26 replies to this topic

[Foam Shooter]

Yesterday I got home from school and decided that I wanted to make a pistol for integration on my SnapBow. It didn't happen. What did happen was a pistol that was to large for the SnapBow. I started with a design that was like a Snap but with a lot of variations. Here is the design:


I had to change the size to get a reasonable amount of compression from it but it still close to the original design. This is the gun:

Unprimed- 10"


Primed- 13.5"

The barrel I have on it is 9/16" brass nested in 1/2" PVC.

It can be held comfortably with one hand. No ranges yet since it is pitch black and raining out but I'll try to get some tomorrow. The darts are moving at about the same velocity as a Disk Shot pistol. The spring in it is from home depot. It is about equal to the +Bow spring but it is 4". I have one full one and one half one inside.

I'll answer any questions and I will possibly make a write-up. Also if anyone has a name for it post them.

Edited by Foam_Shooter, 29 October 2008 - 09:09 PM.

[rork]

I like it! Should be really easy to stick in a holster. What do you have at the front and rear of the gun?

[Llama Boy]

Now thats a homemade! No plexiglass, no expensive parts and, a good old clothspin trigger. This reminds me of the old days when the Haven had new homemades every other day, and barely anyone made speculation threads.
By the way, nice homemade.

Edited by Llama Boy, 25 October 2008 - 09:13 PM.

[Echnalaid]

Call it the SNAPfinder!
How hard is it to prime compared to other springs/guns?

[Split]

I really like the cocking mech on this. Good work.

[MercenaryXero]

What kind of PVC are you using for the pressure chamber? I can't tell if its 1.25" or 1".

[Foam Shooter]

Rork: At the front of the gun is a 1/2" coupler and at the back is a 1/2" end cap. Right now I'm working on a holster. I'm thinking just a piece of 1 1/4" PVC made so that it can attach to a belt.

Llama Boy: Thanks a lot. It's definitely is rewarding to get compliments for hours of work.

Echnalaid: I think I'll go with that name to go along with Rork's SnapBow. After all it is what inspired me to build this. It is similar to a NiteFinder with a Handyman spring in it, difficult but manageable.

Splitlip: The cocking mech is a lot more comfortable than I had expected it to be. I'm pleased with it.

MercenaryXero: I'm using 1" thinwall PVC for the pressure chamber.

[Echnalaid]

I think you should use a name like the destroyer or something along the lines of pain and death. But anyways good work. I am really looking forward to ranges for this.

No, it doesn't look ferocious or evil enough to be called that. It's your basic SNAP in pistol form.
Shouldn't there be a trigger guard?

[Foam Shooter]

JSB: I'm thinking more along the lines of a name for love and nurture... just kidding. I'm liking the name but it doesn't really fit this gun.

Echnalaid: I'm deciding whether or not a trigger guard is necessary for it. I'll try one tomorrow and see how I like it. Also it's not quite a Snap because it uses a #18 O-ring inside of 1" thinwall PVC. The only thing that this deprives from a snap is the trigger and catch mech. Every thing else is kind of GNSesque. I agree that the name does not fit.

[nerfboi]

Man, nice job. I'm definitely trying this. Good job

[Bomberman]

Your drawing makes it look like an alien ray gun almost.
Anyway, this is really cool. Do you have any sort of holster for it? I think a drill holder would work almost perfectly for this.
EDIT: W00t. 700 posts. Go me.

Edited by Bomberman, 26 October 2008 - 12:47 AM.

[Foam Shooter]

JSB: Welrod is at the top of the list for names. I'll probably go with that unless I think of something else.

NerfBoi: I hope you do try it. I think I'll make a write-up today if I find enough time. I'll edit it in to my first post.

Bomberman: Don't make fun of my mad good drawing skills. Just kidding. I don't have a holster yet but a do have a couple of plans that I am going to go try now.

[nerfboi]

You said that you used a Handyman spring right? Those are the ones inside my SnapBow. I'm useing 2 of them and a first gen NF spring. You get any ranges yet?

[BustaNinja]

Im building something similar, and all I would like to say is, for pistols, you want a thin plunger rod.

[Foam Shooter]

OK I have ranges. It was chilly outside and the darts were fired flat at about 5' from the ground. The darts used were a tight fit in 9/16" brass.

75'
73' 2"
71'
70' 2"
67' 7"

I'm pleased with the results. It's reliable and accurate. I was busy with other things today so I'm going to start the write-up tonight and I may possibly finish it but probably not.

[nerfboi]

I just found out that a 1 1/4 rubber fender washer fits inside thin wall 1" PVC. But then again, it would be kinda making another snap, just smaller version. I jsut thought that I should share that. Also, maybe you could make something along the lines of Carrtoon's homemade. the reverse plunger/barrel system. Just a thought.

