75 replies to this topic

[Super 6 0ne]

A very short-barreled shotgun. I was thinking of a SNAP-SG. Put like 3 or 4 barrels on one and put a couple of darts in each barrel.

EDIT: Here's a pic of a pretty mean-looking scatter gun:

Edited by Super 6 0ne, 06 February 2006 - 06:50 PM.

[Carbon]

Yeah, that's the sort of shape I was thinking of. Here's what I was basing it off of.



Just a pirate gun I gut at Disneyworld when I was 6. I was thinking of capping off the bend, and manually installing two barrels there....

DB: The surgical tubing sounds really promising, considering what you're getting already...you could run the tubing through 1/2" pvc running down the side of the body, to keep it from getting snagged on anything.

Nice model....the only question of it being balanced enough would be if it can support a barrel that long...but I suppose thaty could be solved by shoving the Crayola down only halfway if needed....

I was thinking of an alternate method for the snapgun, to mount is more like the standard method: I ended up getting those mini clothespins, and the actual spring area is something like 3/4 of an inch. It'd be possible to mount the clip in the other direction, carve out a hole under the handle, and mount it over the clip. I think you could get a "Luger" look that way...

Edited by Carbon, 19 April 2015 - 04:19 PM.

[ShadowSniper]

I just scimmed through this topic, reading a post in full every once in a while so I might have missed it. What Kind of springs are you using in these? And, where are you getting them? I've made a few homemades but havent been able to get the power I wanted outta the springs I have to work with.

[Super 6 0ne]

With a bit of work, you could modify the SNAP-S with a hinge so that you could load it like a break action shotgun. That would make reloading a lot quicker, more efficient, and kinda unique.

[Carbon]

I just scimmed through this topic, reading a post in full every once in a while so I might have missed it. What Kind of springs are you using in these? And, where are you getting them? I've made a few homemades but havent been able to get the power I wanted outta the springs I have to work with.

Hardware stores will often have drawers of springs in the aisle with all the little drawers with loose scres and washers. I've had the best luck at True Value hardware, and also at Fleet Farm. The springs I've been using are 9/16" wide, 9 1/2" inches long. I just squeeze them until I find one that feels right.....

[davidbowie]

Hmm.... Scattergun. If I can find a good kind of soft copper tubing which nests into any decent barrel, I could make some shotshells for it, perfect for break action, by flaring the breech end of each shell, then loading them with several shotgun darts. You get the picture.

OK: I made a lot of progress today. The entire plunger setup, the grip, and the trigger are finished. The grip is nice and chunky, and it fits right into my hand. The trigger works like a charm, and it's the perfect size.

One thing I realized: This gun is going to be BIG. Without a barrel and uncocked, the gun is like an enormous pistol. It's quite a bit bigger than any pistol, flare gun, or whippet gun I've seen. It's a little smaller than an AK with the stock retracted. When cocked, it's twice as long (duh...) and it feels quite big. With a barrel and stock it will be quite something. I'm guessing it will be quite a bit bigger than starbuck's mountain rifle.

I happened to get the most badass-looking machine screws out there. From my point of view, the coupler-reducer joint looks like Darth Maul's head. One downside of this is that , since these same screws hold on the cocking handle, my hand is subject to abuse by the moving plunger. The stock will fix that.

My solution for the surgical tubing (which works beautifully BTW) is to make sheaths out of 1" PVC over the sides. It should come out pretty cool.

I'm still not sure whether or not to put on a foregrip. Any opinions either way would be appreciated.

I'm also considering a double nano barrel as one of my barrels for this (interchangeable). Not quite sure as to how to make a compact joint for them, but I'll probably figure it out.

[Carbon]

Another day, another SNAP....here's another variant on the sidearm.



Getting around 30 feet, and nice and accurate. The spring feels a little weak. I'll be curious to see the surgical tubing spring, as this one might benefit from bands like that, too.... I ended up using a mini clothespin, and cutting out a space for it under the handle. The trigger is a piece of metal, and a stick of PVC glued to that. Trigger pull is sort of back-and-down, as the pin is pretty much right behind the trigger.

Edited by Carbon, 19 April 2015 - 04:19 PM.

[davidbowie]

Nice... very nice. I love the aesthetic it has going. I'm still pushing for that plunger-inside-the-grip thing, but I have to finish the big one first. It's been difficult to work in enough time to get much done on this, since it's been a busy week.

