A toy gun for launching a foam projectile includes a housing having an outlet, an inlet, and a passage sized to receive the projectile. A launch station disposed in the housing and is arranged to receive the projectile, a crank rotates a resilient actuating paddle. The paddle is shiftable between an undeflected position and an energy storing deflected position, and moves along a path in response to rotation of the crank and extends into the launch station. A post is disposed in the path and is positioned to shift the paddle to the deflected position in response to rotation of the wheel, with the paddle arranged to disengage the post in response to continued rotation of the wheel thereby releasing stored energy as the paddle returns to the undeflected position and travels through the launch station.