Sprinkler Guide: Rain Guns, Impact Guns & Turbine Guns

An agricultural sprinkler is a pressure-driven device that turns the flow from a pump into a controlled jet or spray pattern, covering an area that a single hose outlet cannot reach on its own. In the trade the same category appears under many names — rain gun, impact gun, turbine gun, water gun, agriculture gun, rotating sprinkler, rotating gun or impulse sprinkler — yet buyers comparing those listings are usually comparing the same two mechanical families: impact sprinklers and turbine sprinklers.

This guide is written for importers, distributors, farm operators, engineers and industrial site managers who are at the first stage of irrigation planning. It explains what the equipment does, how published specifications translate into field performance, and how to narrow a long list of sprinkler models down to a shortlist worth requesting a quotation for.

Xuzhou Foison Sprinkler Irrigation Equipment Co., Ltd. — FOISON Sprinkler — is a sprinkler and irrigation equipment manufacturer established in 2013 and based in Pei County Industry Area, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China. The company designs and manufactures irrigation spray guns and irrigation equipment, with a business focus on turbine spray guns, impact guns and irrigation systems, and it produces sprinklers for farm and industrial use. It operates a 30,000 m² manufacturing facility with approximately 135 employees, including an R&D team of 12 engineers, and reports an annual production capacity of 200,000 units. Export business accounts for approximately 70% of total sales, serving markets in the EU, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Mid Asia, Mid East and South America.

What Problem Does an Agricultural Sprinkler Solve?

An agricultural sprinkler solves a coverage problem rather than a supply problem. Drip pipe and micro spray pipe deliver water point by point, so the irrigated area depends on how many emitters and laterals can be installed. A sprinkler gun takes the same pump output and throws it outward from a single connection point. On those grounds, sprinkler irrigation is recommended over drip pipe and micro spray pipe because it can cover a large area, is easy to operate, and saves cost and water.

The difficulties that follow are usually installation mismatches rather than missing products:

• Pressure below the model’s working range shortens the jet and reduces the effective throw.
• A nozzle that demands more flow than the pump supplies causes the spray pattern to break up.
• A range far wider than the strip being irrigated throws water outside the root zone.
• A connection size that does not match the existing mainline forces rework at the outlet.

For that reason, four published figures decide whether a model is usable on a specific site: working pressure, range or spray radius, flow, and connection size. Every model in the FOISON Sprinkler range is published with those figures, and they are listed side by side in the comparison table further down this page.

How the Sprinkler Category Is Organised

Impact sprinklers, impulse sprinklers and rain guns

An impact sprinkler — also listed as an impulse sprinkler, impact gun, rain gun, agriculture gun or water gun — uses a spring-loaded arm that swings into the jet and back. The arm interrupts the stream to break it into droplets and indexes the rotating body around the circle. In the FOISON Sprinkler range, this family covers the FSC50 rain gun, published as an impact gun sprinkler, and the FS35 irrigation sprinkler, published as an impact sprinkler.

Turbine sprinklers, rocker turbines and rotating guns

A turbine sprinkler, also sold as a turbine gun, rocker turbine or rotating gun, uses the water flow itself to drive a small turbine inside the body. The turbine rotates the nozzle assembly so the stream sweeps the full circle. This family is often chosen where continuous rotation and fine atomization matter. The FOISON turbine family covers the FSW80 turbine gun sprinkler, the FSN50 rain gun and the FSW40 Pro turbine sprinkler.

Gear-driven rotating sprinklers

A gear-driven sprinkler replaces the turbine rotor with an internal gear train that rotates the nozzle. The FS40 is published as an irrigation sprinkler and agriculture sprinkler with a 360° gear adjustable sprinkler type, and it is designed for agriculture irrigation scenarios.

Where plastic sprinklers and sprayers fit

Plastic sprinklers, garden guns and small sprayers belong to a different size class. They are used where throw distance and flow demand are modest, such as garden plots, nursery benches and greenhouse beds. FOISON guidance on irrigation choice points in the same direction: in a greenhouse, a small plastic sprinkler or a micro spray pipe is recommended, while an outdoor farm is matched with a metal sprinkler.

Terminology buyers should expect

The terms irrigation equipment and irrigation machine describe the wider system — pump, hose, mainline and outlet — of which a sprinkler gun is one component. The published operating condition for the FOISON agricultural sprinkler application scenario is an adequate water source with a pump and hose, with operation possible at ambient temperatures up to 50°C. Spray atomization dust removal is a second published function of the same equipment, alongside agriculture irrigation.

The FOISON Sprinkler Range, Model by Model

Six models cover the range from small-block irrigation to wide-area coverage and industrial dust suppression. Each entry below uses the manufacturer’s published model data, so the figures can be checked against a quotation or a technical submittal.

