All these ideas...

[Liam1992]

Well, I was just reading the "Golf Ball BB's" thread and started to ponder all the little technicalities involved in making the most efficient Airsoft Weapon. Naturally, all of these things require a fair amount of science but reading that thread alone, some of you guys appear to be technically minded enough to think through the answers.

I was just wondering then, what other little ideas have you had whilst your sat in the bath and thought "Nah, it'll never work" and left it there. You never know, you might be sat on a gem of an idea!

Now, surely the key to prolonged accurate flight is surely in the barrel and spin on the BB, so Hop and Barrel design are probably the most important element of a BB's flight right?

I am relatively certain that a rifled barrel isn't the way forward, because a BB and a live round are completely different animals, or is it more down to length that design? Or diameter for that matter? I am sure I have read somewhere that someone claimed a 6.08 to be the most efficient?

Airsoft is a developing sport, and its getting more technical all the time it appears, so one of your ideas might hold the key to future development!

PS: Feel free to ignore all this as I am purely talking crap, just thought I would see what creative juices I could encourage!

 

[M_P]

I don't have time to right a proper reply right now but yes you're right, PDI say that 6.08 is the ideal internal diameter for accuracy.

 

[Tariq]

There is also the chamfer angle at the end of the barrel to accommodate, due to the vortex spirals that occur. What angle is most efficient etc.

In theory, the way that GBB rifles load and feed BB's, you could actually have more bullet shaped ammo, and incorporate rifled barrels. However that is a whole new kettle of fish and would require lots more new research and development.

 

[NickM]

As far as I'm aware the hop on a bb is to have a difference in pressure above and below the bb like an aeroplane wing, ie backspin creates lift to counter gravity for as long as possible. I know you probably know this just thinking on the screen.

Having the round rifle is more about stability and therefore accuracy at distance, you don't have to worry as much about distance and gravity with a normal bullet because there is a hell of a lot more force behind it and the momentum is bigger due to a larger mass. If you want it to go further with more force use more propellant and a bigger mass.

Using a bullet shape might give you slightly better range than a bb without hop at the same fps as the air resistance will be slightly lower, but if you were to include backspin from the hop I would guess the bb would win hands down.

So in my eye using a bullet shaped round may give you a slightly better accuracy and range than an un-hopped bb, but when you factor in hop I doubt if the bullet shape would go as far or be as accurate.

As to your original post I have had many ideas over my first year of airsoft, many I have forgotten as this is quite a niche sport and I doubt any would survive past any prototyping by myself as I'd be unlikely to find someone willing to take the idea further. The main idea I keep coming back to time and again revolves around the BFG concept. I really like the idea of a reusable grenade that is close to realistic but I really don't like the idea of throwing a large, heavy and expensive lump of metal anywhere. I think the designers have missed a trick by making them almost a safety hazard due to their mass. How about a metal core with the important stuff then put a lightweight honeycomb polymer or rubber outer. They'd bounce, less chance of breaking, and less chance of a K.O.

 

[Tariq]

the BFG does have a polymer body. And is lighter than people think. Still a fair bit of mass to be throwing around but if one hit me in the shin i wouldn't be worried.

They also don't break that easily. Mine has been thrown into walls at force and it doesn't even have a scratch on it. Just make sure it doesn't land directly on the metal tip at force or it will go off instantly rather than waiting for delay XD

 

[NickM]

Maybe someone should look at the recco receivers and avalanche transceivers to make a gear locator perhaps. To put into the BFG and mags/pistols etc.

Most of the rest of my ideas have been around the props used in game, like a briefcase IED type device, or a target. If you get it wrong it blows up, a shotgun blank or 9mm blank. The IED's could be timed, you must locate the " bomb makers plans" (a pin code to enter) this would deactivate the bomb. The target idea is that a shot fired into it would set off an alarm, a team has to position a sniper to achieve the shot, maybe a vip scenario or something. Still getting the ideas together.

 

[Tariq]

Really wouldn't want to be defusing a IED with a 12g inside XD

Stood next to my BFG with one in. Left ear ringing much.

Would be easy to create systems like that though.

 

[Zak Da Mack]

At Viking, one of the guys created a suitcase bomb prop. It was activated by a code and you then had roughly 3 minutes to defuse it. If you didn't defuse it in time, then it would detonate a mk.5 pyro inside the case. It was pretty awesome as it blew up.