[rork]

That't be pretty badass--although I'd have to find some thinwall.

[Foam Shooter]

O.K., I would first like to say I have decided to name this the SnapFinder. Now this is the write-up to build your own.

Materials:
Pipe:
1” Thinwall PVC
¾” PVC
¾” Thinwall PVC
½” PVC
9/16” Brass
Aluminum Tubing (McMaster Part #1658T49)(Could use CPVC)

Pipe Fittings:
½” PVC Coupler
½” PVC End Cap x2

Other:
Epoxy Putty
Clothespin
Angle Iron
3/8” Panhead Screws
Nail with large head
Handyman Spring x2

Tools:
Drill
Drill Bits: 7/64”, 1/8”, 5/8” Spade Bit
Miter Box and Saw; Miter Saw
Dremel

This is what you will be working toward:


To start I will break down each part.

The Plunger




The plunger is made up of a 7” piece of aluminum tube attached to a Snaplike plunger head.
Start by cutting the aluminum to 7”. Now cut about a ¼” off of a ½” end cap. Next drill a 5/8” hole in the end cap. Cut a piece of ½” PVC to about 2 ¾”. Attach an O-ring to it by following this.
Now widen the size of the ½” PVC by sanding it with a Dremel sanding drum. Next slide the aluminum into this. Drill two 7/64” holes into this and anchor it down with the 3/8” screws. Slide the end cap with the hole in it up to this and attach it to the PVC. Drill a 1/8” hole in the back of the aluminum for the key ring later. You can set this aside for now.

The Body



The body very simple to make. To start take a piece of 1” Thinwall PVC and cut it to 9 5/16”. Now take a ½” coupler and wrap it in electrical tape until it is tight in the PVC. Push this into the PVC until it is flush with the end and drill 4 holes into it from the sides. This is for the screws to hold it in. Now take a ½” end cap and drill a 5/8” hole it the back of it. Now do the same as you did with the ½” coupler but on the other side. Now take the end cap and cut a slot in the bottom:

This is where the screws for the handle will go. You can put this aside for now. Now drill a 1/8” hole for the clothespin trigger 5” from the front of the gun. Drill a 1/8” hole in the top and bottom of the clothespin. Glue the screw into here and then epoxy putty an angle iron to this. You are done with this for now.

The Handle



To make the handle take a ¾” PVC pipe and cut a 3 ½” segment off of it. Do the same with thinwall. Cut the thinwall in half length wise and glue it both pieces to the Schedule 40 piece. Wrap some electrical tape around this to reinforce it. Now cut the top to about 30 degrees. Put some epoxy putty in here and then sand it to the shape of 1 ¼” PVC. This is all you can do with this for now until assembly.



The Barrel




The barrel is just like an average PVC barrel. Cut a piece of ½” PVC to about 6 ½”. Now take a piece 9/16” brass and cut it to 6 ½”. Wrap the brass in electrical tape at the front and back so that it is snug in the PVC. Glue the brass into the PVC and set the piece aside for now.

Assembly

To start the assembly attach the handle to the body.


Now slide the plunger into the body.


Next put the front coupler in the body and screw it down. Now put the end cap in the back of the gun so that the slit that you cut in it is around the screw for the handle. Screw it down.


Add the key ring of your choice to the hole you drilled in the aluminum.


You have finished the gun. Make sure that you lube it up with silicone spray. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to post any of your questions.

Edited by Foam_Shooter, 29 October 2008 - 09:16 PM.

[nerfboi]

I love you man. I've been waiting for this this whole week. I can't wait to get this started this weekend, hopefully.
Nice job.

[Carbon]

How well does the trigger catch? I used an almost identical design for the SNAP-3m, and had problems with a smooth plunger catch..mostly because of the wiggle room between 1/2" endcaps and 1" thinwall.

[Foam Shooter]

nerfboi: I hope you like it when you're done. It's a fairly easy build. Post any question you have along the way.

Carbon: The trigger catches fine. I mad my nail very short since the slope of the end cap is small. Sometimes it can get caught on the spring but that one in every twenty shots.

[Foam Shooter]

You could use a cut down +Bow spring. It would increase the power also.
As for the handyman I don't think that it is actually a handyman. Go to the hardware section with all of the handles and things in it and it is in a gray package with some orange on it. I would take a picture but I have thrown all of mine out. Just take a look, it's 4" long and comes with two per package.

[nerfboi]

Hey, I couldn't find any #18 O - Rings. they didn't have the # sign, but they had specific measurements. Where did you get your O Ring?

[Foam Shooter]

I got my O-Rings at Lowes. I'll get specific measurements today after school if you cant find it.