Grounded! Next crazy idea.

[Senior Space Cadet]

I have a new altimeter and several new scratch built rockets and I was planning on launching some rockets today, but I just found out that our permission to launch has been revoked.
I'm hoping that, with the first big snow, the fire ban will be lowered and launching can resume, but this could be a long term thing. Seems like every year it gets hotter and drier around here.
I see three options.
1-put rocketry on hold till I see what happens after the first big snow.
2-work on fantasy rockets, never meant to leave the ground.
3-find alternate power sources.
Today, I might start on option three. One idea I've been toying with is using one of my airguns as a launcher. I did a test fit last evening and a 29mm tube fits over the barrel of my break barrel pistol pretty nicely. I'm not sure how snugly the fit needs to be. I have centering rings for a 24mm motor mount. If they don't fit perfectly, I might be able to sand them till they do. I think there is a good chance that the rocket will blow apart when I fire the gun. I won't know till I try it. I could reinforce it with strapping tape. If I get this rocket to work, I might see about moving on to a more powerful rifle.
Here is the rocket I might start building today. Not sure what to expect as far as altitude. Probably not much.

 

[Senior Space Cadet]

Total failure.
Before I wasted time building a rocket, I taped a nosecone onto a body tube and tried to launch it. Didn't even come of the end of the barrel.
I've seen rockets. powered by CO2, fly pretty high. I'm not sure I'm up to the task of making a launch pad. I have no machining equipment.
With the large 99gram cylinders, all you'd need is fins and a launch pad that punctures the end of the cylinder and holds it till released. The cylinder would act as both body and nosecone.

 

[Steve Shannon]

Rockets are all about Newton’s 3rd law: for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. You should look into water rockets:
https://www.youtube.com/c/AirCommandRockets

 

[Senior Space Cadet]

Rockets are all about Newton’s 3rd law: for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. You should look into water rockets:
https://www.youtube.com/c/AirCommandRockets

I've considered water rockets. I can't get too enthused.
My airpistol will put a pellet through a half inch board. I misjudged how little air is needed to propel a pellet at high speed.
I've started a fantasy rocket.

 

[OverTheTop]

George (Air Command) is the NASA of water rockets .

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

 

[hermanjc]

George (Air Command) is the NASA of water rockets .

Agree, Air Command has been posting about their work, research and launch technology for more than 10 years. Although I love my air rocket setup (simple PVC chamber with a sprinkler valve release mechanism) and it launches small paper rockets hundreds of feet in the air, I always found the water rockets make from soda bottles to be much more exciting and interesting. It's just messier and more to bring (jugs of water) to the field. But, it makes figuring out recovery deployment more fun, too. I haven't tried electronics sensors and servos myself, but windup toy timers and air flaps.

I look forward to see what alternate non-flame launcher Senior Space Cadet moves forward with