So. Marshmallows are pretty much just sugar. When you have dehydrated, colored, tiny cereal marshmallows, “just sugar” becomes optimistic. I’ve heard “Those will kill you” and “yuck” as descriptors.
It’s the “kill” part that took my fancy for my first experiment. All in all, it went pretty well, Experiment 1.
Observe, and be titillated.
Oh yes.
So, we travelled recently up to the NC Mountains for some peace, quiet, and fellowship. Peace, disturbed. Quiet, decimated. Fellowship, attained.
The question that needed to be answered was “Just what happens when you attempt to use dehydrated cereal marsmallows as a firearm projectile?”
Answer: They work better than expected.
Step one: Load powder (about 3 grains, a tiny amount) and then load marshmallows.
About 6-8 marshmallows, max.
Then, fire. Bang. At a range of 6 feet or so, this is the result.
The cardboard has been punctured, and the 'mallows are nowhere to be found. Must be behind there, somewhere.
This was such a rousing success that I heard “Hey! What are you doin’ over there? Bring that over HERE!”
This was the call from a neighbor who we will call Tim. Tim is an interesting and funny fellow, with some experience with firearms, projectiles, photography, and travels to foreign lands. I picked up my supplies, and wandered over to his deck. He was at first dismayed and a bit confused by my insistence on firing marshmallows from a perfectly serviceable firearm. But once he knew he’d get to do the shooting henceforth, whilst I was taking pictures, he was much more enthused.
So, several more test firings, about 10 foot range, 10 grains of powder. Much more impressive BOOM, but pretty much decimated my projectile before it could do much damage. Cardboard is still penetrated, but only in small holes, not the single, more impressive looking puncture. Analysis: This would perhaps hurt if you got shot, and that’s about it.
Before. Note intact, boring cardboard.
AND THEN!
Note the impressive penetrating power of high velocity marshmallows.
Following the rousing success of this experiment (well, actually, following the cleaning of the pistol,) I moved on to the next question…
Just what happens when these things encounter colored cereal marshmallows?
Well, they eat them.
Of course they eat them.
And, so did I.
Not too bad, really. Not terribly clever, but not too bad.