# Circus cannon

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-cannon/299967>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 19, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-cannon/299967 "2005-04-19T00:01:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Weeks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbce88/32.png) [@Weeks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeks)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-cannon/299967/1 "2005-04-19T00:01:08Z")

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Thanks to Hunter S Thompsons latest recent desperate cry for help/ grab at attention/ selfish masturbatory stunt…ahem…the only results I get on google that involve" shot out a cannon" are his.

How do they they shoot the lady from the cannon in the circus?

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**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-cannon/299967/2 "2005-04-19T00:50:11Z")

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The man’s dead, let him have his last stunt…

Just a WAG but it’s probably a spring launch + smoke + bang.

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**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-cannon/299967/3 "2005-04-19T00:54:03Z")

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Well, they don’t use explosives, like HST’s family will probably be doing.

To the best of my knowledge, it’s done with either compressed air or a plunger, or a combination of both. I’m sure some other clown with more circus background will come along to correct me (or back me up).

The smoke is just an effect.

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**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-cannon/299967/4 "2005-04-19T01:16:44Z")

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Cecil covered it, and we’ve had a thread on it:

[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_069.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_069.html)

> **[Are people actually SHOT out of cannons, or pushed by springs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=271627)**
>
> I’ve always thought that being shot out of a cannon was a scam - that the charge went off at the same time as a pretty strong spring uncoiled, pushing the performers out. I mean, if they were actually SHOT out of there, wouldn’t they be spit out at...

Compressed air or springs.

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**Author:** ![Weeks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbce88/32.png) [@Weeks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeks)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circus-cannon/299967/5 "2005-04-19T01:24:34Z")

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> [@groman](#):
>
> The man’s dead, let him have his last stunt…
> 
> Just a WAG but it’s probably a spring launch + smoke + bang.

He’s dead BFD!

Spring? Uh-uh, me not think so…