2 replies to this topic

[Zyzybalooba]

This being my first homemade (I’ve never actually built one) I have a few questions about lengths and what works well. I’ve done some mods but I don’t have any
experience with homemades yet.

The idea behind this gun is a sort of carbine-rifle. I want to use at least one main air tank, and one firing tank. I am going for a good looking gun, but everything is subject to change based on resizing the barrel, air tanks, and other stuff. As for power I am going for a decent accurate range (70-ish feet or better) with at least 3 good shots from the tanks.

My estimated length would be around 2 feet including room for the stock in the back, and the barrel would be 1-1.5 ft. If I can figure out how, I may make the barrels interchangeable between 40 and 80SCH PVC, so I can use both micro and mega stefans. For now I just plan on 80SCH because I’ve gotten good results with normal stefans and Zero darts inside 80SCH PVC on an SS2. I want the barrel to stick out the front so I can attach a faux suppressor for looks.

The breech would be a variation on one I saw a while back. I’d use 1/2" cl200 PVC with a dart hole on one side nested inside a length of 1” PVC. Rather than pulling out the 1/2" PVC, I would rotate it with a rod or nail and insert the dart directly into the opening of the barrel, then rotate it back, pretty much sealing it. The reason I say cl200 PVC is so there is more room to load the dart in, though 40SCH may be better for this, I am not sure. I can draw out something if that was confusing.

My firing valve would be a pressure washer spray gun, as I read in another thread how it is very effective, and better than a hose handle. I don’t know much about them, but from what I see, it looks like I can chop off parts of it to make it more handle-trigger feeling.

For the air tanks, I want to make the main tank the length of most of the gun with 1” PVC. The ends would be sealed with CPVC endcaps caps or something like that for the sake of looks. I haven't decided if I am going integrate the pump as of yet.

I plan on using a Zero valve between the airtank and the firing tank, just because it’s more compact than a ball valve, and it would fit much better with the theme of the gun. I don’t want to use a ball valve, but I’d have to if I can’t get a non-leaky Zero valve.

On the main firing tank, I don’t know what size to make it to get maximum performance without discharging the pressure too quickly in the main tank. I am really not sure at all what sizes would be good for this kind of thing.

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Like I said, I have some sort of clue of what I’m doing, but I don’t have much experience with homemades.

Sketches:
image - left side with labels
image - right side

[Crotalus]

I love the idea of the rotating breech loader, that way you wouldn't
have to pull out the barrel of use a ram rod. How do you refill it with
air?

Edited by Crotalus, 28 May 2005 - 10:28 PM.

[Zyzybalooba]

Pump to tire stem in the main tank. I haven't decided if I wanted to integrate the pump yet, as I don't have one, but supposing it's small and theme fitting, I would.