Abstract: A water gun has a housing and a cylinder mounted on the housing, with the cylinder being formed with an opening and defining a chamber. A piston is slidably disposed in the chamber and is spring biased to a fired position, wherein the piston is adjacent the opening. A reservoir is also mounted on the housing. A cocking member is movably mounted on the housing, and the cocking member can be manipulated to move the piston to a load position, wherein the piston is distanced from the opening of the cylinder and water from the reservoir can enter the chamber. Also, a firing mechanism is provided for releasing the piston to permit it to rapidly return to the fired position and thereby emit water from the chamber through the opening in a burst pattern, and to give an audible and tactile indication of water emission.