It’s called the mini cannon, and that’s exactly what it is. Sold on the Pocket Artillery site, it can’t be described as anything but a toy for bored grown men. Not only does it actually fire a small round, but it operates almost identically to a real cannon, which is why the company won’t sell you the gunpowder, fuse or projectile (though they will direct you to a site where those items can be had). Wired magazine says it’s likely the most dangerous office toy ever sold on the open market. But, the reality is, it’s actually no more dangerous than a paper airplane. Both, if fired at someone’s face, could cause blindness.
The two inch muzzle loading mini cannon fires a “projectile” that is actually a mini BB, like that used in BB guns. They are just .177 caliber though, which means they are small enough to use in those little old school games where you try to get the BBS to fall into pits. They can do damage though, as can been seen in the videos on the site. One shot is enough to knock a soda can off a desk, break a wine glass, or pierce several balloons lined up in a row. But not so much so that it could pierce the skin, or even cause much of a bruise. Truly, as many of those visiting Wired remarked, the most serious problem this little guy could cause is a painful eye injury.
To work the mini canon, the operator first drops in the fuse, then turns the cannon around and drops in some gunpowder, followed by some toy gun caps and then finally the BB. Before firing, it all gets tamped down in the barrel with a Q-Tip. After that, all that’s left to do is light the fuse and watch the BB crash into something.
Wired considers it the ultimate in both cool and fun and any office with one would like be envy of every other; especially in offices that have a more casual atmosphere. They say it can be fired up to a hundred yards, which isn’t mentioned anywhere on the Pocket Artillery site, indicating that the editors at Wired have actually bought and used one of these little firearms, but are loathe to admit it, because of possible legal issues.
The mini cannon will no doubt be hit with those looking to prank others in the office or who wish to simply show off something new, cool and exciting to their colleagues.