[Note: Parts of this entry were originally included at gum-bow.]
gum shooter n Also gumbo(w) shooter, gumbow, gumshot [gum rubber (cf gum band n, gum boot n); why this has sometimes been altered to gumbo is unclear.] Cf bean-shooter n, gravel-shooter n, nigger-shooter n, rubber shooter n
A slingshot.
1874 Boston Daily Globe (MA) 24 Feb 4/5, The Courier–Journal describes the St. Louis small boy as . . imperilling the eyes of the unwary pedestrian with his gumbo shooter, walking on his stilts, and making hideous chalk pictures on the fences. 1876 IA Liberal (Le Mars) 7 June 1/2, Boys can’t be too careful, even with “gum shooters.” One of our lads paid a bill of $12 last week, for trying the texture of a neighbor’s window glass. 1878 Cincinnati Daily Gaz. (OH) 20 May 3/3, The police should be instructed to take in every boy caught with a “gum shooter.” They are small weapons, but dangerous. 1891 Madison Daily Democrat (IN) 10 Feb [2]/2 (newspaperarchive.com), Some mischievous boys stole some rubber out of McCullough’s buggy and made a “gumbo” shooter of it. 1902 Rice Mrs. Wiggs 102 cnKY, Billy’s hand was n’t so bad hurt he could n’t shoot his gum-bow shooter and break Miss Krasmier’s winder-pane. 1912 Lock Haven Express (PA) 7 Dec 4/1, A little boy residing on Vesper street was injured by being struck above the eye with a gum shooter. 1953 Oxnard Press–Courier (CA) 17 Dec 20/3, What is a gum shooter? That question arose among city councilmen this week when they received from the Southern California Edison Company a suggestion that the city adopt an ordinance prohibiting the carrying and discharging of air rifles, sling shots, catapults, gum shooters, and archery equipment within the city limits. . . A committee was appointed to study the matter, find out what a gum shooter is, and report at the next meeting. c1960 Wilson Coll. csKY , Gum-bow. . . A slingshot, probably because of the use of rubber strings for the power. 1982 Foxfire Spring 69, In our area that specific item as described was known as a “gumbo shooter”, probably because of the rubber (or “gumbo”) which powered the missile. 1984 Wilder You All Spoken Here 150 Sth, Gumshot: Slingshot. 1995 Ukiah Daily Jrl. (CA) 1 Jan sec A 7/2 KY, We crafted these gumbows (slingshots) from old inner tubes and a small fork from a tree or bush.