How to Turn Your Hand Into a Rubber Band Gun

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 30, 2024 Fact Checked

You don’t need to buy a rubber band shooter to make a rubber band fly across a room. You can make a cheap and safe version of a rubber band gun using only your hands! The one-handed method requires a medium to large sized rubber band. The two-handed method can be done with any size rubber band.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making a One-Handed Gun

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Make a fist with your hand. Release your index finger so that it points straight out. Release your thumb so it points straight upward. This is the basic structure of the one-handed gun.
Release your little finger from your fist so that it points straight out. With the opposite hand, grab the rubber band and slide it over your little finger at the first knuckle crease toward the top of the finger. Close your finger back into your fist.

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Using your opposite hand, grab the loose end of the rubber band that hangs under your little finger. Stretch the rubber band over the back of your thumb.
Stretch the loose end of the rubber band past your thumb and let it rest on the tip of your index finger. Place it right in the middle of your fingertip so it doesn't slip off.
Aim the gun by pointing your index finger toward where you want the rubber band to go. Don't aim it at a person or anything that could be harmed by a flying rubber band.
Keep your index finger pointing straight forward and your thumb pointing straight upward. Open your little finger from your fist to allow the rubber band to slip off and fly in the direction you’re pointing at.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making a Two-Handed Gun

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Loop one end of the rubber band around your index finger. Loop the other end of the rubber band around your thumb on the same hand. Position your hand so that your thumb and index fingers are pointing straight up.^{[2]
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Point your other index finger straight up, and insert it into the gap in the rubber band from underneath. Press your index finger into the side of the rubber band, at about the midpoint. If you’re using your right index finger, press it into the right side of the rubber band, and vice versa if you’re using your left index finger. The rubber band should look like a triangle between your two index fingers and thumb.
Allow the rubber band to slip off of the index finger where you originally placed it. It should now be between your thumb on one hand and index finger on the opposite hand. The rubber band will be more taut on the side where you inserted your second index finger. This makes the rubber band more aerodynamic when shot.^{[3]
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Point your index finger with the rubber band around it at your target to aim. Don't allow your finger to bend as this will cause the rubber band to slip down. The rubber band should rest no lower than the midpoint of the top part of your index finger before the first knuckle.
Line up your thumb on the opposite hand (with the rubber band around it) so that it's directly behind your aiming index finger. Your thumb should be pointing straight up with the inside of your thumb facing toward your index finger. To fire the rubber band, release it from your thumb. ^{[4]
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Tips

Both types of guns have their advantages. The one-handed gun offers the convenience of a free hand, while the two-handed gun fires a more accurate shot. Decide which one works best for your purposes.

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Practice makes perfect to gain better range and accuracy when shooting rubber bands with your hands.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If your rubber band is too large for your one-handed gun, consider using your middle finger instead of your index finger.

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Warnings

Be wary of backfiring rubber bands. Occasionally, a rubber band may fly backward at you, so be careful and stay vigilant. You can also wear protective eyewear to guard yourself.

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