114 replies to this topic

[CaptainSlug]

I personally find the stock priming handle kind of awkward and it didn't take me long to figure out a means of moving the action to the front of the gun. The only modifications needed to the gun itself involve drilling a pass-through hole in the front of the gun that supports the fore-grip while still allowing it to slide. I wanted the fore-grip to not needlessly enlarge the gun so I also trimmed some excess off of the front, but doing so was not really required.

Here's the template, diagram, and basic instruction sheet for making a Rev. 1 foregrip.
http://www.captainsl.../ls-shotgun.doc (1.3mb)
Simply print the page out on a full sheet label paper and you can apply the labels as cutting templates to the plastic sheet you're working with. More detailed instructions available below.

Materials
+ 3/16" polycarbonate sheet (cheapest, most durable, lightest, and easiest to machine material I can recommend)
+ #8-32 threaded rod cut to (2) 3.5" lengths or 4-inch length #8-32 bolts
+ (4) Nylon-lock #8-32 hex nuts
+ 1-1/4" neoprene or steel fender washers (need quite a few or either kind)

Tools needed
+ Power drill or Drillpress
+ Scrollsaw or Jigsaw
+ Ruler
+ File\Rasp (for filing down the cut sections of threaded rod)
+ IPS Weld-on #3 or #4
+ Tapping Set

1. First I measured the travel distance of the bolt, which is inbetween 3.25" and 3.5" depending on how tight your spring replacement is.
2. I made a paper template marking where I needed to drill the holes and what shape I wanted to cut the piece out in.
3. I then made two identical pieces out of 3/16" polycarbonate sheet using a drillpress and scrollsaw.
4. Then I made a foregrip which keeps the two plates spaced apart and squared, while also acting as an effective foregrip with a guard to keep my hand forward of where the foregrip moves too while priming the bolt (fairly close to the front of the magazine).
The foregrip is simply made out of more sheets of polycarbonate adhered together using a solvent adhesive (IPS Weld-On #3)
5. I cut two 3.5" lengths of #8-32 threaded rod and used a good number of 1" wide steel washers to space the side plates off of the casing and then used nylon-lock hex nuts to link them to the bolt sled and main shell.

You will need a 1/4" think stack of washers inbetween the side panels of the foregrip and the body shell back near the bolt. Towards the front of the gun you will need a 1/8" thick stack of washers inbetween the two. Althernative you could use Nylon spacers provided their walls are thick enough to support the foregrip.

6. Then I painted the parts and tested them.


The end result provides MUCH more leverage for priming the bolt since you are pushing on both side of the bolt at the same time. The spring replacement/addition mod combined with this one makes for a much more comfortable weapon that also has a higher rate of fire since you don't have to change your hand holds to prime the gun.

I'm going to make a set of assembly diagrams and cutting templates in the next day or so to make it more clear how the rest of you can make your own. I also plan to add one or two decorative plates to the side plates just because I want to give them as much depth as the stock body.

For Revision 3 kit plans see post #90

Edited by CaptainSlug, 24 April 2007 - 10:11 PM.

[Pineapple]

That's really purty. Functional, too (keep two-handed grip while re-priming for next shot, shotgun style). And, looks cool while doing it.

Now if you stuck your CSHG to the bottom of that thing, it would be totally sick. I mean, pump-action Longshot with a Gatling gun blaster underneath. You can yell out, "I AM AHHNOLD, EVY BAHDY DOWN!"

Speaking of which, how's that project going? Hope it gets completed enough for some field tests.


Good work on the LS. I'm going back to Honolulu this weekend; hope they have something there (Longshot or Magstrike). Still no signs of them here yet.


-Piney-

[IceAnubis]

That is completely hawt. I love you. XD

Dude, seriously... great job making it not only functional, but cosmetically sound. I seriously gotta get my den cleared out so I can use my new scroll saw to start actually DOING stuff.

Great job. <3

-Anubis

[Snazzy Q]

VERY nice! What did you use to make the slot to guide the side plates? It looks very clean. Also, what paint did you use?

[CaptainSlug]

Speaking of which, how's that project going? Hope it gets completed enough for some field tests.

I haven't had enough free time to devote to it in recent months but the hiatus has allowed me to figure out more detail on the remaining assemblies that I still need to make. Health, school, and work weren't cooperating either. I atleast have a clear picture of how to finish it.

VERY nice! What did you use to make the slot to guide the side plates? It looks very clean. Also, what paint did you use?