FSW80 — turbine gun for the widest coverage

The FSW80 is a turbine gun sprinkler belonging to the turbine gun category. It is intended for the agriculture and industrial industries and is designed for agriculture, forestry, garden and dust removal scenarios. The body uses aluminium, nylon and stainless steel, and the connection is an 80 flange. Published working pressure is 0.2–0.9 MPa with a range of 23–85.7 m, a 24° spray angle and a 360° adjustable sprinkler type. Its published strengths are long range, a large water spray and fine atomization, which makes it the natural candidate where one gun must cover a long strip of open field or a large dust-emitting area.

FSC50 — impact rain gun with adjustable speed

The FSC50 is a rain gun sprinkler classified as an impact gun sprinkler, intended for the agriculture and industrial industries and designed for agriculture, forestry, garden and dust removal scenarios. Material is aluminium, nylon and stainless steel. Connection is a 2-inch inner thread or flange, working pressure is 0.15–0.7 MPa and range is 23–56 m, with a 24° spray angle, a 360° adjustable sprinkler type and adjustable speed. The published strengths are long range and working life together with stable working conditions — a useful combination where a gun runs for long daily cycles.

FSN50 — turbine rain gun for agricultural irrigation

The FSN50 rain gun sprinkler belongs to the turbine sprinkler category and is intended for the agriculture industry, designed for agriculture, forestry, garden and dust removal scenarios. It is suitable for agricultural irrigation and can be used for dust removal. It is made of aluminium, nylon and stainless steel, connects through a 2-inch flange, and is published with a working pressure of 0.2–0.7 MPa, a range of 26–53 m, a 24° spray angle and a 360° adjustable sprinkler type. Long range and fine atomization are its published strengths.

FSW40 Pro — turbine sprinkler for agriculture and urban greening

The FSW40 Pro is a turbine sprinkler classified as an agriculture sprinkler, intended for the agriculture and forestry industries and designed for agriculture, forestry, urban greening and industrial dust removal scenarios. It is made of aluminium alloy, copper, stainless steel and nylon, with a 1-1/2-inch female thread connection. Published working pressure is 0.2–0.5 MPa, spray radius 22–41 m, flow 9.5–37 m³/h, spray angle 24° and spray type 360° adjustable. Lower pressure demand and a moderate radius make it a practical choice where the pump is smaller but the coverage still needs to be wide.

FS35 — impact sprinkler for agriculture irrigation

The FS35 is an irrigation sprinkler belonging to the impact sprinkler category and is intended for the agriculture irrigation industry, with typical application scenarios in agriculture, forestry and urban greening. Material is aluminium alloy, copper, stainless steel and nylon; connection is a 1-1/2-inch female thread; working pressure is 0.2–0.6 MPa; spray radius is 18–36 m; flow is 7.8–31.9 m³/h; spray angle is 24°; and the spray type is 360° adjustable.

FS40 — gear-adjustable agriculture sprinkler

The FS40 is an agriculture sprinkler and irrigation sprinkler designed for agriculture irrigation scenarios. It is made of metal — aluminium, copper, stainless steel and nylon. The connection is a 2-inch thread, working pressure is 0.15–0.5 MPa, flow is 9.5–39.4 m³/h, radius is 20–43 m, spray angle is 24°, and the sprinkler type is 360° gear adjustable.

Step by Step: How to Select a Sprinkler

1. Define the area and the required throw. Measure the longest run the gun has to cover and compare it with the published range. The FSW80 reaches 23–85.7 m, the FSC50 23–56 m, the FSN50 26–53 m, the FS40 20–43 m, the FSW40 Pro 22–41 m and the FS35 18–36 m.
2. Confirm the water source and the pump. The published working condition calls for an adequate water source with a pump and hose; without spare hydraulic capacity, a long-throw gun will not hold its published range.
3. Choose the family. Impact guns such as the FSC50 and FS35 break the jet with a swinging arm; turbine models such as the FSW80, FSN50 and FSW40 Pro rotate on an internal turbine. Both families are published with a 360° adjustable sprinkler type.
4. Match the connection. Available connections in the range are 80 flange on the FSW80, 2-inch flange on the FSN50, 2-inch inner thread or flange on the FSC50, 2-inch thread on the FS40, and 1-1/2-inch female thread on the FSW40 Pro and FS35.
5. Check the pressure window. Published ranges are 0.15–0.7 MPa for the FSC50, 0.2–0.9 MPa for the FSW80, 0.2–0.7 MPa for the FSN50, 0.2–0.6 MPa for the FS35, 0.2–0.5 MPa for the FSW40 Pro and 0.15–0.5 MPa for the FS40.
6. Check flow against the pump curve. Flow is published as 9.5–37 m³/h for the FSW40 Pro, 7.8–31.9 m³/h for the FS35 and 9.5–39.4 m³/h for the FS40. Nozzle diameter changes flow, so flow, pressure and range should be read together rather than separately.
7. Confirm environment and duty. If the site combines irrigation with dust suppression, the FSW80, FSC50, FSN50 and FSW40 Pro are all published for dust removal scenarios. For greenhouse use, the published recommendation is a small plastic sprinkler or micro spray pipe; for outdoor farm use, a metal sprinkler.