One nice thing I have discovered: when the barrel is removed, my SNAP fits nicely in a metal briefcase I made, so i can do the whole asshole in a movie thing, opening the case and taking out a barrel to screw on.

I decided against the stock, because there was no good way to attach it. I'm working on a folding/detachable stock, but I'm not sure how to go about it, since I want it to be sturdy.

I put in a couple screws in the rear endcap today, so now the gun is functionally finished! Tommorrow comes the foregrip, tubing covers, trigger gaurd, and the final screwing together of the barrel, and then it's ready for paint!

You asked about surgical tubing? It works GREAT! It's some really powerful stuff. Before I put in all the screws, it would tear out connections it wasn't even touching with the plunger impact. Even with a heavier plunger, it's got plenty of performance. The great thing is, it's easy to adjust and replace. Also, while it's cocked, I can play my gun like a bass! Try THAT with a spring!

[Carbon]

I'll probably revisit the plunger/handle thing....I just couldn't get the look to work for me. I think your design would work really well, but I'd need a stronger plunger, first, to afford a longer barrel. I think your spring idea for the handle plunger would work really well, and run the tubing down the grip to widen it.

[davidbowie]

This is another idea I had: Bullpup configuration. It's fairly simple, and it allows the firing pin to be farther back in the plunger tube since the grip doesn't have to be behind it.

It also makes for more gun in a smaller space, as well as a built in stock.

On a cool factor note: the gun would actually kick!

You make a good point about the plunger/grip idea, which hadn't occured to me. The extra bits of grip used to thicken it could sheath the tubing if it put it front/back instead of side/side.

[Super 6 0ne]

Good stuff DB. Could you show us that model from a couple more sides maybe?

[Carbon]

Cool vision there...yeah, could you post another view of it?

The only potential problem I could see with that design is the long barrel. You could shove the Crayola only halfway down it, but does having a large space between the plunger head and the end of the dart hurt compression? I would think that having to compress "dead space" would take away from force used to fire the dart....been wondering about this.

Aside from that concern, there's some great potential with that design. You could use the charging rod concept from the SNAP-2 , and link that to a sheath over the body. A gun that charges like a shotgun. Depending on the slot on the sheath you could then link that back/forth action to an actuator rod on the breech....push forward to charge the spring, back to close the breech.

Another possibility on that configuration would be to run two barrels, and use a valve to select which one would get the pressure. Double barreled shotgun!

[Super 6 0ne]

Carbon, I just had a little idea for you. You've been having trouble finding a workable metal for your triggers. If you could find a small peice of "unworkable" metal, say steel or something, you could heat it up in the middle with a blowtorch and then bend it. Not exactly simple or easy, but it just occured to me as a possibility.

[davidbowie]

OH NO!!!

I put a barrel on to test, and stefans won't even clear the muzzle!

In a 3/4" barrel, which is loose, they just kind of skid along for about a foot, then stop.

In a 1/2" thinwall, which is pretty tight, they don't move at all, and there's a hissing sound.

I'll look around for a different barrel, but it still needs work.

Could this be a leaky piston?

[Carbon]

A way to test it would be to hold your hand over the end of the barrel, airtight, and fire. An indication of how airtight your plunger is is how slowly the plunger returns to rest. If it moves as fast with your hand over it as it does with a dryfire (open barrel/no dart)...then you have problems.

I suppose that it's all the same barrel material you're using for other mods, and they work okay, right?

Edited by Carbon, 08 February 2006 - 08:23 PM.

[Starbuck]

On homemades I use brass since it fits darts a bit looser than CPVC.

[ShadowSniper]

I've been looking at what you guys have been doing with springs and clothespins, and I decided that I'm going to make one (To start with) of these kinda things. Just gotta wait to go to the hardware store tomorrow. Just had to satisfy my creativity with modeling an idea in 3-d.

I figure since you guys have been posting 3-d models of stuff you plan on making, I'd post my concept also.


I'm thinking 1 1/4" SCH 40 Pvc Pipe for the main compression chamber, and 1/2" CPVC Pipe for the barrel/charging rod. (Yes, They are compatable if you do some modding) Then use your clothespin trigger system with a iron trigger, then use a spring clip made with acrylic and wood. (Already got this from a failed experiment). I figure if it's not too big, I can use it as a sidearm, or if it turns out too big, put a stock on it and use it as a primary. That is, IF it gets decent range when I'm finished.