The slide is simply two holes drilled apart and then connected by cutting between them with a scrollsaw.
The grey is Krylon Fusion Primer. The Orange is a very thin plastic dye paint.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 06 September 2006 - 12:15 PM.

[Stormleader]

That's really great I might do that looks great to.


Alex

Edited by Stormleader, 06 September 2006 - 12:22 PM.

[Groove]

That's badass, I can't wait for the diagrams. Nice clean job.

-Groove

[funkyjake]

Good God. Extremely nice. It's things like these that make me wish I went to shop class in middle school.

[AssassinNF]

You could do this to it to make it even more badass!

Great job, It looks awesome!

[Lancaster]

Wow, that is truly incredible. You may now have the coolest looking LS in...dare I say it, the universe?



Here, take all the props I haven't given to Carrtoon.

[sam]

Awesome. Excellent work.
It the grip comfortable? It looks like it might be too boxy to be comfortable.

Edited by sam, 09 September 2006 - 02:10 PM.

[CaptainSlug]

I'm working on the CAD files now that will allow me to provide everyone with the cutting templates. I spent a good portion of today refining the internals of this gun and lathing some pieces to replace the washers I was using to support the foregrip.

Is the grip comfortable? It looks like it might be to boxy to be comfortable.

It's very comfortable and has support where needed. The bars in the middle are glued in place to match up with the curvature of my hand. I may add a foam grip to it later on.

[Ronster]

That's really cool.
Think you can get a video up of it firing???

[CaptainSlug]

Think you can get a video up of it firing???

I'll do that some time this weekend. Right now I want to get the CAD work done and then add the decorative plates.
Now that all the internal modifications are done this thing is a bit of a beast so shooting it indoors can be pretty amusing because the darts are bouncing violently off the walls.

[euphemism]

Very very nice, I await the video(s). Nice intel guy too.

[J cobbers]

Very slick, that really must cut down on the time between cocking and aiming. The entire shot gun effect is also pretty bad ass.

[CaptainSlug]

Here's the template, diagram, and basic instruction sheet.
http://www.captainsl.../ls-shotgun.doc (1.3mb)
Simply print the page out on a full sheet label paper and you can apply the labels as cutting templates to the plastic sheet you're working with.

[Ronster]

Is polycarbonate basically a kind of plastic sheeting, like lexan?

[davidbowie]

Polycarbonate is Lexan. Lexan is just a brand name.

[Forsaken angel24]

Very nice Captain Slug, This chops down time between shots and looks like its more comfortable to fire.
Now I don't know If I am going to do this, the front gun/integration mod or something original.

[CaptainSlug]

New pics of the finished gun. Mostly cosmetic additions to the previous images. I adding decorative plates and used the lathe at work to make threaded spacers out of black delrin.



Tomorrow night I need to dissect the gun again so I can post images of the internal modifications I made. I haven't replaced the barrel yet but I
1. Replaced the o-ring and face of the plunger with steel washers and a fender washer. Adding a spring as outlined in Carrtoon's thread was quickly resulting in the stock plunger face beating itself out of shape.
2. Added a heavier spring to the trigger plate
3. Installed the stock spring with a section off of an ar-15 spring

Dry fires are REALLY loud after the above was completed. With the crappy streamline stock darts I'm getting 85 feet flat. I can stand on the front step of my house and shoot the curb on the other side of the cul-de-sac. I can't wait to try weighting the darts and then get to recording a short video clip.

Is polycarbonate basically a kind of plastic sheeting, like lexan?

There are many brands of polycarbonate. The ones that don't suck are: GE Lexan, Tuffak, Rhinex, and Hyzod. Cheaper no-name polycarbonate is only as durable as Acrylic and I try to avoid using it.
Check your local phone book for plastics shops or sign-making companies and ask if they work with polycarbonate and if they also sell their off-cuts. You can get almost anything you could possibly want for a few dollars per pound. If bought as scraps the plastic for this project would cost less than $6.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 12 September 2006 - 01:05 AM.

[davenelz]

F*uckin sick.

[Pencils-are-cool]

That looks sweet mate, nice job. Dont really like the paint job but thats just my prefrence, hope you dont get shot so i can continue to look at your fantastic work.

Pencils

[NinjZ]

You should sell mod kits for this.

[SirTofu]

You should sell mod kits for this.

That's exactly what I was thinking. This would give me a reason to buy a longshot.