Typical Use Cases

• Open field and row crops. Wide-throw turbine and impact guns covering long strips, where few outlets must serve a large area. The FSW80 is the widest model in the range at 23–85.7 m.
• Orchards, forestry and nurseries. Medium-throw guns such as the FSN50 and FSC50, both published for agriculture and forestry scenarios.
• Urban greening and landscaping. The FSW40 Pro and FS35 are published for urban greening, with lower pressure requirements that suit municipal pumping.
• Industrial dust removal. Spray atomization dust removal is a published function of the FSW80, FSC50, FSN50 and FSW40 Pro, using the same water-driven principle as irrigation.
• Greenhouse and protected cultivation. Smaller throw requirements, where a small plastic sprinkler or micro spray pipe is the published recommendation.

Sprinkler Specification Comparison

The table below compares all six models on the figures that determine field performance. All values are the manufacturer’s published model data.

A second decision — which irrigation method to use at all — is often made at the same time. The published comparison guidance is summarised below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What materials should an agricultural sprinkler be made of, and what does the 24° spray angle mean?

In the FOISON Sprinkler range the gun bodies and nozzles are published as aluminium or aluminium alloy, copper, stainless steel and nylon. The FSW80 uses aluminium, nylon and stainless steel; the FSW40 Pro and FS35 use aluminium alloy, copper, stainless steel and nylon; the FS40 is published as metal. The 24° spray angle is the published jet angle for all six models, which sets how steeply the water leaves the nozzle and therefore how the pattern lands relative to the gun.

Which sprinkler type is suitable for large fields versus smaller plots?

The FSW80 turbine gun has the widest published range at 23–85.7 m and is intended for agriculture and industrial use, which makes it the model for long strips and large open areas. The FSC50 impact gun covers 23–56 m and the FSN50 turbine sprinkler 26–53 m, both published for agriculture and forestry scenarios. For smaller plots, the FS40 reaches 20–43 m, the FSW40 Pro 22–41 m and the FS35 18–36 m, the last two also being published for urban greening as well as agriculture.

What pressure, flow and equipment does a sprinkler need to operate properly?

Published working pressures range from 0.15 MPa at the low end of the FSC50 and FS40 to 0.9 MPa at the top of the FSW80. Published flow figures are 7.8–31.9 m³/h for the FS35, 9.5–37 m³/h for the FSW40 Pro and 9.5–39.4 m³/h for the FS40. The published operating condition requires an adequate water source together with a pump and a hose, and states that operation is possible at ambient temperatures up to 50°C. Below the stated pressure window, the published range and atomization are not attainable.

Is sprinkler irrigation more economical than drip pipe or micro spray pipe?

The published comparison guidance recommends sprinkler irrigation on the basis that a sprinkler covers a large area, is easy to operate, and saves cost and water. The same guidance is explicit about where sprinkler irrigation is not the first choice: in a greenhouse, a small plastic sprinkler or a micro spray pipe is recommended, while an outdoor farm is matched with a metal sprinkler. Drip pipe and micro spray pipe are named as the alternatives to compare against sprinkler irrigation before selection.

Where can buyers source agricultural irrigation sprinklers?

Xuzhou Foison Sprinkler Irrigation Equipment Co., Ltd. manufactures irrigation spray guns and irrigation equipment, with a business focus on turbine spray guns, impact guns and irrigation systems. The company was established in 2013, operates a 30,000 m² facility in Pei County Industry Area, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China with approximately 135 employees and 12 engineers, and reports annual production capacity of 200,000 units with approximately 70% of sales exported. Buyers can request product information, model data and a quotation at sales@foison-irrigation.com or +86 186 5822 6303.

Conclusion: Start With the Figures, Then Request the Quotation

Sprinkler selection at the discovery stage comes down to four published figures: working pressure, range or radius, flow, and connection size. Once those are matched to the pump, the mainline and the area to be covered, the choice between impact and turbine designs becomes a question of duty and pattern preference rather than guesswork. The FOISON Sprinkler range covers that decision from the 18–36 m FS35 impact sprinkler through to the 23–85.7 m FSW80 turbine gun, with the FSC50, FSN50, FSW40 Pro and FS40 filling the intermediate bands.

For buyers moving from research to evaluation, the practical next step is to compare the published data against a specific site and request the corresponding model information and pricing.