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Rork's Big Bad Bow Overhaul


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#1 rork

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Posted 25 July 2009 - 04:07 PM

I entered this into the mod contest at HQ, but I figured I'd drop it off here as well, just for general purposes.
My goal was to create a neat, clean BBB with full modifications, no dead space, and appropriate reinforcements. I also wanted to keep it as fool-proof as possible. I give you:

The Big BAMF Bow
This mod is extremely comprehensive, so I’m gonna break it down into steps. Please note that this mod involves doing lots of permanent alterations to your gun. Don’t start unless you’re sure you can finish, and do it properly.
Step 1: opening the gun.
Open the front half of the shell. See these tabs? Put them and their associated springs in your "tiny annoying parts" holder.
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Now for the challenge: the inner shell. This thing is glued together, here.
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There are also pegs and slots that are glued into each other, and usually end up breaking off.
Now, you don’t want to break the gun, so don’t jerk on it. Any pressure applied should be firm and steady. Lots of small (and not so small) parts will get jostled out/removed while you’re trying to open this sonofabitch, so keep up with them. The catch, the catch spring, and the trigger spring are small and important; watch out for ‘em.
Remove all the screws, and open the shell as much as you can. Insert a small screwdriver into the crack between the shell halves, and slide it forward, spreading the halves as you go.
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The idea is to overwhelm the glue joint while avoiding damaging the surrounding plastic. TAKE YOUR TIME.
Step 2: Internal PVC Coupler
Take out the front of the plunger tube, and remove the air restrictor assembly. You don’t need any of it.
Cut off the stock barrel.
Dremel out the large orange piece until 1/2" pvc fits through it. Keep checking; you don't want to remove too much.
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Cut a ring from your ¾”pvc coupler, about 3/8” long.
Now smear a good amount of goop around the barrel opening. Don’t be shy; this needs to be strong. Take your reducing bushing, and push it down into the goop, removing any excess goop from the inside of the bushing. Get it more or less centered and straight.
MORE TO COME--DO NOT POST.
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<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20296" target="_blank">SNAPbow Mk. V</a>
<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20409" target="_blank">Make it pump-action</a>

#2 rork

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Posted 25 July 2009 - 04:11 PM

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Grab the ring you cut off your coupler earlier, and push it down over the bushing. This fills the dead space and straightens the bushing. Make sure the bushing is firmly pushed into the goop.
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Grab your plunger tube, and push it up into the large orange piece. This should push the coupler ring forward 1/8” or so. Now remove the plunger tube, take your tube of CA glue, and put a generous ring all the way around the little moat between the bushing and the wall of the orange piece. This should seep into the cracks, sealing it and anchoring the entire assembly in an extremely permanent fashion.
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While the coupler assembly is drying, reinforce the catch.
Step 3: Catch Reinforcement.
I smeared epoxy putty all over my trigger, then took a hobby knife and removed the cured epoxy until it fit. You could just reinforce the back of the catch; I was feeling excessive.
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Add a catch spring. I used the trigger return spring from a Buzz Bee Mega Missile.
I HIGHLY recommend gluing your catch and trigger return springs in place.
STILL MORE COMING--DO NOT POST
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<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20296" target="_blank">SNAPbow Mk. V</a>
<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20409" target="_blank">Make it pump-action</a>

#3 rork

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Posted 25 July 2009 - 04:14 PM

Step 4: Plunger Head Replacement.
Remove your stock plunger head, spring, and spring retainer. You won’t need any of em.
Cut the front peg off the plunger shaft.
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Dremel out your ½” cpvc endcap until it fits tightly over the plunger shaft. Drill a hole in the front of the endcap, and thread your #4 bolt through like so. Drill a small hole through the cap and into the plunger shaft. Make sure it’s solid. Add a 1” fender washer, a #6-8 finishing washer, and a nut to your plunger head, and screw it down. Add a drop of hot glue to keep the nut from loosening, once you have it in the gun.
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Drill a ¼” hole in your plunger tube. Yeah, I know.
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Find a wee screw about ¾” long, whose head will fit through the hole.
Cut your [k25] spring in half.
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MORE COMING--DO NOT POST
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<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20296" target="_blank">SNAPbow Mk. V</a>
<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20409" target="_blank">Make it pump-action</a>

#4 rork

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Posted 25 July 2009 - 04:18 PM

Insert the plunger into the tube, drop the new spring over it, and push the plunger head over the plunger, making sure the holes line up. Use the hole you drilled in the plunger tube to screw the head and plunger together. Cover the hole with a couple wraps of e-tape.
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Assemble and enjoy. You now have a BBB that has no dead space, a solid, almost perfect seal, a much stronger spring, and looks almost stock.
Finished pics, with a petg turnaround:
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Much credit goes to dizzyduck’s scorpion bow optimization; he inspired me to do this, although I ended up using very different techniques. And my catch reinforcement is just a gonzo version of Angel’s.

The End. Comment away, guys.
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<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20296" target="_blank">SNAPbow Mk. V</a>
<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20409" target="_blank">Make it pump-action</a>

#5 spodd5

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Posted 25 July 2009 - 09:06 PM

Nice mod, I like the coupler setup. Ranges?
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#6 HOTH

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Posted 26 July 2009 - 01:17 AM

Very good mod, not to mention, extremely clean as well. As spodd asked, ranges? I am assuming they are pretty beastly, though.
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