There's been a bunch of talk about this thing for a while, so I'm sure many of you have heard the name, if nothing else. It has gone through three main revisions before I got it to the stage it's at now and that I'm happy with. I don't expect the average modder to be able to put the hours of tweaking in that it took to get this to where it is, so I have no intention to post a writeup. If someone on here was capable of making this, they wouldn't need one anyway.
Anyway, what I'm talking about:
The +pistol.
Average range: 155 feet flat.
The goal was range, secondary emphases on size and comfort. It's built off of the +bow model, but there is not one piece, save the plunger head washer and spacer that is exactly the same. Every component was modified in some necessary way, including the spring and plunger tube.
To achieve the range goal, I poured everything into it. Utilizing the +bow setup, I maximized both air volume and spring compression, giving 1.25" more of each (at a radius of 11/16" for the air volume, a 16% increase on the already huge volume). With the replaced, extremely comfortable handle, and minus the stock (I personally don't like it, others do.), it gave a very rough approximation as V1:
<--- Old Version, scroll down to see more!
<--- Old Version, scroll down to see more!
<--- Old Version, scroll down to see more!
You can see the first version of the new integration rail, but that version took too long and was too costly to use and make attachments.
There aren't any picture of the second version, but many people saw it at Meltdown. It was dubbed the "barrel launcher", as the recoil coupled with an old coupler made barrels shoot out a solid 10+ feet.
Anyway, I want to touch on the major points of this mod:
The range - with V3 (the final version), I realized that the extra air volume was actually hurting ranges. I took that away. The spring is now pretensioned quite a bit, and still compresses more than in the +bow. The blaster is very pick with darts, and prefers very specific darts in a very specific, and surprisingly short, barrel. I'm experimenting with more barrel and dart fits along the way, but for now, I'm more than happy with the range it gets.
Size:
This beast measures in at a meager 12.5", barely larger than a Maverick:
New coupler system: This helps decrease the size a bit, but it's almost modular. It's pretty unique actually. It fits snugly into the plunger tube without anything done to it, and this is wrapped in e-tape and gooped for both stability and a seal. because of the goop, the bolt running through it does not need to go through ice-picked e-tape, like in the +bow. This makes removing the bolt (and overall disassembly) much easier, but also leads into the modularity. If you pull out the bolt, the coupler is actually a set of reducers. You can pull out the 1/2" reducer and now you can use a 3/4" pvc connection, say for a breech (slide angel breech works in 3/4".. hehe).
"Shaftless" plunger: to increase ranges, I wanted to reduce the mass of the plunger rod. I intend to get some comparison measurements of different aspects of this gun relative to a +bow, so watch for that. This part is very unique though, and spawned most of the work on this blaster.
Blaster primed (note how it doesn't really change in size):
The plunger is only about 1" longer than the catch notch, and the rest is very light aluminum wire. Interestingly, the wire itself does not actually add mass to the plunger, because it actually is pushing on the plunger (as seen in the second picture).
Many things had to change to allow this to work. The catch had to be modified, but this is also the reason the spring had to be. It is now affixed to both the blaster and the plunger.
Priming handle:
This part is a piece of sanded and shaped polycarbonate attached to the wire, with three coats of Plastidip for durability and comfort. When you pull it back, it actually retracts back to your hand via a retractable pen holder in the handle, further reducing the mass on the plunger.
Handle and trigger:
The handle is from a Brass Eagle Talon, from what I understand. I find it very comfortable, and has lots of room on the inside with the removable cap. No clue what else to use it for but it's there.
The trigger went through a few revisions, but the end result is perfect for me. It is, by definition, a hair trigger. Extremely hair. About 1/16" of linear travel at your finger translates into the entire motion of the catch. Which means a lot of force to fire it. There was also about 5 degrees of play in the trigger. The solution I came up with is prettty clever actually:
The trigger spring actually pulls with the trigger, instead of against it. It removes all play, and helps in pulling the trigger quite a bit. Novel and practical, though not complicated. Very nerfy, if I do say so myself.
Last but not least - the tactical rail:
(Seen at the bottom of this picture, I know it's a repeat.)
It's pretty unique. When Langley saw it, he remarked that it was "warped". To the contrary actually. The front intentionally curves in, via those side braces and carefully threaded screws, to provide tension to the attachment and hold it in. I currently only have a front handle finished, but there's more on the way. The next one is almost done, and it's pretty spectacular.
I'll get you guys some videos of the range and ROF asap, but no promises. I currently have no 'net at my house, and have to post this at school as is. Feel free to comment.
Wow. The pictures are a lot blurrier than I thought. My apologies. I can get new ones if any one needs them.
Edited by Aeromech, 23 November 2015 - 01:13 AM.
