how difficult would this be to make for airsoft

[BIGwat]

there is one airsoft replica i would have loved to have seen made, but unfortunately there is yet a company to make one, so....machinists and handy peeps how difficult do you think this would be to make?

im talking about a single break barrel shotgun such as a model 37 or a j. stevens model 94b using aps shells. pretty simple looking shotguns and nothing really too complex. 

 

i have zero experience with this sort of thing, this is more or less a post to gauge (no pun intended) my curiosity 

Edited August 28, 2023 by BIGwat

[BigStew]

Unless you have access to laths, welding equipment and maybe a CNC machine very difficult even then still difficult. There are 3D printable files available for a single action shotguns but they will still a lot of effort to put together.

[Tackle]

I could be wrong, but didn't someone on here do a shotgun conversion of some sort, lining the barrels with some flared copper tube to take aps type gas shells ??????? 

[Half Cocked Armoury]

It wouldn't be difficult, but it would be expensive. 

Let's say materials cost 50 quid. 

 

But you'd need to pay for the time, and the fact the fella/lass who makes it has a lathe, grinder, polisher, pillar drill, workshop area ect. 

 

It would actually be quite simple, but not financially viable.

 

Personally I'd cast the reciever/hammer/levers ect out of a variation of Zamak and make the barrel from mild steel, with a long 8mm wide slot in the base of the barrel. The actual pin (is it on the hammer or a transfer?) ideally made from polymer.

 

The last thing you want to make is something that can actually go bang. 

 

 

 

[BIGwat]

18 hours ago, Half Cocked Armoury said:

It wouldn't be difficult, but it would be expensive. 

Let's say materials cost 50 quid. 

 

But you'd need to pay for the time, and the fact the fella/lass who makes it has a lathe, grinder, polisher, pillar drill, workshop area ect. 

 

It would actually be quite simple, but not financially viable.

 

Personally I'd cast the reciever/hammer/levers ect out of a variation of Zamak and make the barrel from mild steel, with a long 8mm wide slot in the base of the barrel. The actual pin (is it on the hammer or a transfer?) ideally made from polymer.

 

The last thing you want to make is something that can actually go bang. 

 

 

 

yeah i can imagine it to be a costly operation, it would just be cool to see. i love the aps shells but the shotguns not so much and being able to use the shells without the need of a shell catcher is just a dream!  its a shame you can't use real parts and modify the parts... i mean im no expert but im sure it'd be a very grey area of breaking the law

[Half Cocked Armoury]

It would be totally breaking the law. 

You can modify a denix to fire aps cam870 shells though. 

[Tackle]

Yep, that was it, quick search came up with this:

 

[BIGwat]

2 hours ago, Tackle said:

Yep, that was it, quick search came up with this:

 

Yeah i had a farsan double barrel aswell and converted it to aps shells, sold it on here before i even got any shells to test it like a melon, granted it looked nice and was cool but it just didnt hit the spot for me.  i irritate myself by getting bored quickly with every gun i have because its not exactly what i wanted, but i suppose thats because i like oldie odd guns and theres not much really odd these days, the reality is the hawsan/farsan is the closest ill get to a single break action shotty i think which is a shame unless a manufacturer makes one in the future

[JinxDuh]

3 hours ago, Half Cocked Armoury said:

It would be totally breaking the law. 

You can modify a denix to fire aps cam870 shells though. 

Any idea if you could modify one of these denix models to fire the shotgun shells? Would love an airsoft musket...

[gavinkempsell]

14 minutes ago, JinxDuh said:

Any idea if you could modify one of these denix models to fire the shotgun shells? Would love an airsoft musket...

They managed to convert muzzle loaders to breech loading in 1865ish so it'll be possible to convert a Denix in2023 (well outwith my skillset tho).

Edited August 30, 2023 by gavinkempsell

[Half Cocked Armoury]

1 hour ago, gavinkempsell said:

They managed to convert muzzle loaders to breech loading in 1865ish so it'll be possible to convert a Denix in2023 (well outwith my skillset tho).

 

That is mechanically simpler than an airsoft conversion to a denix flintlock I'm afraid. 

 

Looking to make a batch of 1861 Springfields though hopefully will have a field tested prototype by spring. I find the lack of US civil war airsoft guns (there are only 2 on the market and both discontinued) a bit odd. 

 

[Lozart]

12 hours ago, Half Cocked Armoury said:

I find the lack of US civil war airsoft guns (there are only 2 on the market and both discontinued) a bit odd. 

 

 

Really? It's a niche market in the west, why would a Chinese company think they're a good idea?

[Half Cocked Armoury]

7 hours ago, Lozart said:

 

Really? It's a niche market in the west, why would a Chinese company think they're a good idea?

 

Because there's been some really odd rifs made in the past. 

 

French 1700s flintlock paget carbine - KTW

Ghost in the shell schrodinger, a 1000 pound plus aep - Laylax

Deckards gun from bladerunner - HWS

Double barrel 1911 - WE

 

Or quantities of real ones to get airsoft ones made, there were over a million 1861 Springfields made, nearly half a million open top colts just between the 1851 and 1860 models. 

 

Just my opinion, I do think they'd sell if done properly. 

 

And it would be nice to have a sharps/rolling block/Springfield or enfield with a vsr spec hop and barrel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lozart]

3 minutes ago, Half Cocked Armoury said:

 

Because there's been some really odd rifs made in the past. 

 

French 1700s flintlock paget carbine - KTW

Ghost in the shell schrodinger, a 1000 pound plus aep - Laylax

Deckards gun from bladerunner - HWS

Double barrel 1911 - WE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

True, but how many did they actually sell compared to all the M4/AK/MP5 models they churn out? 

[Cannonfodder]

41 minutes ago, Lozart said:

 

 

True, but how many did they actually sell compared to all the M4/AK/MP5 models they churn out? 

This. Everyone moans about how new rifs are so often "just another M4" but manufacturers know that's what will sell in high enough numbers to make it worth their while. I'd hazard a guess that of all the people who say they like whatever new non M4 rif is available, less than 10% actually buy one