Bug A Salt weapon holds 50-60 rounds of salt, kills flies!

[Keith B]

That's a cool toy. But you should know that it is illegal to use it in Pflugerville. For the same reason, it is also illegal in Pflugerville to fire a nerf gun or drop mentos into a soda bottle.

Um, no.

Not sure about the Mentos in a soda bottle, but many cities have ordinances that prohibit air-powered guns of any type. Here is Pflugerville code:

§ 130.03 DISCHARGING FIREARMS.
(A) Prohibition. Except as allowed in subsection (D), it is illegal and hereby declared a public nuisance to discharge or allow the discharge of a firearm within the city limits of the City of Pflugerville or within 1,000 feet of the city limits in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city.

(B) Definition of Firearm. Firearm means any device, by whatever name known, designed to expel a projectile or projectiles by the action of an explosion, expansion of gas or escape of gas. The term firearm includes but is not limited to rim fire, center fire, black powder, pellet, BB, air gun, and paintball guns regardless of the use of compressed air or CO2.

[The Annoyed Man]

I'm not letting a fly land on my food before I shoot it!

I bought one of those bug zapper tennis rackets at Walmart on Friday. Much more fun, and you get 'em before they get you.

[Dave2]

I'm not letting a fly land on my food before I shoot it!

I bought one of those bug zapper tennis rackets at Walmart on Friday. Much more fun, and you get 'em before they get you.

A bug zapper... tennis racket? I can see the appeal, but with this salt gun, you can get all mall ninjaed up and tactically hunt the little vermin.

[sjfcontrol]

Wonder if it works on wasps? We seem to be having a problem with them getting into the house this summer. Been shooting them with a stream-spray intended for outdoor use. Stinks, and makes a mess that needs to be cleaned up afterwards. Got one yesterday, then while cleaning up, found another had been downed as "collateral damage". They seem to get trapped in the blinds.

[7075-T7]

Wonder if it works on wasps? We seem to be having a problem with them getting into the house this summer. Been shooting them with a stream-spray intended for outdoor use. Stinks, and makes a mess that needs to be cleaned up afterwards. Got one yesterday, then while cleaning up, found another had been downed as "collateral damage". They seem to get trapped in the blinds.

I've found that everclear in a squirt bottle works almost immediately on wasps in the home. Little to no mess.

[Commander Cody]

"I've found that everclear in a squirt bottle works almost immediately on wasps in the home. Little to no mess."

Very interesting. What made you think of everclear?

[sjfcontrol]

Wonder if it works on wasps? We seem to be having a problem with them getting into the house this summer. Been shooting them with a stream-spray intended for outdoor use. Stinks, and makes a mess that needs to be cleaned up afterwards. Got one yesterday, then while cleaning up, found another had been downed as "collateral damage". They seem to get trapped in the blinds.

I've found that everclear in a squirt bottle works almost immediately on wasps in the home. Little to no mess.

Are you talking about this?

I was really wanting to kill them, not throw them a party!

Seriously, though, if it works I wonder if isopropyl alcohol would too? Or at least make them go blind!

[nyj]

That's a cool toy. But you should know that it is illegal to use it in Pflugerville. For the same reason, it is also illegal in Pflugerville to fire a nerf gun or drop mentos into a soda bottle.

Um, no.

Yeah, what?

[ffemt300]

There is no future for this weapon. As soon as a few of these guns are sold, US Fish and Wildlife will add houseflies to the Endangered Species list and it will be a crime to kill them.

[brainman]

Keith quoted the ordinance. I don't see any way you could consider discharging a nerf gun or the bug-a-salt not to be illegal (admittedly the mentos is a stretch). It's stupid, but it's there. Product of lazy legislating if you ask me.

Sorry to be a thread-jacker.

I do like this bug gun, though.

[7075-T7]

"I've found that everclear in a squirt bottle works almost immediately on wasps in the home. Little to no mess."

Very interesting. What made you think of everclear?

Ethanol is very hydrophillic in a concentrated state (95% or so), such that when you spray it on the wasp I can only surmise that it pulls the water out of them, leaving them quickly unable to react.

I had the bottle of everclear as an antiseptic or a way to sanatize something, and figured it was worth a shot.

Are you talking about this?

I was really wanting to kill them, not throw them a party!

Seriously, though, if it works I wonder if isopropyl alcohol would too? Or at least make them go blind!

Isopropyl works ok, though you can't get it in as high a concentration, and it's fairly toxic. Plus the fumes burn my eyes in closed quarters, which seems to be where the little buggers like to hide.

[Keith B]

"I've found that everclear in a squirt bottle works almost immediately on wasps in the home. Little to no mess."

Very interesting. What made you think of everclear?

Ethanol is very hydrophillic in a concentrated state (95% or so), such that when you spray it on the wasp I can only surmise that it pulls the water out of them, leaving them quickly unable to react.

I had the bottle of everclear as an antiseptic or a way to sanatize something, and figured it was worth a shot.

Well, even if it didn't kill them, you would at least have a nice clean fly buzzing around your food.

[Dave2]

Keith quoted the ordinance. I don't see any way you could consider discharging a nerf gun or the bug-a-salt not to be illegal (admittedly the mentos is a stretch). It's stupid, but it's there. Product of lazy legislating if you ask me.

Wouldn't TX's preemption law prevent a city from coming up with a weird definition of firearm like that?