[Starbuck]

I've been looking at what you guys have been doing with springs and clothespins, and I decided that I'm going to make one (To start with) of these kinda things. Just gotta wait to go to the hardware store tomorrow. Just had to satisfy my creativity with modeling an idea in 3-d.

I figure since you guys have been posting 3-d models of stuff you plan on making, I'd post my concept also.


I'm thinking 1 1/4" SCH 40 Pvc Pipe for the main compression chamber, and 1/2" CPVC Pipe for the barrel/charging rod. (Yes, They are compatable if you do some modding) Then use your clothespin trigger system with a iron trigger, then use a spring clip made with acrylic and wood. (Already got this from a failed experiment). I figure if it's not too big, I can use it as a sidearm, or if it turns out too big, put a stock on it and use it as a primary. That is, IF it gets decent range when I'm finished.

Haha, good concept, but hold that thought...

I've got one nearly identical to that in the works. About another week or so and it'll be released commercially.

[IN-THE-DARK]

Good concept. But be carefull what you buy at the hardware store. First check what they have. I'm rushing my gun, I'll put pictures up when it's complete.

[davidbowie]

In the dark, can you clarify that post? I have no clue what you're trying to say.

OK, well I found the problem. Since I was using brass threaded parts to connect to the barrel with no teflon tape, the barrel connection leaked like mad. I screwed a ball valve on instead of the barrel, and open vs. closed made almost no difference!

When I took off all the adapters, and covered the hole with my hand, it took about a second for the plunger to go in. It's not great, but it's alright.

When I can get to the hardware store, I'll buy a 3/4" by 1/2" reducing male adapter and some teflon tape, so there's only one thread connection, and it's a good seal.

Another problem came up last night: the grip I had on there snapped off. I wasn't too surprised, since it was held on with hot glue, but it was a nice handle.

My solution is to replace the endcap on the back with a tee or wye, depending on what I can find.

So, my question is: would a straight grip be ugly? Since i'm planning to shoot from the hip, it might be a bit unwieldy, but nothing too bad. The main issue is aesthetics. I will probably have a foregrip, if that affects it.

[Ronster]

Carbon,
You've created a simple, yet very efficiant, homemade nerf weapon that seems to have gotten very popular around the forums. Everyone seems to be wanting to make one.
I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate you.

[Carbon]

Thanks, Ronster, I've been having a lot of fun with it. What's been really cool is that the suggestions and ideas in this thread have taken it in ways I wouldn't have thought of, and just generally improved it...made it more flexible. I'm really looking forward to seeing other people's SNAPs, and the ways they adapt them.

A second for the plunger to go back in is pretty good. Both of mine range from a second or two. I think the teflon tape will help a lot, glad you found a probable cause.

I'm not sure what to do about the handle, either...mine's just bonded with hot glue, as well. If (when) it falls off, I think I'll try another page from Boltsniper's book and just use superglue....I don't think I could give up that style of handle.

EDIT: I brassed the SNAP-2 with 17/32" for micros, and gained another 10 feet in range...got 65' down my hallway tonight. In a practical sense of distance, I can fire the complete length of my apartment, and hit the far wall still at chest height...and that's with stefans that are still a bit too snug (they *still* won't vacuum feed, I gotta ram them). Good accuracy, too.

I'll have to wait for more range tests, as I'm not gonna tax my neighbor's patience by turning the hallway into a firing range.

Edited by Carbon, 09 February 2006 - 08:17 PM.

[davidbowie]

Hmm, I just found a place that sells fairly large syringes. They look very promising, especially for a new SNAP-S model. Ill get a couple the next time I'm there. They could probably handle nanos quite well.

[Deaths Avatar]

Hmm, I just found a place that sells fairly large syringes. They look very promising, especially for a new SNAP-S model. Ill get a couple the next time I'm there. They could probably handle nanos quite well.

Hmm. Interesting idea. The problem with a syringe is that, though it will have a near perfect seal, it will require a tremendous amount of force to move. Having experimented with syringes in the past, I discovered that when I finally found a spring that would move the plunger, it did not move it very rapidly at all. It could be worth a try though, the seal would be hard to argue with.

-DA

[davidbowie]

I don't think syringes are lubricated at all when you buy them. I recently bought a pocket oiler that came with the best oil I have ever seen. I'll try that out on it, to see if it helps.