[WIP] Project Plasma Shotgun

Hey guys, I'm GoL and this is my first mod write up, on a little something I'm going to start work on eventually, and I'd thought someone might like to see this.

Now, someone out there has to own one of these Optimus Prime RP blasters. Looks like:



Or:



Now, I use getting sub-par ranges out of mine, so I decided something had to be done. My idea was to completely recreate this blaster to an awesome shotgun-styled blaster with a custom paintjob. At the moment I not sure how I will do said paintjob, whether I'll go for a War for Cybertron style look, or just a general sci-fi one. Anyway, here's the blaster at the moment (Sorry for bad imagery, I've lost my SD card reader so I can only get my pictures from my webcam.)



This is the list of what I plan to do with it:



1: Cut off these extra handle sections.
2: Relocate the trigger (Don't know whether I'll use a custom made trigger or a key ring one)
3: Custom ammo storage (as many darts as I can fit!)
4: New custom shotgun grip for reloading (I might use my old recon tactical light shell for this)
5: Low powered laser light/pointer thingy (Anyone know what the legal intensity and where to get one?)
6: Finish drilling out the rest of that air restrictor, I popped the part with the spring out, but I haven't finished yet.
7: Get a new spring and pad the end of that bolt, just to be safe
8: New catch spring

So that's the to-do list.

Anyway, to work. First things first, take all the screws out, only on the main body, not on the barrel, trigger handle and the part that slides. Lift that plate off, and you'll se the full second part. You should have it like this:



Take the screws out of the second part and put them in a separate place, and open that part. I can't show you internals because I have a ripped screw and have probably messed everything up anyway. After that, remove the bolt and the orange barrel casing, and then take that off, looks like this:



Then, open up on the red piece, there's no glue so it just slides apart. Take AR will just fall out, if memory serves me correctly, then just cut out the prongs there. Pictures when I come to that.

Alight, managed to get some work done. I have looked at and removed the ripped screw, and encountered a problem. This part here:



Is a solid piece of plastic. But I'm cutting it out anyway so that's not a big deal for much longer. So I managed to shake out all the internals and separate them in my project box, divided by the plunger.



The parts on the bottom I think are locks so I'll most likely remove those, and the ones on the top are parts essenital to the blaster. Anyway, more when I get on to it.

Okay not alot going on at the moment with the mod, hitting a few blocks with lack of supplies, namely a new spring. I got some form of PVC at Bunnings, which will do for ammo storage, and I brought a C-836 spring, but it was too big for the blaster, so now I'm modding a nitefinder I got of a friend as well.

Nitefinder springs are too big for the blaster as well...

On a positive note, I worked out the internals, or at least what needs to stay in. It's here:



It's just the three gears in that order, and the plunger and barrel.

More when I hopefully find a spring that fits. Likely not for a long time...

You could always replace the plunger tube and plunger head.

abowden wrote:You could always replace the plunger tube and plunger head.

It's an idea, I might look into it.

if you have a night-finder, and something to cut down the shell with, it is doable.

abowden wrote:if you have a night-finder, and something to cut down the shell with, it is doable.

Unfortunatly, there's two screw posts on either side of where the tube sits, and I can't exactly cut those out, now can I?

I might just resort to making my own spring...

You could also make your own bath plug plunger. e.g. Bath plug, washer, screw, plastic rod etc.

two screw posts isn't going to make much of a difference, her, I did it on my nite-mav here is what I mean

Becuase I can't get out until the weekend, I opened up a few more nerf guns to see if I could get a spring fit, I have found out, The spring is a long spectre spring! So if anyone knows a contraption that uses a spring with the same diameter, please let me know!

Can't you just use the spectre spring, and then if you miss your spectre so much, then buy one from black tactical?

NachoTaco wrote:Can't you just use the spectre spring, and then if you miss your spectre so much, then buy one from black tactical?

No the reason I can't use the spectre spring is because it's too short! I think it's about a quarter of the size... On the topic of Black Tactical, I'm still a kid, so I have to make internet purchases through my dad. His answer to anything about buying over the internet: NO.

Just put a large syringe in place of the plunger tube, it doesn't matter if you lose 2 screw posts (I know this because I have made a nitemav)

Alright abowden, I will. But where do I find a syringe?

A pharmacist , or a chemist.

Right, I'll take a look.

Alright, new question. I need to cut out the screw posts and extra bits of plastic that hold the barrel to fit the syringe in, what's the best way to go about that without a rotary tool, if that's possible, because those things are expensive...

well, I use a lino cutter, but any sharp, small blade will do. (lino cutters are very small, V-shaped blades)

my knife will do the trick then. I might get started soon.

Alright, I just did a little more work, and things are coming along nicely. These are the two things I worked on within the last few minutes:



As you can see, I cut down the handle a little, so now I can fit a trigger in. Now to the barrel.



I replaced the lower part of the barrel with 32mm conduit, as the ID was 25mm, so I can fit a nightfinder spring in there! So I hot glued the barrel into place, and covered up any gaps. There's also a hole on the red piece, I wasn't sure whether it affected anything so I coved it up to be safe.



The picture's a little hard to see, but if you look at the red piece yourself then you'll see it. I then pulled the rest of the AR out with my pliers.



Now it looks like the air flow is better. After that, I covered over the hot glue with gaff tape so it's just a little stronger.



Also, the list in the OP? It's time to check that off

1: Cut off these extra handle sections. - Mostly done. When I relocate the trigger and confirm that it's working, I'll cut out the handle on the front.

2: Relocate the trigger - Getting to it. I'm just going to move the original trigger.

3: Custom ammo storage - After I put the gun back together.

4: New custom shotgun grip for reloading - as soon as I cut out the front handle.

5: Low powered laser light/pointer thingy - too expensive, so this won't happen.

6: Finish drilling out the rest of that air restrictor, I popped the part with the spring out, but I haven't finished yet. - Done!

7: Get a new spring and pad the end of that bolt, just to be safe - 50% done, i need to make a new bolt head to fit the plunger

8: New catch spring - the stock catch is actually quite strong, so I'll keep it.