocket will take a course that is not straight up, and very well could be right back at you. Also if the rocket is damaged in the launch such as losing a fin, the rocket will act uncontrollably, i have seen this happen and its not something you want to be near.

Mmm... too early wouldn't be too good either.

It would really suck if it was fired and it had time to start falling back down to you, nose first before igniting. Or for that matter pointing anywhere earthwards before igniting Could go sideways in any direction

IMO it's not a good thing to have discussion of firing pyro from pneumatics. I thought the rules here were clear on that. Oh well.

carter · Tue Dec 25, 2007 5:31 am

RPG anyone. sounds like a bad idea. most likely legal but don't be testing it out in front of the whitehouse

ALIHISGREAT · Tue Dec 25, 2007 5:59 am

MrCrowley wrote:
PCGUY wrote: I would have said they were illegal (which has been understood this whole time) until the information above was posted.
Agreed, unless that info that was posted was false, it doesn't apply to the 'solid propellent' rule on this forum.

Btw, Congrats on the 1000th post

congrays to hotwired too, PCGUY can hotwired are on 1000 at the same time...

Bubba05 · Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:13 am

Yeah id say dont try this at home guys!
At the end of the day it comes down to common sence and hey there are just to many ways that this thing could go pear shaped in one hell of a hurry!
Apart from the whole locaised terrorist thing going on all over the world right now, It would only take one stupid person looking at it from a distance to report it as suspect and then the partys over.
I mean mate how good are you at explaining things when you got a task force on your tail guns drawn coz they think your name is Asama bin drinking?
Hey but all in good fun and as the general rule goes with these sorta things If your not shooting at anyone aything or someones stuff. you might just get away with it.
By all means have fun but it really ait worth loosing a eye or going to jail over it.

Bubba

jimmy101 · Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:26 pm

blind909 wrote:because they go alot higher and could do some damage when it comes down from that hight.

I would think that a standard Estes rocket reaches a high enough altitude that on the return to the ground the rocket reaches its terminal velocity. Launching the rocket to a much higher altitude will not change the speed it is moving at when it hits the ground.

As others have pointed out, an in-flight ignition can be a tricky thing to get to work. Many rockets are aerodynamically unstable at launch because of the weight of the fuel at the back of the rocket. In a normal luacnh the fuel is consumed very quickly though so before the rocket has a chance to start to tumble the fuel is gone and the rocket becomes aerodynamically stable.

Before launching a rocket with the trigger intact you might want to launch one without the trigger (but with an intact engine) to see if the rocket flies stably.

(Water rockets are extremely unstable at launch, indeed they are flying "backwards" in terms of aerodynamic stability, for the powered portion of the flight.)

potatoflinger · Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:48 pm

Another thing you might want to consider is that you really aren't going to gain that much height, a well built pneumatic cannon could probably only launch a rocket 300-400 feet into the air, which isn't that much compared to the height that the rocket reaches without the boosted start.

BigGrib · Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:25 pm

@ Hotwired

PCGUY wrote:
As far as forum rules go, it is now allowed. Actual USA laws may differ however...

@Jimmy

I would counterweight the rocket by filling the nose cone with clay or something easy to pack in there to that it flies straighter out of the barrel

@potatoeflinger

you cant judge how far a vehicle built to be aerodynamic is gonna fly based on ranges you get with a non-aerodynamic potato. granted a model rocket is going to weigh more than a potato, but 300 - 400 feet greater altitude is better than nothing. Come on learn how to work kid.

Merry Christmas.

sandman · Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:36 pm

BigGrib wrote: I would counterweight the rocket by filling the nose cone with clay or something easy to pack in there to that it flies straighter out of the barrel

and adding enough to make a difference would severely decrease the altitude it could achieve.

Hotwired · Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:44 pm

BigGrib wrote:@ Hotwired
PCGUY wrote:
As far as forum rules go, it is now allowed. Actual USA laws may differ however...

Hotwired wrote:I thought the rules here were clear on that. Oh well.

Is this legal?

Donating Members