How to Make a PVC Blowgun

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in August 2019.

Is there anything you can’t make out of PVC? We’ve already shown you how to make a bow, a potato cannon, and a marshmallow shooter out of PVC, so it’s only natural that we continue adding to your plumbing-sourced arsenal with a PVC blowgun.  

Blowguns have been around for thousands of years. Indigenous peoples in South America and Southeast Asia used them primarily for hunting, shooting small seeds, poisoned darts, and handmade clay pellets at birds and other small game.  

Modern blowguns may look a little different than their pre-Columbian ancestors, but the way they work is exactly the same. Snug-fitting darts or projectiles are loaded into the tube and propelled by blowing hard into the end of the chamber. The pressurized air sends the projectile hurtling through the barrel until it launches out the other side toward the target.  

Making a blowgun out of PVC is very easy, primarily because there are so many adjustments and substitutions you can make and still get a very functional blowgun. Here’s how to make a basic version, but feel free to experiment with different projectile types, PVC lengths and diameters, and mouthpiece adapters.

Supplies

1/2-inch Schedule 40 PVC (3’-5’ in length)1/2-inch to 3/4-inch adapter for mouthpiece (optional)Scotch tapeScissorsPenHandful of 8d nailsPost-It notesHot glue gun (or super glue)Camo duct tape (optional, but cool)

How to Make a PVC Blowgun

Step 1: Get Started On Your Dart(s)

First grab a Post-It note and cut out one quarter of it, discarding the square.

Roll your remaining Post-It note into a cone shape and use a piece of tape to hold it in place.