Rubber band gun Rubber band gun A rubber band gun, often abbreviated to RBG, is a toy gun used to fire one or more rubber bands (or "elastic bands"). Rubber band guns are often used in live-action games such as Assassins, in which they are common and popular toy weapons. They are also common in offices and classrooms. Rubber band guns have been popular toys that date back to the invention of rubber bands, which were patented in England on March 17, 1845 by Stephen Perry. This is the simplest form of rubber band gun. Its firing mechanism consists solely of a clothespin.
William Hale (British inventor) removed the guidestick from the design, instead vectoring part of the thrust through canted exhaust holes to provide rotation of the rocket, which improved its stability in flight. These rockets could weigh up to 60 pounds and were noted for their noise and glare on ignition. Hale rockets were first used by the United States Army in the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848. Although the British Army experimented with Hale rockets during the Crimean War they did not officially adopt them until 1867. William Hale (British inventor) William Hale (21 October 1797 – 30 March 1870), was a British inventor and