- Edited
This is a "coil-gun" I just discovered about these today. It is home-made and uses a powered magnetic coil to propel a projectile to dangerous velocities. It does not require the use of regulated items such as gun powder, and the best part (as far as usability is concerned) is that it's totally silent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LjnhhtHojM
Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coilgun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LjnhhtHojM
Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coilgun