I once saw Tommy Walsh and Big Al doing it using a humungous *nail
gun.
Sort of instantly shoots a long nail in, then makes a curious whirring
sound as if it's chuckling to itself.( Love to know how those things
work

Paslode IM350 probably. Fires a 90mm round wire nail

The large body contains a piston (about 50mm diameter), and uses a
butane gas cartridge to drive the piston. The whirring noise is the
fan which clears the combustion gases after firing a nail.