Blowguns

A blowgun (also known as "blowpipe" or "blow tube") is a long, narrow tube, which is used to shoot light projectiles such as arrows. The arrows are placed in the tube and shooters have to use the force generated by impulsive exhalation ("blowing") to shoot the arrows. The propulsive force is determined as well as limited by the strength of the shooter's breathing muscles, respectively the vital capacity of the lungs.

In the BSS shop you can find the matching accessories as well as targets for blowgun shooting.

Purchase advice for blowguns
If you click on the „blowguns“ subcategory in the BSS „blowguns“ category, you will find a listing of the entire blowgun assortment. Feel free to look into the BSS blog to read the latest blogposts on blowguns for a detailed purchase advice.

Read more about blowgun shooting below.

Cold Steel .625 Big Bore Blowgun Bamboo Darts (50 Pack)
20,01 EUR
0,40 EUR per Piece
incl. 19% tax excl. Shipping costs
Cold Steel .625 Big Bore Blowgun Mini Broad Head Darts (50 Pack)
28,73 EUR
0,57 EUR per Piece
incl. 19% tax excl. Shipping costs
Cold Steel .625 Big Bore Blowgun Stun Darts (50 Pack)
20,01 EUR
0,40 EUR per Piece
incl. 19% tax excl. Shipping costs
Cold Steel .625 Big Bore Blowgun Multi Darts (100 Darts, 7 Driving Cones)
NOT AVAILABLE
28,73 EUR
0,29 EUR per Piece
incl. 19% tax excl. Shipping costs
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Terminology:


 

General Information:

The blowgun was originally a traditional weapon of indigenous people, and may have varying appearances as well as degrees of importance in different regions. There are illustrations of blowguns on pre-Columbian vase paintings, or mentions in many Mesoamerican myths. The Mayans, for example, used a blowgun to hunt birds and small animals with bullet-shaped dry seeds or clay balls. Today, blowguns are made from modern materials such as carbon or other composites in addition to wood. Light arrows made of bamboo or carbon are used as projectiles. Plastic cones can also serve as a stabilizing function instead of feathers today.
 

Sport Blowgun Shooting and Targets

It is only since the second half of the 20th century that there has been a consistent effort to promote the sport blowgun on a more professional stage. However, a standardized, or internationally valid set of rules does not exist yet. Different nations, often with historical roots in blowgun shooting, are still trying to promote their own traditional way of the sport, rather than teaming up and agreeing on one set of regulations. However, there are attempts to  align the rulebook with archery, but there are also similarities to other shooting disciplines. For example, the indoor target layouts are similar to the WA (World Archery) blue-red-yellow spots, although some vary in scoring.

We conclude: It can’t be said yet that there is "the one" set of rules for sport blowgun shooting. The establishment of a standardized set of rules is still in process. Nevertheless, judging from the increasing popularity that comes with blowgun shooting nowadays, we strongly assume that there will be a development in the upcoming 5-10 years for sure.
 
International: There are several styles of competition practiced around the world. For example, the IFA (International Fukiyado Association) is pursuing standardization of the competition style and hopes to become an Olympic discipline. It would involve 10-meter shooting with a standardized blowpipe length of 120 cm or 48 inches, although the caliber of the barrel, or the weight of the blowpipe are not specified. Any type of arrow can be used, and there are also no restrictions on the weight or length of the arrows. In each round, the shooter shoots 5 arrows within 3 minutes, and there are 6 rounds per competition, for a total of 30 arrows. The target areas are 7 (6 cm), 5 (12 cm), 3 (18 cm) points. The center of the rest should be 160 cm above the ground.
 

 

Which blowguns are available in the BSS store?

If you click again on the blowpipes subcategory in the BSS blowpipes category, you will find a listing of the entire blowpipe assortment. For detailed purchase advice, suitable BSS blog articles on the topic of blowguns are also given.