Welcome back to Lean and Mean Academy, where we preach “One Truck, Big Profits”—helping pressure washers streamline their operation, build profitable businesses, and cut through the noise of unnecessary tools. Today, we’re zeroing in on a tool that’s sparked a lot of discussion in the pressure washing community: the shooter tip.
Is it a gimmick? Is it essential? Is it just overpriced snake oil? We’re cutting through the fluff and sharing real-world footage, insights, and hard truths about shooter tips. Whether you’re a rookie or a veteran in this business, you’re going to want to stick around for this one.
What Is a Shooter Tip, Anyway?
A shooter tip is the nozzle you attach to the end of your pressure washing gun that enables you to spray chemical or rinse water in a focused stream—often used for reaching high areas without a ladder. Whether you’re downstreaming or soft washing, this little attachment can either be your best friend… or a pointless $35 accessory if your setup isn’t dialed in.
There are different types of shooter tips:
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Cheap $8 tips that resemble basic zero-degree nozzles.
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Stainless steel and aluminum options with varying stream tightness.
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And the bougie, premium-grade titanium shooter tips—like the ones made by Skunk Washworks—that are essentially the Snap-On tools of our industry.
Do You Actually Need a Shooter Tip?
Let’s be real: no, you don’t need one to start a business. But depending on the jobs you’re doing and how dialed in your system is, a shooter tip can become a clutch tool in your arsenal.
From the footage we reviewed, it's clear:
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Regular zero-degree tips often mist too much. That’s fine for water but a problem for chemicals. It creates overspray, which can damage plants, cars, and windows.
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Shooter tips, on the other hand, give you a tight stream that helps apply chemical more accurately and rinse more effectively—especially from the ground.
If you're working with an 8 GPM pressure washer, the right shooter tip can help you reach 35–50 feet, which is enough to hit second- or even third-story siding or rooflines without breaking out the ladder.
Shooter Tip vs. Poor Plumbing: Don’t Blame the Tip
Here's the key takeaway most beginners miss:
💡 The shooter tip is not the problem—your plumbing might be.
One guy we used to see at the store was constantly frying pumps. Turned out he was running a 3/8-inch hose from his soft wash pump—which is a major no-no. These pumps require ½-inch, ⅝-inch, or even ¾-inch lines, depending on the GPM rating. When your line is too narrow, your pump struggles and fails. Then you blame your shooter tip when it’s really a plumbing bottleneck.
Remember:
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Get your intake plumbing from the tank right.
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Ensure your pump is functioning efficiently.
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Use the correct hose diameter to avoid unnecessary restriction.
THEN worry about whether your shooter tip is helping or not.
Real-World Example: Q6 Crew Crushing It
In a clip submitted by the Q6 team, they demonstrate the power of a titanium shooter tip with an 8 GPM setup. They’re hitting chimneys from 45–55 feet away—and they’re not even using a ladder for most of the work. The stream was clean, tight, and efficient. Add some wind and elevation into the mix, and you’re looking at an impressive performance without gas-powered soft wash rigs.
So yes—when everything’s dialed in, shooter tips deliver.
Is It Worth the Money?
That depends.
If you’re just getting started and budget is tight, go with a basic tip. But if you’re trying to maximize efficiency, eliminate ladders, and deliver professional-level results, then investing in a higher-end shooter tip (like the Skunk Washworks titanium tip) might be worth the money.
Just don’t forget: even the best shooter tip won’t work if your pump’s choking on a bad setup.
Shooter Tip Summary: Clutch, Not Magic
So what’s the verdict?
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✅ Not snake oil. Shooter tips do what they’re designed to do—help you apply and rinse from the ground.
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🚫 Not magic. They won’t make a failing pump shoot like a cannon.
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🎯 Absolutely clutch when paired with proper plumbing and a good pump.
Want to Go From Zero to $7K Fast?
If you're ready to take your pressure washing business to the next level in 2023, we’ve got something for you. Justin Rogers and I created the Local Domination: Zero to $7K Course—and it’s helped countless guys hit multiple six figures starting from scratch.
It’s business-first, marketing-rich, and filled with practical strategies on chemicals, systems, and pricing that you won’t find on YouTube. Want to start booking jobs and scaling fast?
👉 [Check out the course – link in the description and comments.]
Thanks for reading—and remember: the shooter tip isn’t everything, but every edge counts in this game.
Stay Lean. Stay Mean.
– Coty, Lean and Mean Academy
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