Okay, so about these mini water guns. It all started last week when I was cleaning out the kid's old toy chest. Found a whole stash of them, maybe ten or twelve, tucked away in a dusty plastic bag.

Remembered we had that family picnic coming up, thought maybe the little cousins would get a kick out of them. So, I decided, alright, let's see if these things even work anymore. Pulled the bag out, dumped them on the kitchen counter. They looked pretty grimy.

Getting Started

First thing, I took them all to the sink. Gave them a good rinse under the tap. Some dirt came off, but a couple looked like the nozzles were blocked. Tried filling one up. You know, the kind where you dip the end in water and pull the trigger back, or maybe unscrew a tiny cap. This one had the tiny cap. Unscrewed it, held it under the faucet. Water went in, sure, but it also leaked right out the seams. Total junk, that one. Tossed it straight into the bin.

Tried another. This one filled up okay. Squeezed the trigger. A pathetic little dribble came out. Not exactly a water fight weapon, more like a leaky faucet. I figured maybe the nozzle was clogged like I thought. Grabbed a sewing needle from the wife's kit, poked it gently into the little hole. Tried again. A bit better, maybe? Still pretty weak.

The Process

So I went through the whole pile like this. It became a sort of mini-project right there on the counter.

• Check for obvious cracks or damage. (Found two more cracked ones - straight to trash).
• Try to fill with water. Check for leaks.
• If it fills, test the trigger.
• If weak stream, try cleaning the nozzle with the needle.
• Test again.

Took me maybe half an hour. Some of them just wouldn't draw water, like the seal inside was gone. Others leaked around the trigger. A few just felt super brittle, like they'd snap if you looked at them wrong. I actually broke one myself just trying to test the trigger mechanism – the plastic just cracked.

Honestly, the quality was pretty bad. You can tell they were just cheap party favors or something. Simple design inside, just a small tube, a trigger pushing a plunger maybe, and a tiny nozzle. Nothing complex, but made with the cheapest plastic imaginable.

End Result

Out of the original dozen or so, I ended up with maybe four that actually worked decently. And by decently, I mean they shot a thin stream of water about three feet. Not impressive, but usable for little kids, I guess. Cleaned those four up properly, dried them off, and put them aside for the picnic.

Was it worth the effort? Eh, probably not. Could've just bought a new pack for a few bucks. But you know, sometimes you just start doing something and want to see it through. Plus, kept me busy for a bit. At least now I know what we have. Four slightly functional mini water guns. Better than nothing, right?