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A couple of more sources to be integrated: "Crypto" zip gun, disguised as a large bolt:

• http://www.thegunzone.com/mos/crypto-boltgun.html

Converting a cap gun into a zip gun:

• http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-0205%28197003%2961%3A1%3C115%3AZGACCI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-5&size=LARGE

scot 21:03, 31 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Since a zip gun is just the lowest form of improvised firearm (more advanced forms being the cellphone gun or SMG from plumbing parts) should this article be re-titled "improvised firearms", with "zip gun" being a section? The more advanced firearms seem to be beyond what is generally encompassed by the term "zip gun", but since there is no clear line of delineation, it would seem best to lump all improvised firearms in one article. scot 21:02, 3 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I had the same thought. Have chopped the "home made machine-gun" stuff, so at least this article is more consistent with its title. --Snori 21:16, 3 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

So what's your thought on re-titling to allow the home built SMGs? They don't really fit in any existing article, but I think they should be mentioned somewhere. scot 21:19, 3 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Zip guns deserve a page of their own, limited to the crude, homemade device, so I'm against re-titling.

(Of course "improvised weapons" would be a valid page covering Special Ops and McGyver stuff and Molotov cocktail etc; and perhaps a page is necessary covering Qassam rockets and Improvised explosive devices, and thst sort of low-level manufacture. The homebuilt SMGs really would fit into this last technically.)--Snori 04:56, 5 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Improvised weapons is an article already, though not a particulary good one; there's also one on insurgency weapons, which are another unusual and somewhat related category. And it's funny you mention the Molotove cocktail, I was just thinking about those the other day--saw The Whole Nine Yards (film) on TV the other night, and was thinking of how you're not supposed to stopper the bottle with the wick rag, like you always see in the movies. Of course, I'm getting my information from the Finns, who turned the Molotov cocktail from a crude improvised weapon into a rather sophisticated, mass produced anti-tank weapon during the Winter War... scot 16:56, 6 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Snori, I am not married to my recent edits, but the error that I was trying to correct was that it's not just weakness that dictates single-shot function. It's also space-saving, miniaturization, or simplicity of manufacture. You could make a zip gun that could withstand 10,000 firing cycles and still be single-shot, not because of weakness, but because of simplicity and size reduction. — ¾-10 20:47, 1 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]