This post focuses on the'interesting' mods - ones I've not seen before (but with umpteen thousand posts, I'd not be surprised if I was wrong.)
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The first one is simple to the point of stupid. We've all seen mention of using lengths of PVC to keep the stock from collapsing.
In addition to that, cut the last part of the slot off, and the stock is now removable. Work the latch to lock it or unlock it. No big deal, but I packed a small Philips-head screwdriver, a roll of E-tape, a tube of super-glue, and some zip-ties in there (wrapped in a paper towel so it doesn't rattle.) Not that I expect to use it during a battle, but it made use of some dead space.
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The second one is more interesting. I like the shotgun mods, but the exposed parts got me wondering if there were a better way.
Here's the exposed part of it. A bit of the bolt cover plate plastic-welded to half the frame, filled in with Bondo, covers the gap left by cutting away the bipod assembly. A pair of 1/2" x 1/8" aluminum rails form the guides the front gun handle slides back and forth on.
The two 'tracks' are pieces of clothes-hanger wire, bent double to fasten the aluminum rails to the receiver halves. I remember opting for them over pop rivets, but can't remember why. Aesthetics, maybe? Unsure. There's some epoxy between the rails and receiver halves too. Before epoxying, rough up the rails with a file or coarse sandpaper.
(Edit) Oh, I remember why now - I wanted the inside of the fore-end to have a little more stiffness so there is another set of aluminum rails in there, offset so they don't interfere with the front handle's slide path. I used the clothes hanger wire because I didn't have pop rivets long enough and wanted to get the project done.
So, each half of the receiver's front end is actually sandwiched between two aluminum rails. If I do this again, I'll use pop rivets.
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Here's the internals. The bold sled has two 1/8" holes drilled near the front and two bicycle spokes (295mm, I think - they're $1 each from my local bike store) form the inner cocking rails.
A bit of the front collar had to be nibbled away to make room for the mounting point, which is a piece of bent coat hanger wire fed through the front gun handle where the trigger catch normally emerges. A bolt-and-nut is there to take up the slack. The front gun handle is filled with expanding foam in part to secure the coat hanger wire and keep it from rattling.
One thing to consider before trying this yourself: I was only using the stock spring. You may have to use something sturdier if you augment the LS spring (Nightfinder, BBB, AR15, etc.)
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The last one is more a way to close down the hole left by cutting away the handle than an actual mod. I found the handle got in the way more than it was worth so off it went. The gap bugged me so I looked to fill it with something at least minimally useful. I chopped down the ladder sight from the Recon and mounted it here. The ladder sight itself is a single unit, it's not coming apart again (without a lot of force.) It's only glued to the right half of the receiver.
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Here's the completed blaster. I also tried to Angel the breech, and ... let's just my modding skills need work. And I need a new bolt. >_<
Range: Stock LS-with-AR-removed 40-50 feet before failing my brass smithing roll. 0' after.
Edited by taerKitty, 31 May 2009 - 11:47 PM.
