Pistol bottle opener: how does it work, and pistol or mortar?

You've seen it in a video, or a friend pulled it out at the last barbecue: the pistol bottle opener, the opener that doesn't just open your beer but sends the cap flying across the garden. Nice trick, but how does it actually work? Is it dangerous? And should you go for a pistol, a mortar or a lever model? Here's the principle explained simply, the right move, the safety rules and a straight-talking comparison to find the one that suits you.

In short: a pistol bottle opener is a mechanical, battery-free opener that opens the bottle and launches the cap with a spring released by the trigger. For the "shooting" effect, choose the pistol (Capgun); for the vertical after-dinner show, the mortar (Beer Mortar); for a pocket format, the lever (Capblast).

What is a pistol bottle opener?

It's a pistol-shaped bottle opener (grip, trigger, "barrel") that does two things at once: it pops the cap off the bottle and launches it some distance instead of letting it drop to the floor. You'll also see it called a cap launcher, cap gun opener or beer pistol opener. It's nothing like a weapon: no ammunition, no powder, just a spring mechanism and a beer cap as its only "projectile".

How does a pistol bottle opener work?

The principle is purely mechanical. Put simply: a built-in spring stores energy, the trigger releases it in one go, and that push lifts the cap while firing it forward. It's the same principle as a spring-loaded toy, applied to opening a bottle. No electronics, no batteries, nothing to recharge.

The move, in 4 steps

1. 1Hold the bottle firmly, on a table or in your hand, tilted slightly towards a clear area.
2. 2Place the barrel on the cap, flat, as shown on your model's product page.
3. 3Check the line of fire: no people, no animals, no screens or fragile objects ahead.
4. 4Squeeze the trigger firmly. The cap pops off and travels a few metres. All that's left is to go and pick it up (this is when you discover that recycling is also a sport).

With the Capgun, that's exactly the move: place the barrel on the cap, squeeze the trigger, and off it goes. It works with standard metal caps on 33 cl bottles (and 355 ml US bottles). Screw caps, swing-top stoppers and corked bottles are obviously not included.

Why doesn't the cap just drop, like with a classic opener?

With a classic opener, you provide the leverage: the cap bends, comes loose and falls, pushed only by the pressure of the carbon dioxide. A pistol opener adds outside energy, from the spring, at the exact moment the cap comes free. The result: instead of falling, it's launched. That extra energy is what makes the show, and it's also why a few precautions apply.

Pistol bottle opener: the safety rules

A flying cap is still a small piece of metal with sharp edges. The rules are simple, and they apply to every opener that launches caps:

• Never aim at a person, an animal or a face, not even as a joke, not even "from far away".
• Keep a clear area in front of you: no TV screen, window, light fitting or row of glasses in the line of fire.
• Keep it out of children's reach. It's an adult object, made for opening beer.
• Be discreet in public. Its pistol shape can surprise or worry people: at a café terrace or in a station, leave it in your bag.
• Pick up the caps: they belong in the recycling bin, not in the lawn or the dog's bowl.

Pistol, mortar or lever: which cap-launching opener should you choose?

All three pop the cap off, but not in the same way, nor for the same people. Here's how to tell them apart.

The pistol bottle opener: the "shooting" effect

• The move: place the barrel on the cap, squeeze the trigger.
• The effect: the cap flies forward, funfair-shooting style. Perfect for aiming at a bucket or a box at the end of the garden.
• The size: it fits in one hand and goes in a drawer.
• For whom: the gamer, the one who turns everything into a skill contest.
• Our model: the Capgun, with no batteries or settings.

The mortar (or rocket) bottle opener: the vertical show

• The move: load the cap, aim upwards, open the bottle.
• The effect: the cap takes off skywards with a loud PCHHHIT. It's the object you put in the middle of the table after dinner, and that everyone wants to try.
• The size: compact, easy to carry in a bag.
• For whom: the host who loves putting on a show, the stag do, the garden party.
• Our model: the Beer Mortar. How it works is explained in our article how the beer mortar works and on video on the how it works page.

The lever bottle opener: the pocket format

• The move: place it on the bottle neck, push the lever down sharply.
• The effect: the cap pops off, more discreetly than with the pistol or the mortar.
• The size: the most compact of the three, it slips into a pocket or hooks onto a key ring.
• For whom: anyone who wants an original opener on them at all times.
• Our model: the Capblast.

And if you're still torn with a classic, magnetic or wall-mounted opener, our bottle opener comparison puts each type to the test: fun, portability, safety, ideal use.

What about a 3D-printed pistol bottle opener?

You'll find files online to print your own pistol bottle opener. It's a nice project for well-equipped makers, as long as you accept some trial and error: strength depends on the filament, the infill and the spring used, and a part that breaks under tension is no fun. We covered this topic for the mortar in our article on the 3D-printed beer mortar: the same questions apply to the pistol.

Is a pistol bottle opener a good gift?

Yes, for an adult who enjoys drinks with friends and objects that make people laugh: give it on its own, with a bottle to christen it, or paired with a mortar to host the living room's first "shooting contest". For more ideas in the same spirit, see our selection of unusual bottle openers and our beer gift for men page. And if one day you have neither pistol nor mortar to hand, there are always our tips to open a beer without a bottle opener.

One last reminder: a bottle opener makes opening more fun, not the evening boozier. Have fun with the cap, enjoy the beer at your own pace, with water on the side. Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health; please drink responsibly.

Frequently asked questions