3 replies to this topic

[taerKitty]

Stupidly simple mod, but measuring the cuts took some work so I figured I'd save you the time. Those who enjoy paramilitary hardware pr0n eye candy will recognize this as an L-clip, a third way to join two extended magazines. (We've seen the upside down and side-by-side.)

Let's start with the finished product:



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Needed:

• Drill w/ 1/4" bit
• (2) 14" Wire ties
• Hacksaw (or Dremel)
• Ruler optional

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Start with two double clips. You'll only be cutting into one. Make sure your spring is attached to the right hand screw as you view the magazine, window side up. We'll be punching a hole on the other screw hole, so please double-check.

Make cuts on the non-window side of magazine to accommodate the flanges on the other magazine.



Specifically, here are the measurements:



Each notch is two hacksaw cuts wide, and as deep as the beveled sides will allow before you cut into them.

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On the horizontal flange, make one cut as indicated. This one goes to through the whole flange, stopping flush with the face of the magazine:



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Now remove the left-side screw (again, as you view the magazine with the window facing up) and punch a 1/4" hole through the magazine at at that screw hole.

Align the two magazines in the L, window side out. The 'downrange' side of both magazines should face the 90-degree void between them. Thread a wire tie through each hole and around the other clip. Don't tighten it, just let it latch. Repeat, and tighten the wire ties a little at a time, alternating until they're both tight.

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Lastly, here's how it looks on my YALPAM II:



Because of symmetry, it looks this way with either clip inserted. That's good for me, I'm right-handed. Southpaws will have to make adjustments to this recipe.

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Closing comments:

I came up with this because YALPAM II can't take a side-by-side magazine because the side-integrated front blasters get in the way. I didn't do an upside-down clip because I don't like having to flip my arm a full 180 degrees. With this, it's a simple/r 90-degree twist.

I've found that if I eject the clip while grabbing it from its side (as if it were a vertical foregrip), then I can swap it in with the standard "push up with the palm" motion. If I eject it with my hand under the clip, it seems a little clumsier to insert.

On the OCD fit-and-finish front, I cut apart the unused bottom of the magazine to use as fasteners/stiffeners. I also used some Mighty Putty to continue the vertical flanges. It's so-so stuff. It doesn't stick worth a damn compared to other putties, but it cures much slower so it's not a race to work with. The consistency is stiff and gritty, not suited for fine work (then again, I'm just starting out with this hobby, so it could be the user, not the supplies.)

Lastly, there seems to be some conflict over who created this mod, DarkShrimp or CaptainSlug. I'll gladly correct the title if it turns out I'm in error, but the people I asked on IRC said it was DS's idea and CS's writeup.

Comments / flames / questions?

Edited by taerKitty, 22 June 2009 - 09:17 PM.

[JATDO]

That's a handy trick to be able to gave two high-cap mags with minimal width and hight.
Good job!

[Bedhed117]

Nice and clean. The only other thing that I would do is mod it to fire stephans. Other than that it is awsome. Makes the gun look even beast-ier. I love it.

[taerKitty]

That's a handy trick to be able to gave two high-cap mags with minimal width and hight.
Good job!

Much thanks. This way, I get 20-26 shots (depending on how tightly I stuff my magazines), and as you point out, it's not very much in the way. Still, trying to carry on in the Longshot stock is not practical, unless you're Andre the Giant (and still alive.)

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Nice and clean. The only other thing that I would do is mod it to fire stephans. Other than that it is awsome. Makes the gun look even beast-ier. I love it.

Or use 2.5" stefans? Yes, I'd put in the guide strips, but that would entail opening up the magazines. The beautiful thing about these extended magazines is that you can connect them without opening them - just pop the screws and pry the bottoms apart.

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Additional comments:

The magazines press together right below where they're extended/joined. This means if you have any misalignment on the inside of the magazine, you're going to have a sticky pusher bar.

By filing the inside of the magazine, especially the flared end sections, and filing down the ends of the flanges in the pusher bar for those same sections, I fixed the above problem.

Hey, we all can't be CaptainSlug - take a look at this post on his writeup thread to see how amazingly clean this can be. Then look at my attempt and cringe.

I ended up wasting many wire-ties before settling on baling wire, specifically that which bound my Nerf blaster to the packaging, while I was test-firing it. This allowed me to open the clips to remove the insides so I could file them down, and to adjust the tension.

The ideal tension, given my sloppy joining, is proportionally sloppy - the clips wiggle a little. Were I to tighten the wire so they were immobile, I'd be squeezing the sides so much that the pusher bar can't reliably move.

I also ended up with a different way of doing the springs, in part because I couldn't find "#6-32 screws, #8 washers, and #6-32 hex nuts" and in part because the spring didn't fold the way I wanted. I'll take a picture of it the next time I get a chance.