Air rivet guns are not the weapons used in warfare; rather it is a type of tool used to drive rivets powered by air. Rivets are the permanent mechanical fasteners supporting tension loads. The manufactured head side of the rivet uses air guns while the bucktail side of the rivet uses bucking bar. Large rivet guns are used to drive rivets in structural steels. Smaller ones which can be held by one hand are used in aircraft assembly. They vary in size.

How the air rivet gun works:

A regulator adjusts the amount of air entering the tool. A trigger in the handgrip controls the regulated air as it enters and passes the throttle valve. By squeezing the trigger, the throttle valve allows pressure air to enter the piston. Movement of the piston allows the port to open allowing the escape of air pressure. The piston hits the rivet set again. The force on the rivet set prods into the wall and against the buck. The buck deformed the rivet's tail. The piston returns in its original place by a spring on the shifter of a valve letting air to push piston back to the staring point.

There are several types of air rivet guns: Hand Riveter

1. Slow hitting gun is able to strike several blows as long as the trigger is held down. The repetition rate is 2,500 blows per minute (BPM). It is easier to control than the one-shot gun. This is the most common type.

2. One-shot gun takes only a single blow to drive the rivet. It is large and heavy compared with the other types for it is used for heavy riveting. The gun strikes one blow each time the trigger is depressed. Its size makes it hard to control on light gauze metals. Under general conditions, this is the fastest method of riveting.

3. Fast hitting gun hits multiple high-weights blows at a high rate as long as the trigger is held down. These are in the range of 2,500 to 5,000 BPM. The fast hitting gun vibration is used for soft rivet.

4. Corner Riveter, a compact rivet gun, can be used in closed spaces. The rivet is driven at right angles to handle spaces by a short barreled drive.

5. Squeeze Riveter uses air pressure to provide a squeeze action that compresses the rivet from both sides rather than distinct blows. The squeeze can only be used closed to the edge because of the depth of anvil. With the proper adjustment, the squeeze rivet will produce very uniform rivet bucks. The stationary (fixed) jaw is placed against the head and compressed by the action of the gun.

By the use of air rivet guns, rivets can be used to permanently and mechanically fasten and support tension loads.