Macgyver's blow dart rifle

Macgyver440 · Sat May 12, 2007 3:11 am

This here is my blow dart air rifle, just recently built. This thing shoots standard .40 cal blow darts from a 1/2" OD alum tube. The gun assembly is made from PVC, with the exception of the alum tube, and the metal reducer used to adapt the alum tube to the PVC ball valve. And that brings me to the triggering setup. Right now I'm experimenting with new ideas for triggering ideas that are cheap yet effective. This idea takes a simple ball valve, combines it with a spring and an angle brace positioned just right to hold the valve closed. When the angle brace "trigger" is pulled, it releases the valve handle, and the spring pulls the thing open fast. The air chamber is made of 1 1/2" pipe, and uses a regular tire valve for filling. I also conjured up a simple one way check valve type of setup to keep air inside the chamber when removing the tire pump's nozzle from the valve, using a flexible plastic disc that seals the tire valve from the rest of the air chamber. Its actually a close cousin to the diaphragm triggering system Ive seen on many spud guns, but it works. The stock is cut from some 1/2" pine board with a thumbhole configuration. The assembly is plastic epoxied to the stock for a secure mounting, with everything stained and spray painted to make it look just as good as it shoots. This thing launches blow darts at super high speed, I shot the thing at my bed from 10 ft away and the kinetic energy from the dart was enough that the wire dart separated from the plastic cone when the dart hit the mattress. So now theres a dart stuck somewheres in the mattress. Oh well, all in the name of progress.

chaos · Sat May 12, 2007 3:19 am

nice job

but i dont like the idea having the chamber near ya head.

neways good work, stock looks good

peace
chaos

XxtriviumxX · Sat May 12, 2007 3:20 am

looks like a nice gun, send some damage pics

TwitchTheAussie · Sat May 12, 2007 3:23 am

I congradulate you on your work and heres my personal thumbs up for excellence :thumbright: Chaos if you hurry up with your hybrid you might get one as well

chaos · Sat May 12, 2007 3:28 am

TwitchTheAussie wrote:I congradulate you on your work and heres my personal thumbs up for excellence :thumbright: Chaos if you hurry up with your hybrid you might get one as well

ASAP twitch i got exams comin up soon so lets just see how we go.

Macgyver440 · Sat May 12, 2007 11:25 am

Ill have to think of something to photograph to show the potential of this gun. The most I can think of right now is my wife's plastic mickey mouse piggy bank that I turned into a pin cushion during some past tests. Other targets were unsuspecting helloy kitty and other feline stuffed animals (also the ole lady's if you hadnt guessed, heh

). But Illl get something up soon as I can.

boilingleadbath · Sat May 12, 2007 1:08 pm

Does that ball valve system open all the way, or does it only open most of the way?

origin unknown · Sat May 12, 2007 1:11 pm

I like your stock alot. I gotta make one for my grenade launcher I just built.

Macgyver440 · Sat May 12, 2007 1:19 pm

The ball valve opens most of the way, but with the air pressure in the chamber and the light weight of the blow dart, even most of the way is enough to move enough CFM of air to shoot the dart pretty fast.

As for the fellow with the grenade lancher, it would be cool if you made up some templates of stocks based on the army's 'nam era grenade lancher, I think its the M79, give it a realistic look. If the guns made of PVC make sure you use the plastic epoxy, stuff works real good.

origin unknown · Sat May 12, 2007 1:24 pm

Macgyver440 wrote:The ball valve opens most of the way, but with the air pressure in the chamber and the light weight of the blow dart, even most of the way is enough to move enough CFM of air to shoot the dart pretty fast.

As for the fellow with the grenade lancher, it would be cool if you made up some templates of stocks based on the army's 'nam era grenade lancher, I think its the M79, give it a realistic look. If the guns made of PVC make sure you use the plastic epoxy, stuff works real good.

Yes, exactly what I had in mind =)

pyromaniac · Sat May 12, 2007 4:05 pm

Why did you post this gun twice? anyway i like it. great stock.

Macgyver440 · Sun May 13, 2007 10:57 am

Hey Pyro,

I didnt post this one twice, I just have this one and the baby version of it on here, they look almost identical except for the length. Baby version is about a foot shorter.